For newbies in the realm of spearfishing, spearguns are a daunting topic, more so because there are so many things they need to know about it in order to operate it. It is after all not just something you point and shoot at fish; it is also a piece of equipment that needs to be handled with a certain amount of confidence and expertise.
First of all, the speargun has evolved in the years it has been in existence. From the first models that were made of wood with rubber bands, today's spearguns sport sleek, modern looks and utilizing infinitely better technologies like pneumatics, CO2, hydro pneumatics, springs and in some cases, gun powder.
However, in the market today, the two types of spearguns that are quite popular are the pneumatic and band-powered spearguns but between the two, the band-powered spearguns are enjoying the most sales. This is due to the fact that band-powered guns are virtually silent when shot and are very easy to maintain. In addition, there are three sub-types under band-powered spearguns that you can choose from and they are the following:
European Style Guns
These are the best type of spearguns to use for hunting smaller fishes. It is incredibly maneuverable, easy to load and is virtually silent when shot. This gun uses thin shafts about 6 to 7.5 mm in a single barb, with handles usually made of plastic, with stainless steel mechanism, with low-profile, round barrels that can be made from aluminum, carbon fiber or wood. No special loader is required for this gun as well. It also minimizes drag because the shooting line attaches to a hole at the back end of the shaft, which also adds length to the line and shortens the stringing line. Common band thicknesses are 16mm, 18mm, and 20mm.
These are the best type of spearguns to use for hunting smaller fishes. It is incredibly maneuverable, easy to load and is virtually silent when shot. This gun uses thin shafts about 6 to 7.5 mm in a single barb, with handles usually made of plastic, with stainless steel mechanism, with low-profile, round barrels that can be made from aluminum, carbon fiber or wood. No special loader is required for this gun as well. It also minimizes drag because the shooting line attaches to a hole at the back end of the shaft, which also adds length to the line and shortens the stringing line. Common band thicknesses are 16mm, 18mm, and 20mm.
Rail Guns
A newbie to the speargun family, this type is popularly used in South Africa and Australia. It uses shafts of 7 to 8 mm with a single barb, with a barrel that has thicker walls. And because the shaft is guided by the gun's namesake rail, it ensures the shaft is launched perfectly straight which makes for very accurate shots. Rail guns also have a plastic muzzle that will accommodate one to three bands that wrap around the openings on the muzzle, and band thickness depends on the number of bands, but a gun with double bands will accommodate 16 to 18mm bands, and single-band guns will take one 20mm band. The thicker shaft lengths are best for targeting large, pelagic fish at longer ranges.
A newbie to the speargun family, this type is popularly used in South Africa and Australia. It uses shafts of 7 to 8 mm with a single barb, with a barrel that has thicker walls. And because the shaft is guided by the gun's namesake rail, it ensures the shaft is launched perfectly straight which makes for very accurate shots. Rail guns also have a plastic muzzle that will accommodate one to three bands that wrap around the openings on the muzzle, and band thickness depends on the number of bands, but a gun with double bands will accommodate 16 to 18mm bands, and single-band guns will take one 20mm band. The thicker shaft lengths are best for targeting large, pelagic fish at longer ranges.
American-Style Spearguns
Also used to handle large game, it uses thicker shafts with threads at the tip to accommodate double-barbed spear tips or slip-tip mechanisms. It also made with the highest quality steel mechanism that can hold multiple loaded bands. And because they are usually made of wood which is dense, this makes them easier to balance as well as exceedingly powerful to hunt large fishes.
Also used to handle large game, it uses thicker shafts with threads at the tip to accommodate double-barbed spear tips or slip-tip mechanisms. It also made with the highest quality steel mechanism that can hold multiple loaded bands. And because they are usually made of wood which is dense, this makes them easier to balance as well as exceedingly powerful to hunt large fishes.
With regards to the parts, the things you need to understand about spearguns are the shafts, points, rubbers, shooting line, muzzle types and rigging. The shafts or the spears, range in size from 6 to 9 mm and can be made from stainless steel, spring-hardened stainless steel or galvanized steel. This is due to the fact that stainless steel is resistant to corrosion and bends with the least amount of force. While galvanized steel is stronger, it can also become rusty after exposure to salt water so the best compromise would be hardened stainless steel which can be polished to look shiny.
The points on the other hand, are available mostly in pencil-nose and tri-cut point designs. Pencil-nose points are best used on delicate-skinned species where perforation is needed while tri-cut points are best for thick-skinned, scaled or skulled fish where more aggressive perforation is needed.
Bands or rubbers on the other hand, are usually made of latex and usually measure about 9/16-, 5/8-, and 3/4-inch in diameters. There are two factors that affect a band's power and they are stretch and diameter and usually come with wishbones installed although you can still get some without and install your own wishbones.
Shooting lines are the lines attached to the spear shafts or can also be attached to the gun, a gun-mounted reel or a float line. Weight is critical when choosing shooting lines as the lighter the line, the less the drag. Stiffer shooting lines prevent tangles and are usually made from nylon, Kevlar, monofilament and stainless steel cable, with additional options coming in coated, waxed and braided.
Muzzles are the business end of spearguns and its purpose it to hold the bands and direct the shafts. There are two types of muzzles, the open and closed but most spearos prefer the open ended muzzles because their line of vision is unhindered. Screw-in or loop muzzles are most preferable since they are more reliable and less expensive.
And last but not the least, rigging lines are those shooting lines that are either attached to the muzzle of the gun with a shock cord, attached to a gun-mounted reel or to a detachable float line. Depending on the size of your game, a shooting line with a shock cord that is attached directly to the gun is best for small fish, while a shooting line attached to a float line is best for larger fish because a shock-cord set up will eventually lead to a lost gun. Using rigging lines attached to a gun-mounted reel on the other hand, is best when there are obstructions present, like kelp or pilings.
As with any piece of equipment, spearguns are always subject to innovation so it is important that you keep yourself up to date on new models which almost always have something new to offer and more benefits to provide. Understanding every part of it and what it does, will help you to choose the best one for your kind of spearfishing and will be worth your time and money as far as investments go.
Getting the best spearguns means getting it only from the best. Check out various types and models at http://www.spearfishingproducts.com.au and catch those elusive game fish quickly and easily.
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