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Where to find additional information…

I have been building a youTube channel with a number of videos to address a number of commonly discussed issues, questions, and proper use of your speargun.  Some of the videos also show the guns in different stages of the build and can be useful to anyone wanting to customize their gun.  You can also contact me via phone, facebook messenger, or email as well.

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Loading the Spear Shaft

DON’T slam the shaft into the gun!  To load the gun all you need to do is put the spear in the track, slide it back until it rests against the trigger mechanism (sear) and PRESS the spear firmly into the mech.  You will hear a clicking sound…that is the sear engaging and locking on the notch on the shaft.  Your gun can now be loaded (putting the bands on). 

If you do slam the spear into the sear you will eventually break or damage the sear.  Everytime I’ve ever seen a sear fail it was because the user was slamming the spear into the trigger mech when loading the gun…please don’t do that!

Quick note on the line release…the line release is part of the trigger mechanism.  Some guns will not allow the sear to lock on the spear if the line release isn’t in the rear position.  Most of our guns have an auto reset line release but a few do not. 

 

Loading your Speargun

Our spearguns are designed to be hip loaded or chest loaded, or a combination of both.  All of our guns over 45 inches have a “rest tab” to assist with loading.  The rest tab is placed in a way that allows for the shooter to pull the band back about 2/3rds of the way back to the rest tab on the side of the gun and “rest” for a moment.  You can hip or chest load to this point…I usually hip load as it’s easier.  The shooter will then position the gun in an optimum position, usually on the chest (sternum or stomach) and lift the band off the rest position and pull it back onto the shark fin tab on the spear.  Viola!

 

Bands

I’ve designed each of my guns with a certain sized shaft and band combination that I think is best for the type of hunting that I do.  YOU may have different conditions or experience that requires a different band/shaft combinations.  I stock a couple of band diameters and custom cut and tie all the bands for my guns.  They are usually tied at 350% stretch.  I can tie them anywhere between 300% and 380% stretch depending upon your loading technique and your upper body strength.

If you move from a 9/32s shaft to a 5/16ths you will may want to step up the bands as well.  Give me a call or shoot me an email and we’ll have something made to suit your new shaft.  Also, if you change from a flopper to a slip tip you may be increasing the length or mass of the spear shaft…this too may require a change in bands.  If it seems to lack power after you make the change, let’s talk about it and figure out what we need to do.   

 

Band Loss of Power and Life Span

Salt, Sunlight, Stretch, Time…all of these things combined have a deteriating effect on speargun bands, especially when combined.   Saltwater isn’t good for anything and your bands should be rinsed after you’ve used your gun.  Sunlight will break down the bands as UV rays hit them.  There are socks and covers for the bands that can be used on the boat, in transit, or in storage.  Stretch is a big factor.  Some rubber will decrease power over time as the bands become “stretched out”.  Every time the bands are loaded they suffer microscopic tears in the material.  Over time this builds up and bands will “loosen” or “lose their snap”.  Also, the more time a band stays loaded decreases the stored energy potential.  I seem to recall reading that after 45 minutes as much as 30% of their stored power can be temporarily lost…(I read that on the Internet so it must be true).

Cover your bands with a gun sock or take your bands off the gun and store them in a cool, dry, dark place. 

Most bands will last about a year before they need to be replaced. 

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Loading Practice

I’ve seen some huge guys unable to load spearguns and I’ve seen some scrawny runts that could load the same gun with no problem.  70% of loading is technique.  With a little practice, you can look like a lifelong waterman (and amaze your friends at parties). 

Now, #2 rule about spearguns is that you don’t load them out of the water (#1 rule is don’t point them at something you don’t want to put a hole in).  However, you can practice pulling the bands back.  I suggest putting on your gloves to avoid pinching skin and putting a folded washcloth or a flip-flop on your chest or hip to avoid bruises (in the water you’ll be wearing a wetsuit). 

Most of my longer guns have a rest tab on the side.  Practice pulling the bands back to the loading tab.  If you want to practice pulling the bands all the way back to the shark fins then mark where the tabs are on the gun with a little masking tape and remove the spear.  You can then pull the bands back w/o catching them on the shaft and creating a dangerous situation. 

If you find your are having difficulty loading the gun, give me a call and we’ll see if we can figure out a solution.  I once bought a speargun and some aftermarket bands to “make it more powerful” and wasn’t able to load the bands…they were simply too short.    

Target Practice

When I was in the military we went to the range and practiced shooting our weapons to ensure that we hit what we were aiming at.  And I’m a proponent of knowing that when I aim a weapon at any living animal that I’m going to hit it and preferably kill it instantly and humanely (hence the name “KillShot”).  It’s not always possible to achieve a KillShot every time but with a little practice you can do it more often.  If you want to target practice I suggest using a piece of closed cell foam like EVA floor mats or rigid construction foam.  Both materials are cheap, relatively soft, and do not disintegrate when shot.  Please don’t use Styrofoam.  You don’t need a huge piece; I usually use a 8-10 inch by 18 inch piece.  I tie paracord through small holes I’ve cut in the two bottom corners and tie weights to the paracord.  The target will float above the weights and I can practice.  I usually position the bullseye in the top of the middle third of the target and put hash marks at 1 inch intervals.  With my guns the shaft usually goes where you point it but may drift higher or lower than you are expecting.

Don’t start at max range…take your first couple of shots from 6-8 feet from the tip of the gun and see where your spear hits the target.  Now move back further until you are at max range.  This will give you a pretty clear picture of how the spear is going to drop over distance.  That’s pretty important if you what to hit a 14 inch fish right behind the eye from 15 feet. 

One final note, if you aren’t hitting your target consistently or the spear isn’t going where you expect it to go, give me a call and we’ll see if we can figure out what’s wrong. 

 

Changing the hand grip

Almost all guns we produce utilize a tried and tested AR style hand grip.  Any AR compatible handle will fit as long as it doesn’t have a “beavertail”.  Changing the grip is simple as we have used an 3/32nd Allen bolt to secure the handle to the trigger guard plate.  Simply unscrew the bolt holding on the current handle and replace it with your choice of handle.  We’ve only tested our guns with the standard, mil-spec A2 handle and the Hogue series of handles. 

 

Adding a Reel to your Speargun

Adding a reel is easy but it may void the warranty*.  I suggest placing the reel plate 3-4 inches in front of the trigger plate as that will allow you slide the reel onto the reel plate and the trigger guard will not obstruct the reel.  Drill your holes.  I usually place a little tape around the drill bit so I know how deep to drill the holes.  Make sure you drill the hole deep enough to accommodate the screw as you don’t want to create pressure inside the screw holes.  There are no weird metal substructures in this area of the gun.  If you want to mount the reel anywhere else I suggest you call me first so we can figure out if you are going to hit any critical structures w/in the gun, like the track, ballast weights, etc.  I’m going to suggest you bring it in for us to attach but I’ve also never sent a gun back to a manufacturer just to have a reel mounted…I get it.   

*Regarding the warranty…if you damage the gun while drilling the holes or we determine that a failure occurred as a result of you drilling into the stock, the warranty will be void.

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