A gun for underwater hunting directly affects the success of the event, so its quality is crucial. Experts do not recommend to rush to the first one, because a fascinating adventure can turn into a torment because of a bad device. Before selecting a weapon, it is better to get acquainted with all its varieties, to learn their characteristics, pros and cons. Even then decide which scuba gun will be the best choice.
Types of underwater rifles
There are certain types of guns for this type of hunting. The modern market has devices made by different companies, but an improvised underwater gun can also be caught. Getting for yourself a rifle for underwater hunting, you need to know that there are such types:
- Sling;
- Gunpowder;
- Vacuum;
- Gas;
- Spring;
- Hydropneumatic;
- Pneumatic;
- Crossbow.
Baby sling
Sling or Hawaiian gun can not be called, and apparently it does not look that way. However, this device itself became the ancestor of all underwater guns.
A sling is a metal tube with a moving tip attached to it. The other end has a spring or rubber band. To actuate the device, the spring or elastic band is tensioned to the middle of the tube. In this place, the hunter, holding her hand, after aiming, releases the receiver. Tension force will sharply throw it at the target. Such an underwater gun with your own hands can be done without problems even at home.
Gun for spearfishing
The spear is ejected by the action of powder charges. These guns were popular in the past century. Nowadays, their use is prohibited. Lovers of underwater hunting have not lost anything because of the many flaws in the device.
Vacuum underwater gun
The device is a metal pipe, a barrel and a piston with a large diameter. Charging it, the hunter presses down the harpoon, moving the piston. The pressure created between it and the pipe body forms a vacuum.
When diving to great depths, the water pressure should have increased the power of the gun, but in practice the device demonstrated its inefficiency and unreliability. The strength of the shot was not enough for large fish, there was also no accuracy.
Gas Gun
The fixture is a trigger barrel. It has a special dispenser, as well as a cylinder of compressed gas. When fired, some part of the gas is released through the metering unit, after which the harpoon is ejected.
The weapon acts quite noisy, for this reason it is not used by either amateurs or athletes. It is used by professional hunters for large specimens of fish.
Spring Gun
It is more common than all previous ones. Especially popular until the middle of the last century, although now some people use it. The gun has a powerful spring, under the action of which the harpoon is thrown out of the barrel.
There are several modifications of such a gun, with differences in spring mechanisms, in which:
- Springs are stretched;
- Springs are compressed;
- Two springs - the first is compressed, and the second is stretched.
In addition, one gun can be equipped with two springs of similar action, but differ in diameter. A thin spring is placed inside the thick one, which increases the power of the gun.
Stretchable springs are used in small models, and compressing, on the contrary, they are also more powerful. Two-spring - very strong, but difficult to recharge.
The advantages of such products include simplicity of design, ease of use, low cost and reliability.
Despite this, such guns are undesirable for beginners, because they possess:
- Weak stopping power;
- Low buoyancy;
- Noise in the process of reloading and shooting;
- Low firing accuracy. The barrel is thrown upwards.
Hydropneumatic underwater gun
Powerful but structurally sophisticated speargun. In its production should be used only high-quality materials, because it is very whimsical.
The design of this device consists of:
- Stem;
- Nadulnik;
- Receiver;
- Piston for the separation of hydraulic and pneumatic cavities;
- Handles in which there is a trigger mechanism;
- Harpoon
Hydropneumatic guns have some advantages. With their help, you can hunt even at night in ponds that are completely overgrown with reeds. In addition, such a device can shoot completely silent.
Air rifle
The gun is considered to be non-expendable and operates on compressed air. Underwater rifle "Shark" is one of the representatives of air rifles. The presence of compressed air replaces the spring. The power of the shot is determined by the download. When firing, the release of compressed air does not occur, it will not leave the chamber.
The trigger involved releases the harpoon from hitches. The pressure created from the energy of compressed air pushes the harpoon out of the barrel. Recharging such devices can be performed in a submerged position.
Air rifles have the most diverse power, which directly depends on their size. Oversized pneumatic devices are more powerful. Many systems have battle controls. With their help, the power is selected with which the harpoon will be allowed to fly out of the barrel.
Pneumatic devices are mainly manufactured with 11-13 mm trunks, the thickness of the harpoons for them, respectively, 7-8 mm. With a large initial speed, 7 millimeter arrows fly out, but they rather lose it due to the presence of less weight. While 8 mm harpoons take off with a low initial speed, but they are able to overcome significant distances.
By the way, the underwater gun "Zelinka" is deservedly considered by many amateurs and professionals of spearfishing to be the best airgun in its class. Knowing the tactical and technical characteristics of this underwater weapon, experts recommend using sevens to hit targets at short distances, eights for hunting from a distance of several meters.
Some experts will improve their devices, with the formulation of an additional pneumatic vacuum system. It will prevent the collection of water when loading in the barrel space. Underwater gun "Pelengas" is just one of the representatives of the pneumovacuum rifles.
The advantages of air rifles:
- Efficiency is high;
- Convenient use;
- High maneuverability;
- Fair buoyancy;
- Considerable power;
- Adjustable stopping power;
- Compact size.
Shortcomings:
- Noisy shot;
- Big bang up;
- The need to get used to the process of aiming.
At the end of the scuba season, air release from the chamber is recommended.
Underwater Crossbow
This type of weapon for underwater hunting is used mainly in sea water and under the condition of good visibility. The crossbow is designed very simply and reliably. As a result, and for some other reasons, the crossbow for spearfishing is now extremely popular.
On sale crossbows with a length of 500-1500 mm are popular. It should be remembered that they take into account not the actual length, but the distance from the first hook of the harpoon to the attachment points of the harvester, that is, the barrel (“trunk”) is measured. The real size will exceed the stated approximately thirty-five percent.
Main advantages:
- Accurate shooting;
- Silent shooting;
- Simple construction;
- Minor price.
Flaws:
- Low rate of fire;
- Poor mobility.
Rules for the selection of underwater rifles
When choosing an underwater gun of "your dream" you will have to reckon with the characteristics of the reservoirs on which hunting is supposed to take place: whether it will be the sea or a freshwater reservoir, what is the level of the bottom and vegetation.
So, for hunting in ponds with densely overgrown vegetation, the presence of stones and coals is recommended to arm with highly maneuverable short-barreled models. For deep-sea hunting with good visibility, it is recommended to arm with long-barreled rifles that have the most accurate combat.
On what trophy hunting is supposed, the choice of the power of the gun will depend on it. The larger the trophy is planned, the more powerful the shooting device must be. So, when hunting for short distances, you will need a silent gun.
The best guns for spearfishing
In terms of quality and popularity, some models stand out in particular, which have earned themselves deserved fame and popularity among amateurs and professionals:
- CressiSubSL Star 55. Good value for money. Simple and reliable;
- Appeared relatively recently, but has already attracted many admirers. The device has many useful innovations;
- Seac Sub Convenient and practical gun, has a coil and a regulator;
- Mares Sten 11. It has good performance and low cost. By the way, most experienced hunters prefer to use this model;
- Zelinka. Refers to the very best and most expensive. The main advantage is the titanium weapon case.
It is undesirable to buy the cheapest Chinese devices, because the quality will most likely be appropriate. Do not rush to extremes and think that only the most expensive should be the best gun for spearfishing. The most acceptable version of the gun is likely to be a copy of the average price category, and the manufacturer is desirable for the famous and time-tested.
