What is your favorite gun and why?

as someone who also started with a biller/ hornet I can tell you that the gun is a good started because it is defficient and forces you to grow into new gear.

I recommend you go diving with some folks who either have loaner guns or let you use their gun for a few dives.

The things you must consider:
1) you are currently using a gun with a mid handle / rear handle plus configuration...do you like that or not so much
2) will this be your only gun or will you have others soon. if this is your only gun, will you only be reef diving or might you hit some blue water as well?
3) cost
4) desire to upgrade gradually over many years or just buy one gun you will use for life

I have several euro guns that I use now, a 120cm rob Allen w a 7.5mm shaft, a 90 cm Rob allen w a 7mm shaft and a 120 cm Tito gun w a 7.5mm shaft.
I like the euro configuration because I like to use only one hand and feel more comfortable having the gun out in front of me and away from my face.

I like the 120 length for the reef and still wouldnt feel too out of my league chasing some bluewater fish too.

but in truth, it doesn't matter what I like cos you aren't me...get your hands on some guns and see what you like.

What lunkerbuster said... its really about personal preferance. If you're hornet is shooting low, maybe its time for a new gun.

Some more things you should consider is whether you like wood guns, or wanna go to a metal gun. Like LB said, you have to decide whether you like your midhandle or would prefer a euro. I like shooting with one hand, so I have a euro. If you want a metal gun, popular brands are: Rob allen, rob allen, and... rob allen lol! j/k. I really like rob allens.

I see you're from Boca. My advise is to head up to Florida Freedivers, and talk to them up there. They are really knowledgeable, good people who will hook you up with the right gun for what you do.

good advice on that..Mike is great people up there and he knows his stuff too.

also, if you want to try and do a shore dive, I'll bring an extra gun for you to use

I've only shot 5 guns in my life. (not counting some POS I bought in San Pedro that about tore my little finger off when it fired unintentionally)

Three Riffes. C3X, Standard 4 and Standard 5
Two Wongs. 55 GR hybrid and a 63 magnum hybrid.

If I could only keep one....tough choice, but I'd go with the Wong 55 hybrid. Something about that gun. It shoots really smooth. I think my hit average is best with it too.

I can rig it for blue water and it's deadly around the reefs with the reel on it too.

Favorite gun is a pole spear. Followed by a So Cal Tracker for tankers.

I really like my pursuit speargun and for the cost it would be tough to beat. I've used a 120 mako and 42" biller as well and each has things I like and dislike. I like that I can hip load the Biller and that it doesn't have much kick, but thats about it, I hate that it has a safety. The Mako is hard for me to track through the water and is very noisy(rigging/shooting etc). My pursuit is a very manageable size for tracking through the water. Its super quiet which really suprised me after using the Mako, I expected all euros to be noisy. The only thing I dont like about my gun (and it has nothing to do with the gun and more to do with my lack of equipment) is that the loading butt is very small and since I don't own a wetsuit leaves me with some nasty bruises.

*this is NOT a paid Pursuit advertisement*

Thanks for the feedback Mike, I'm glad it's working for you. I also found it to be as powerful as two 16mm bands can make a gun, and accurate.

This is my preferred gun http://spearfishing.world/spea…-made-a-new-speargun.html Haven't used it yet LOL

I have a 130cm Carbon Rabitech Apex that is damn near indestructible and I am convinced that it can take on pretty much any fish in the sea. I have shot Seasnipers, Koahs, Wongs, Riffes ,Deathstick, Aimrite, Rob Allen, AB Biller, Seahornet, Omer, and probably a few others!

The Seasniper was the 130 enclosed track Euro. It tracked a bit slow, the shafts bent like wet noodles, and the finish scratched if you looked at it incorrectly. It was however an extremely accurate and silent gun!

Ther Koah "Marksman" didn't even make it to the water before I resold it due to lack of quality (I was disgusted).

My buddy has a 57 Wong Magnum hybrid that he loves and it seems like a great gun with an awesome warranty. It just costs over $1,000 by the time its all said and done. Also if you alter the hybrids setup too much it will most likely shoot completely different, unlike an enclosed track gun which shoots straight everytime. If I am paying that kind of money my gun will be enclosed track.

Riffe....They have come a long way in recent years but I will never use one by choice again. I had a C1X that was beautiful looking but had a hair trigger and kicked sooo hard that I almost broke my nose (blood coming out of my nose almost cracking my mask!). Other people like them but I can find ballasted custom guns for cheaper than their stock setups.

The Deathstick is covered in a durable coating and is perfectly balanced. I loved the one I held and shot in the water. It moved very well in the water and had more than enough power to kill blacks with 2 9/16th bands and a 5/16 shaft. This is probably the ultimate custom gun,as the only drawback is the price which is less than $800.

The Aimrite Pro Carbon 130 is a laser set up with 2 9/16th bands and 7mm shaft. I really liked this gun when I shot it and I usually never prefer open muzzle guns but it was very simple and easy to use. The handle on my friends 110 has fallen apart and I tell him to call the guy to get it replaced but he just leaves it. The thing I do not like about Aimrite guns is that shafts have to be filed down to fit in the mech and the handle is sometimes not straight in line with the barrel. This is over all a great gun with an excellent warranty.

A Rob Allen is a solid railgun that needs to be washed after each use. If you take care of them they are accurate, cheap, and reliable. My friends had more than a few of their trigger mechs sieze up so that is why I recommend a thorough washing after use. If buying a gun always make sure to get the metal line release instead of the plastic one....it breaks.

Biller/ Seahornets....my friends love these guns. I hate them with an undieing passion since I had gotten the side of my finger trapped between the metal wishbone and the shaft notch. This accident cost me a chunk of my finger that thankfully healed. I can't hit the broad side of a barn with these guns due to the fact that I am paranoid something will break of them and leave me bleeding at the end of the day.

I shot a 130cm CF T20 Omer for a few weeks. The handle was pretty cheap feeling but the gun actually worked flawlessly except for the fact that you had to replace the shaft after almost every fish. (just replace the junk omer shaft with a 6.6mm RA shaft and your good to go!).

That is what I think of a few guns.

Matt,
Wong hybrids and magnums are semi enclosed tracks.

Very informative gun review Matt, told with no BS, in your honest opinion. I like that.

Cheers, Don

I have not been spearfishing very long but I have a Riffe Euro 120x and a competitor 1s and love them both. the Euro is a great gun for reef but can also be rigged for blue water (smaller fish). These guns are very quote and well balanced but I am a tad biased. They are also easy to maintain.

Quote from hank

Matt,
Wong hybrids and magnums are semi enclosed tracks.

Yes they are! It is still alot easier to overpower them than an enclosed track gun. Also with the enclosed track you can't use a bent shaft. My friend had a slightly bent shaft on his wong and he missed everything til he changed it out.

I have had MANY spearguns.

I am roght now shooting a 130 Rob Allen with twin 16 mm bands and 7 mm shaft. I could not be happier with it; flawless, cheap, low mainteinance, reliable, powerfull, easy to track. The only thing I would change (or remove) would be the safety, but I just sealed it in the "fire" position with some two part epoxy and it's ok now.

I would maybe change it by a 110 and a 140 RA, but my 130 is a good compromise for the fishing I do.

Quote from Matt

Yes they are! It is still alot easier to overpower them than an enclosed track gun. Also with the enclosed track you can't use a bent shaft. My friend had a slightly bent shaft on his wong and he missed everything til he changed it out.

You actually try and use bent shafts?
I've shot a few times with them with my Riffe and couldn't hit the side of a whale shark from 10 feet. Even if just slightly bent. I missed a cobia, point blank from like....5 feet away and since have given up on the slightest bend.
I haven't tried increasing power over the manufacturer's set up. But the Riffes do seem to really kick with a new set of bands.