Choosing a speargun

All of those "longer" guns are actually pretty short when it comes to actual band stretch. You'd be doing yourself some injustice by getting any of the guns you listed IMO. For the area you dive (I dive the same), it's hard to beat a 110-120cm railgun. You can get one for the same price, perhaps cheaper than some of the guns you listed. It will have more band stretch at around the same overall gun length, and you won't have to upgrade as your experience level progresses. If I had to do it all over again, I'd get a 120cm rob allen with a reel and call it a day.

If you're planning on "blue water" as in bigger pelagics, I would go even longer. Not less than 55 inch. You'll have much better vis and fish that look closer than they are. And 55 isn't too long to shoot reef fish unless the vis is less than 20 feet or so and you're shooting in holes.

mjreilly, the guns you mentioned are not considered long.

Are you scuba or freediving?

Have you used a speargun before, if yes which?

As a beginner you should stay away from reels, and start with a float line.
I never heard of anyone using mono on a speargun reel. A speargun reel doesn't work like a fishing rod reel. Mono will be a PITA to handle.

If on Tanks you dont want a reel, if freediving a float line or reel works well for me.
I started with Billers and JBL's and now cant imagine shooting one of those guns again, ever! Not a big fan of riffe, I think that are way over priced but they are powerful and shoot straight, they tend to delaminate over time on some models.
If I had to start over again I would also go with a 120-130cm gun but I prefer wood(personal preference) with a deep track or enclose track with shark fin tabs... Get a reel, to change my 120 euro Koah out from the speardiver reel set up to breakaway float line takes me 30 seconds. I have my shooting line separate from my speardiver reel line, so all I do is disconnect my reel line from my shooting line, snug up my reel line, then I add a bit of pre-rigged line with a small bungee already built in to it to my shooting line and wallah I am shooting with a breakaway float line. This gives me the option to quickly change my gun from reef mode to backup gun in the blue or mahi mahi gun.

Most of the guns you listed are cocking stock guns in that they have a long extension behind the hand grip, except the Riffe Competitor, unless it is a CX. Most the railguns recommended are chest loaders in that you don't brace the gun against your leg to cock them but your sternum instead. All have the trigger mechanism located directly above the hand grip. Choose what suits you, plus you can always change guns at a later date, few divers only have one gun.

120 railgun is the only logical answer

Get a 120 railgun. It won't be easy to load at the begining, but you will get used to later.

Maybe you can start with thinner bands and upgrade to 16 mm once you are more familiar loading it.

Check the freedive store here. They have nice ones and can customize them to your needs.

Ah! and they are located in Ft Lauderdale.

Since you're freediving stay away from the JBL and Biller spearguns. They're made for tank divers/shooting fish at point blank, and have inferior components. Freedivers generally need more reach/power/accuracy.

Rail guns are economical and work. Never having used a speargun before you may find you dislike chest loading, although there's a way around it. You may then require a gun with a butt extension for hip loading, which is what I prefer. I'm not aware of any good rail guns with a butt extension for hip loading, so you're now getting into wood guns.

Call the Freedive Store and come by, I'll show you the different guns.

Speardiver Phantom Speargun

Jelly. You have a tough spot to be in. You are facing an initial investment in something that you really don't know if you like. My recommendation is to get a pipe gun in the 120 cm range. I started out w a biller and quickly outgrew it and regretted the purchase. The nice thing about the rail gun is everyone uses them and they are always going to be able to be resold at a better value than the biller or jbl

I hope you love the sport and have a new lifelong passion. But, either way I'd get a rail gun hahaha

No es la flecha, es el indio.

Quote from Josediaz

No es la flecha, es el indio.

Si Es verdad - pero la flècha puede ayudar :laughing: