Posts by Diving gecko

    Surprised to see it ain't the Taiwanese of Chinese fishing fleet.
    I mean, China is a rogue nation when it comes to these issues (TW behaves the same) and the world lost all its bargaining chips and has no leverage any longer when it comes to the Middle Kingdom.


    But the French... This is disappointing. Far from respect, equality and brotherhood. It's like going back to colonial rape of resources.


    Sorry man. Hope something can be done.

    I dive in the tropics with thin socks and a Pathos foot pocket.
    The Mirage fold out lever is very easy on the foot. But since one of my mods will be to make a more regularly angled handle, I wont be needing the flip-out lever.
    I hate to see that beautifully shaped handle go, but I just couldn't make it work for me. I shot high every time I had to take a fast shot. If I lived near the ocean and dived often, I think I would get used to it. But I don't, so I need to go with a handle that is more in line with the "natural grip angle" of my wrist/arm.


    The Mirage's claim to fame is that it is actually easier to load than a traditional gun since the loading effort gets divide up into smaller segments. So, again, this means less force onto your foot.


    A Mirage has a smaller diameter (less force on its piston) loading barre situated under the shooting barrel. When loading, you first insert the spear into the loading barrel and pump five times. This will move most of the air from the tank into the front reservoir, so when you move the spear back up into the regular shooting barrel your final loading effort is very manageable.
    This is the reason a Mirage can be loaded to 40 bars by hand.


    But the extra barrel inside the gun makes the gun a tad heavier - and I don't even know if it makes sense to shoot a 7mm spear at high pressures. We might start having precision issues.
    Also, a lot of the "performance" parts made in the past few years (lighter, smoother pistons, new shock absorbers) can't actually stand the increased pressure.
    For now, I am thinking my long version Mirage might be equipped with a 7.5mm spear, but I will test it with 7mm, too. I'll likely be running the gun somewhere around 30 bar.


    I am into the Mirage cuz the nerd in me like the idea of having the most powerful pneumatic gun with a technology not used in about 20 years and not surpassed since.


    Also, one thing that I think the gun has going for it, is that if you have any issues with your strength, you can actually still load this gun. Like KC(?) who had to switch to CO2 guns cuz of busted shoulders. A functioning Mirage could be a very viable alternative there.

    Hey guys,
    Thanks so much for the warm welcome! Truly appreciated:-)


    Don, I know that you are a keen collector and user of all great guns, so I have to tell you that I am actually planning on making a long 120-125cm version of a Mirage;-).
    Originally, they came in 80/84 and 100/104 (two models with different designations).


    But I have already committed pure sacrilege on my 84 as I am in the process of modifying that beautiful and iconic swept-back handle. I just couldn't make it work for me in terms of fast and instinctive aiming.


    My 84 has other modifications. The outer tank is carbon tube, it has a vacuum muzzle and as short a spear as possible all in an effort to save weight and better performance. I don't like heavy guns at all;-)
    I might even go one step further and have the shooting barrel's outside diamter turned down a tad in places.
    The ultimate modification would be a custom cuttlefish - shaped outer tank in carbon (think pneumatic in C4 shape). Then instead of saving weight, I could add a tad of volume. But that's in the future. Maybe I'll take a page off of Tin Man's lost wax processs;-)


    As you can tell, I am into the Mirages for the technology of them and while they are beautiful creations, I want to modify them to suit me as much as I can.


    Again, thanks all!


    Some quick pix below.
    First one is the Mirage. Sorry for the small coral grouper, though. Thai waters are pretty overfished, but still no reason to take them that small.
    Second is a "Cam Wing". It's carbon over a quickly shaped foam wing. Enough buoyancy to offset weight of cam and reel.
    Last one is a Seac Hunter 90, Mirage 80/84 and a Mares Medisten. All with different vacuum muzzle systems and carbon fiber outer tanks

    Hey all,
    Long, long time lurker here, but felt it was about time I signed up properly:-)


    I am a Danish photographer based in Shanghai who day (and night) dreams about living near the ocean. Since I don't, I try to run away from here to the nearest patch of OK water which means Thailand or the Philippines.


    Been freediving since 2008 and took up spearing some three years ago. For reasons to do with my inner self, I am very partial to pneumatic guns (I am a nerd at heart;-))
    With all the downtime a freelancer in my industry unfortunately has these years, I find I have plenty of time on my hands to modify guns and hang out on forums talking about modifying guns...


    That said, I am currently monogamous in that that I am only living with one gun. According to the rules of the land (ChinaLand) I should actually be single, but managed to bring in a 30-40 year old Mares Mirage in parts.
    The rest of my guns are in storage with a friend in Bangkok. I miss them dearly.


    Cheers,
    David