Underwater gun: types and models, how to choose it correctly. DIY harpoon for spearfishing Homemade harpoon for spearfishing

Spearfishing is not only an effective way to get an impressive catch, but also an excellent recreational solution, which is gaining more and more popularity every year. However, it is impossible to use classic gear under water, so there is a need to use special guns equipped with harpoons.

Such fishing can be carried out in virtually any body of water where there is suitable prey for this, and the development of modern technologies has not greatly affected the characteristics of harpoons. Today, the highest quality and reliable materials are used for their manufacture, but the design and operating mechanism remain the same.

This article contains all the necessary information that every person should familiarize themselves with before spearfishing.

Varieties

The classification of harpoons implies their division into two main groups depending on the design features:

Devices equipped with removable tips that can be installed or removed by screwing. Such models are most recommended for beginners, as they are distinguished by their versatility and ease of use. You can take with you a whole arsenal of tips of various shapes, which allows you to select the most suitable options directly on the spot, depending on the conditions in which you will be spearfishing. The main disadvantage is the fragility of the thread, which wears off if used too much. Even minor depreciation can negatively affect shooting accuracy and also increase the risk of the harpoon failing.
Cast devices in which the tip is securely integrated into the harpoon. A distinctive feature is the simplicity of design, high reliability and strength, and long service life. At their core, they are modernized versions of classic tools that have been used by hunters since ancient times. Even under significant pressure or maximum loads, the risk of deformation or unauthorized detachment of the tip is eliminated; In addition, it reliably holds the caught prey, minimizing the likelihood of it getting lost. However, removing it will also be quite difficult, and there is no possibility of using the rod with other types of tips, if such a need arises.

An alternative classification involves division depending on the method of interaction; in accordance with it, the following varieties are distinguished:

Devices with release mechanisms without clamps. Such models are very close to the classic tools of ancient hunters; they are distinguished by their simplicity of design, and they are still the most common and popular option. Such harpoons can be equipped with spring and pneumatic guns, as well as crossbows for underwater hunting, if the release mechanism is located on the rear side.
Devices in the design of which a hole and groove are added. This is a more modern variety; its use becomes relevant in the presence of guns or crossbows, in which the trigger mechanism is located at the front.
Devices with a lock added to their design. They are used only for spearguns with a rear trigger mechanism, if their design has grooves and grooves.

How to choose

When choosing a harpoon, it is necessary to take into account not only the design features of the weapon used, but such factors as the rate of fire and the diameter of the main rod. These indicators are directly dependent on each other, and are determined by the expected weight and size of the potential prey that will be hunted.

Rods with diameters from 6 mm to 6.5 mm They are characterized by an increased rate of fire; such models are used when hunting small fish. Most often they are made of aluminum or other metals with average strength.
Rods with a diameter of about 7 mm used when hunting medium-sized prey.
Rods with a diameter of 8 mm or more designed for hunting the largest inhabitants of the underwater depths. They are usually made from various variations of titanium alloys.

Price

The cost of harpoons depends on various factors, including the specific design, diameter, length, brand recognition, and material.

To understand the prices that are relevant today, below are the prices for some device options:

Aluminum harpoon with a diameter of 8 mm for air guns, the design of which has a thread for changing the tip, costs from 400 rubles.
Crossbow harpoon without the ability to change the tip, made of high-quality stainless steel, costs from 3,200 rubles.
Crossbow harpoon with thread for changing tips and with a diameter of 6 mm costs from 2000 rubles.
Harpoon for underwater guns made of hardened steel and with a diameter of 6 mm, costs from 1200 rubles.
Speargun harpoon made of stainless steel and with a diameter of 7 mm, costs from 800 rubles.

DIY harpoon

Many people prefer not to purchase harpoons or tips for them in specialized stores, but to make their own. This allows you to get a weapon that meets the individual requirements and preferences of the hunter, so it has undeniable advantages over factory products.

The manufacturing technology is quite simple; anyone can handle this process, since it does not require any specific skills or knowledge.

First you just need to make sure you have a set of tools for working with metal and the following materials:

A fairly thick stick, reliable and made of suitable material. It will act as a rod.
The wire is made of steel, the main requirement for it is the same - reliability and strength.
Synthetic cord or rope.

The action algorithm is described below:

Initially, steel wire for the tips is cut: the length of the segments should be within 20-30 cm, and the diameter should not exceed 4-5 mm.
On each segment you need to measure about 0.5-0.7 cm from any one edge and make a bend with an angle of 90°.
The opposite end of a segment on which there is no bend, flattened by hammer blows.
The flattened edges of the wire are filed and hand processing to provide them with a hook-like shape.
Holes are made in a pre-prepared metal stick, through which the wire is inserted into it. The flattened and turned side should remain on the outside.
The joints are additionally sealed.
The design is reliably rewound with synthetic cord and rope, you will need to make at least 10-20 turns.

Binding

There are also various binding options, the most popular options are discussed below:

Front tying is most often practiced by beginners, since the design is quite simple, which facilitates the replacement process in case of damage or other unforeseen circumstances. The main disadvantage is the loss of shooting accuracy if it is fired from a considerable distance.
Tying from the front to the bushing reduces the pressure of the rope on the boom, so accuracy is not compromised. However, the resistance will be quite high, in addition, the likelihood of end-to-end damage to the production is reduced, and the implementation of the binding is quite complex.
Tie in the area behind the bushing. It combines the advantages of the first and second options, but the presence of a hole negatively affects the strength of the harpoon itself, and the likelihood of end-to-end hits to prey remains minimal.

When hunting the largest and most powerful prey, it is recommended to choose devices, made from the most durable and reliable material – titanium.
The device requires regular lubrication, since even stainless steel with frequent and prolonged contact with water is subject to the negative effects of corrosion.
Before each hunt, the harpoon must be carefully inspected for damage; The blade can be further sharpened if necessary.

Spearfishing gives a person an indescribable feeling from the process itself. In addition to positive emotions, this activity also gives noticeable results. They make for a great catch.

Characteristic

The harpoon is the key element that holds the fish once it is hit. It is made exclusively from stainless steel. It is often hardened to give it high strength. High-quality hunting is not possible with a harpoon that does not have high rigidity.
If there is insufficient rigidity, the harpoon may bend when fired. Such a weapon will not hit the target with sufficient accuracy. For the same reason, it poses a danger to the shooter.

Varieties

Harpoons used in underwater hunting are divided into the following types:

1. The most popular are harpoons whose release mechanism does not have a lock. They have no grooves, grooves or moving parts. They are used primarily in air guns that have the trigger mechanism at the rear.
2. The second type of harpoon has special holes and grooves. Shotguns for them have a front trigger mechanism.
3. The third type of harpoons with a special groove designed for fastening in the rear part of the release mechanism.

According to the type of tip, harpoons are divided into groups:

1. The tip is a single whole with the harpoon.
2. The removable tip gives the harpoon versatility.

High-quality use of the weapon and the effectiveness of hunting are directly dependent on the tip. Before starting a hunt, you need to correctly select the type of sharpening based on the hunting conditions.

Harpoon selection

For small fish, a tool with a diameter of 6 mm is suitable. They have a higher rate of fire. It is better to go for large fish with a titanium harpoon with a diameter of 7-8 mm. The most common is a harpoon with a diameter of 6.5 mm. To hunt in the sea you need a gun 1.5-2 meters long and an arrow with an arrow diameter of up to 1 cm.

Homemade harpoon

Many professional hunters use self-made tools for a reason. Making a harpoon is not difficult if you follow simple recommendations:

1. The steel rod will replace the wooden stick. The tips are made of steel wire with a diameter of 4-5 mm and a length of 25-30 cm.
2. One end of the wire is bent at an angle of 90 degrees by 5-7 mm. The second end is flattened and a hook is made.
3. Holes are drilled in the stick into which the bent ends are inserted. The structure is secured with rope.

Harpoon binding

Linking can be done in several ways. Let's look at the positive and negative aspects of each of them.

Front binding. Pros:

Easy to make and replace the line.
Shoots and holds fish with ease.

Difficult to hit from a long distance.
The arrow gains a weak point at the attachment point.
There is a possibility of the boom getting stuck.
Tench can be damaged by a fish bone.

Front attachment to sliding sleeve. Pros:

The tench does not affect the harpoon.
The line is of normal length.

Difficult to manufacture.
The need for fixation at the muzzle.
The complexity of the harpoon design increases.
Higher resistance.
It's hard to hit fish right through.
In fish, the arrow is not fixed when hit.

Attached to the rear using a sliding sleeve. Pros:

The line has no effect on the harpoon.
Ease of manufacture.
The direction of the harpoon is provided by the muzzle.

It is difficult to change the line.
The hole weakens the arrow.
Risk of damage from fish bones.
It is impossible to hit the target straight through.

A competent choice of harpoon will allow the hunter-fisherman to get a sea of positive emotions from the underwater world, an excellent catch and avoid problems with equipment. In the next article we will discuss how to do

Nowadays, vacation is an expensive pleasure, even if you decide to just go fishing, fishing rods and tackle will cost you a pretty penny, not to mention a scuba diving gun.

Therefore, today we will talk about how to save your money and make your own underwater gun. The design that we will present to you is quite simple, light weight and quite powerful impact force.

1 - harpoon, 2 - bushing, 3 - M3 screw, 4 - barrel, 5 - piston, 6 - mainspring, 7 - clip, 8 - bushing, 9 - M3 screw, 10 - hook, 11 - liner, 12 - spring fuse, 13 - sear spring, 14 - sear, 15 - fuse, 16 - trigger, 17 - line winding rod axis, 18 - handle, 19 - line winding rod.

Let's look at the main details and manufacturing stages:
1. Let's start with the trunk, because... it houses the main mechanism. The barrel of the gun is a pipe with a diameter of 12 mm and a wall thickness of 1 mm made of brass or stainless steel, along the entire surface of which, for the free passage of water when firing and loading, we drill holes of 4-5 mm in increments of approximately 10 mm.
2. At the ends of the pipe we place bushings from pieces of pipe diameter 10 mm with a wall thickness of 2.5 mm, which we fasten with M3 screws (2 per bushing). First we install the first bushing - the stop for the mainspring.
3. We wind the spring itself from OVS wire Ø1.6 mm onto a rod Ø6 mm turn to turn, and then stretch it, obtaining a pitch of 4.5 mm. Then, to remove residual deformation, we perform a low-temperature tempering, heating the mainspring to a temperature of about 300 degrees. This can be done using a can of gas and a torch attachment or, in a pinch, you can heat it in the oven. Having heated the end turns, we bend them perpendicular to the axis.
4. The piston is made of stainless steel or duralumin.

Click on the picture to enlarge

5. We make a harpoon from a steel rod diameter 5 mm, cut it, thread it at one end and drill a hole for the line. Then we harden the harpoon. The harpoon is secured in the barrel with a second guide bushing.
6. We cut out a hook from brass or stainless steel for winding the line from the harpoon, and solder it to the end of the barrel.
7. We cut out the barrel holder from a millimeter sheet of steel or brass. We cut holes on the side surfaces and solder the slot to the barrel.
8. To attach flat return springs to the holder, we use a textolite liner, which we attach to the holder using rivets or nails, and the springs themselves are riveted to the liner.
9. To fix the fuse in two working positions, we install fuse springs made of steel tape 65G or U10A with a thickness of 0.5 mm. We attach the springs to the cage using screws or rivets.
10. To wind the line, we use a rod of 2 mm steel wire, one end of which is bent into a ring. Using this hook we attach the rod to the trigger.

Harpoons and spearguns

Crossbow harpoon

I present to you a description of the simplest weapon for underwater hunting, it is quite light and has good fighting power.

The figure shows a cross-section of a spring crossbow.

Rice. 1. Spring speargun:
1 - harpoon, 2 - bushing, 3 - M3 screw, 4 - barrel, 5 - piston, 6 - mainspring, 7 - clip, 8 - bushing, 9 - M3 screw, 10 - hook, 11 - liner, 12 - spring fuse, 13 - sear spring, 14 - sear, 15 - fuse, 16 - trigger, 17 - line winding rod axis, 18 - handle, 19 - line winding rod.

Drawings of crossbow parts

HARPOON - made of 5 mm steel rod (“silver”). An M5 thread is cut at one of its ends and a hole for the line is drilled. After mechanical processing, the harpoon is hardened. The sleeve - the guide for the harpoon - is machined from stainless steel or duralumin.

BARREL is a 12x1 mm pipe. Material: brass or stainless steel. To allow free passage of water when firing or loading, 4-5 mm holes are drilled over the entire surface of the barrel in increments of about 10 mm. The piston is machined from stainless steel or duralumin.
By the way, both the bushings and the piston can be made from sections of 10x2.5 mm tube, which will completely eliminate turning work in the manufacture of the gun.

The COMBAT SPRING is wound from OBC 1.6 mm wire. Initially, a wire is wound onto a 6 mm rod, turn to turn, which is then stretched to obtain the required pitch of 4.5 mm. To ensure that there is no residual deformation when processing the spring, the wire must be released, that is, heated to approximately 300°C and cooled to room temperature. The end coils, having become red-hot, must be bent so that their plane is perpendicular to the axis of the spring.

The CASE is cut from sheet brass or stainless steel 1 mm thick. It is advisable to cut holes on its side surfaces by inserting a board of a suitable size after the workpiece is bent. This will avoid errors in the location of the holes on the right and left cheeks of the clip. During assembly, the clip is soldered to the barrel, focusing on the position of the slot.

The HOOK is designed for winding a harpoon line onto it. It is cut out of brass or stainless steel and soldered to the end of the barrel.

The INSERT is made of textolite, it is intended for fastening flat return springs. The liner is riveted to the holder, the springs are also riveted to the liner. It is advisable to use steel rivets; in extreme cases, you can use ordinary nails.

FUSE SPRINGS are designed to fix the fuse in two stable positions. The material is steel strip 0.5 mm thick, grade 65G or U10A. It is best to attach the springs to the cage with screws or rivets.

THE ROD for winding the line is a piece of steel wire 2 mm thick. One of its ends is bent into a ring, with the help of which the rod is attached to the trigger.

Pistol - for underwater hunting

Underwater hunting in reservoirs with complex bottom topography and limited water transparency has its own characteristics: there is no time to aim the gun, there is no place to maneuver. The guns currently on sale are not suitable for such conditions. Underwater pistols are much preferable. Of the known types of such weapons, the most suitable are capsule ones. Their main advantage is that when fired, the harpoon experiences an impulse of several hundred kilograms, unlike guns of other systems, where the force on the harpoon does not exceed tens of kilograms. The speeds of the harpoons vary accordingly. The advantages of capsule pistols include the ease of loading them.

I would like to offer fans of “underwater hunting” the design of such a percussion pistol. I successfully hunted with it for about three years on lakes and reservoirs in Russia and the Near Abroad.

Rice. 1. Design of an underwater capsule pistol:
1 - harpoon (steel 50 or 12Х18Н10Т), 2 - barrel (pipe Т8х1.5, steel 12Х18Н10Т), 3 - front sight (D16AT), 4 - harpoon line (nylon), 5 - sight (D16AT), 6 - breech ( steel 12Х18Н10Т), 7 and 11 — cylindrical pins, 8 — screw-axis (steel 12Х18Н10Т), 9 — retainer (steel 12Х18Н10Т), 10 — liner (steel 12Х18Н10Т), 12 — capsule “jevelo”, 13 — bracket-extractor ( steel 40Х), 14 — carriage (steel 12Х18Н10Т), 15 — striker tip (steel 12Х18Н10Т), 16 — striker (pipe Т8х1, steel 12Х18Н10Т), 17 and 23 — axis (steel 12Х18Н10Т), 18 — striker chip, 2 pcs. (steel 12Х18Н10Т), 19 — liner (steel 12Х18Н10Т), 20 — trigger (D16AT), 21 — axis (steel 12Х18Н10Т), 22 — sear (steel 12Х18Н10Т), 24 — mainspring (wire II-1), 25 — striker guide (pipe T10x1. steel 12Х18Н10Т), 26, 29, 33, 34, 41, 44, 45, 53, 55 - M4 screw, 27 - middle plate of the handle (textolite, S - 5 mm), 28 - rivet (steel ? 4 mm), 30 — retainer chip, 2 pcs. (steel 12Х18Н10Т), 31 — clamp spring (wire II-1), 32 — axis (steel 12Х18Н10Т), 35, 40, 43, 46, 52, 54, 56 — rivets (aluminum wire), 36 — fuse chip, 2 PC. (steel 12Х18Ш0Т), 37 — fuse (steel 12Х18Н10Т), 38, 48, 50, 51 — axis (steel 12Х18Н10Т), 39 — fuse spring (wire II — 0.5), 42 — outer plate of the handle (textolite S — 5 mm), 47 - harpoon line release rod (steel 12Х18Н10Т), 49 - return spring (wire II - 0.3).

Figure 1 shows a full cross-section of the pistol. By design it is of a breakable type. The barrel is pressed into the breech and additionally secured with pins. The sight and front sight are attached to the barrel with screws. At the bottom of the latter there is a hook with a hole for a line.

In the charged state, the breech is located between the cheeks of the carriage and is held in this position by a latch through the liner. The latter is connected to the carriage with rivets. The latch is held in the extreme position by a spring attached to the axis.

Inside the handle, consisting of three textolite plates 5 mm thick, there is a trigger mechanism.

The impact mechanism consists of a striker with a tip, liner and chips, as well as a striker guide mounted on the handle with a screw. To allow water to pass through at the moment of firing, 2-3 mm holes are drilled on the sides of the guide.

The trigger mechanism serves to fix the striker in the cocked state and to release the line at the moment of firing. The trigger and sear are located on axles pressed into the bottom plate of the handle and connected to each other. A rod and a return spring are suspended from the trigger, the second end of which is fixed by an axis. The fuse has two fixed positions. The most successful component of the pistol, in my opinion, is the extractor bracket. It is soldered with POS-40 solder to the carriage. Thanks to the bracket, the primer is automatically removed from the barrel.

Preparing the pistol for firing. When the chip is pulled back all the way under the influence of its own weight, the barrel with the breech will rotate 90° around its axis. Next, the drummer is cocked. The trigger is put on safety. Having inserted the capsule halfway into the barrel, the breech is turned around its axis. In this case, the capsule will completely enter the barrel, and its base will be located between the carriage and the tendrils of the bracket. The line is wound between the fly hook and the rod.

To fire, you must remove the trigger from the safety and press it. At the same time, the line is dropped and the striker is lowered. After the shot, you should cock the firing pin, put the trigger on safety, with the thumb of your left hand, move the counter all the way towards the handle, and use the palm of the same hand to turn the breech around the axis. Due to the whiskers of the extractor bracket, the primer pops out of the barrel.

Rice. 2. Design of a cartridge for an underwater pistol:
1 — Zhevelo capsule, 2 — polyvinyl chloride tube T3x0.5, 3 — BF-88 glue, 4 — polyvinyl chloride tube T4x0.5, 5 — black powder “bear,” 6 — paper wad.

The use of a “jevelo” capsule provides a firing range of up to three meters. To isolate it from water, the capsule is first coated with plasticine or paraffin. The use of a cartridge (Fig. 2) allows you to increase the firing range to 10 m, depending on the dosage of gunpowder. When using this cartridge, it is advisable to use a barrel with thicker walls and greater length. A long harpoon will also allow you to shoot more accurately. The tip of the harpoon must be symmetrical relative to its axis, since even a slight deviation from symmetry leads to a curvature of the harpoon's flight path.

Assembly drawings:

Drawing 1 Drawing 2

BONUS on materials fishgun.spb.ru:

All materials presented here relate only to self-made spearfishing weapons. The annotations to the articles indicate where it was taken from (author or publication) and the material contained - diagrams, drawings, etc., etc., as well as my small comments about the design or content. I hope you find useful information here.

Hydropneumatic shotguns

	Hydropneumatic gun Igor Ivshin
	Hydropneumatic gun "Meta" (Vladimir Matvienko) Kyiv Description of the design, drawings, diagrams.
	Hydropneumatic gun (Adrey Faleev). Drawing, description, “instructive story” of the creation of a gun :)
	Hydropneumatic gun (Sportsman submariner No. 48.77). Quite an original design of a CONSUMABLE gun. The design itself, of course, is unlikely to be repeated (it’s the 21st century after all), but you can learn a lot of interesting things. In particular, self-sealing cuffs on the piston. Although, as far as I know, they should be turned towards each other... but these are already details..:)
	Hydropneumatic gun (Submariner sportsman No. 86,91). The design of the gun is quite good, very well thought out, balanced and most importantly simple. A good role model. (especially if you throw out all the bullshit of the spool system and bring the trigger to mind...). It is worth noting that, as a rule, all homemade products repeat this one. I recommend.
	Hydropneumatic gun with a movable barrel (Sportsman submariner No. 87,91). Perhaps the most famous scheme (and at the same time not repeated by anyone :)). It is noteworthy in that it quite sensibly describes the calculations and principles of operation of hydropneuma and many details and components are not thought out at all. Although maybe I’m judging too harshly... the last century after all...
	Interesting design of the trigger mechanism with minimal travel and trigger force. Very pleasant when shooting offhand. Otherwise, a very simple design. Only standard materials. This gun is a logical development (and apparently the completion) of the previous 4 or 5 designs (they will not be described because they contained shortcomings, errors, or simply behaved poorly :)) In general, I recommend it! This is my best design so far!!!
	Hydropneumatic gun (Hanter) A gun is shown, a rake is described, which it is not recommended to step on. The most interesting thing is the detailing.
	Hydropneumatic gun "Aquatex" (Manufacturer's website). Only a photograph of the gun and a description of the trigger mechanism are provided. Plus my comments :)
	Hydropneumatic gun or “Our answer to Aquatex” (Hanter). Further development of my hydropneuma. The trigger mechanism uses a water seal. Trigger force can never be less. The shot is sharp, powerful.. in general, without brakes.. :)
	Hydra, or there is no limit to perfection (Hanter) Further development of Hydra. Almost all the details have changed. The changes are aimed at simplifying and facilitating the design.
	Hydropneumatic gun (Alexey Zverev / Boris Vasiliev) A hydropneumatic gun of a rather original design is presented. It has a powerful strike and easy charging. The piston assembly was designed in an original way - just one high-quality machined surface.
	Hydropneumatic direct-flow gun (Yuri Budash) Another variation on the theme of hydropneumatics. Just one high-quality processed tube, simple, reliable, affordable. Recommended for study:)
	Hydropneumatic gun (A. Stepanov, I. Nikolsky. Sent by Vladmir Palchik and Dmitry Skvortsov) Hydropneumatic gun with pump. Powerful combat, easy charging... what else is needed for happiness. The details would be even simpler...
	Hydro Hydropneumatic gun. Powerful combat, small dimensions... This gun served as a prototype for my first one.

Air guns

	"Argument" from Riga (Yuri)
	Pneumatic shotgun with front hook. (Hunter)
	Pneumatic gun Sword. (Hunter)
	Manufacturing history Zelinki. (Golden eagle)
	Naval gun (Kormin Evgeniy) Photos description...
	Air gun "Bison". Photos description...
	Pneumatic guns (Alexander Sikalo). Diagrams of the gun, components and their variants are given. Photos of finished products. The principles of operation, the main rake, and design options are described. Very detailed and high quality design and detailing. Almost no detail is left unattended!! It seems to me that this article will become a hit and a kind of TEXTBOOK on domestic homemade products. I RECOMMEND!!! Here! Just no comments!..
	Pneumatic shotgun with front hook (Hanter). The most common pneumatic gun. Only its power is unusual :) Such solutions as a trigger with a lower axis were tested on this gun! Factory injection valve!! Wedge release, which does not change the release force depending on the injection!!! ... by the way, I still scare people with it... and sometimes I shoot fish... in general, I have a spare one :) by the way, there’s even a hydraulic damper! working:O
	Pneumatic guns with a hook on the piston (Hanter) An interesting design of the trigger mechanism, with minimal trigger force, independent of pumping, as well as a hydraulic damper in the harpoon bushing. Otherwise everything is normal. At the time of writing, the gun is in the assembly stage.
	Pneumatic guns of the Zelinsky system (Crystal Grotto + Aquatex). A diagram of the gun is given (though you can’t understand anything from it:) and a diagram of its operation. Quite an interesting design, not very traditional and at the same time very original. But complicated.
	Pneumatic guns of the Zelinsky system. (Alexey Zolotov, sent by Alexander Sikalo). An outline diagram of the gun is shown. Very detailed. Drawings are available, very detailed, high quality. You can practically carry it to a turner.
	Pneumatic guns of the Zelinsky system. (Hanter). What's inside or a sober assessment. (the article is duplicated in the “factory weapons” section)
	Quite a simple and interesting design of an air gun.
	Another simple airgun design with a front hook.
	Pneumatic gun with a hook on the piston (...) Well, in my opinion, this gun simply couldn’t be simpler... No, there is - RPO-2... Eh... if only it were like that...
	Pneumatic shotgun with front hook (...) A gun with a very interesting wedge trigger. Very similar to mine, mine “pulls” and this one “pushes”...
	Titanium pneumatics from St. Petersburg (Hanter) Photo report. Guns are presented, it is shown what goes where, where, how. Giblets and detailing are visible. Simple and interesting solutions.
	Air gun (Hunter) Or our approach to sea hunting... the normal way...
	Pneumatic gun (Hanter) with a front hook. Just a good gun. The version of the front hook is interesting.
	An air gun (Hanter) or rather an air sling. It just couldn’t be simpler.
	Pneumatic pistonless gun (Vladimir, Sochi) A very simple air pistol. does not require precise equipment and is very easy to repeat.
	Pneumatic pistonless shotgun Vlanik (Hanter) Review of design and execution (“What’s inside or a sober assessment”…)
	An air gun, or where Pyrometer’s legs come from (Hanter). The gun is much older than the “pyrometer”, made by a man for himself, but the similarity of the design is simply amazing.
	Pneumatic pistol for underwater hunting. (Published in the magazine “Submariner Athlete”. B.M. Klimenko) Pneumatic spray gun running on CO2 or compressed air. Gear circuit. Adjustable strike force.
	Air gun with lightweight charging system (Oleg / Krim4ak). Description of an air gun with a hydraulic cocking system that allows even a child to load the gun.
	Guns of Vadim Lvovich Remizov, Donetsk (Crystal Grotto www.fishhunter.kiev.ua). The guns are on the same level as the guns of Zelinsky and A. Sikalo. Excellent workmanship and thoughtful, polished design. Looking at such “homemade products” you understand the wretchedness of imports and sadly roll your lip... :)
	Air gun (Hunter). With a hook on the piston and a rear position of the handle.
	Pneumatic gun (Sergey Ermolenko). For sea hunting in Crimea. A very interesting design of a gun for ambush hunting.
	Homemade underwater gun. (Maxim Golovin). A very compact gun. The trigger mechanism is built according to the principle described by the author in the article “collet trigger mechanism”.
	RocketLauncher for spearfishing. (HaNTeR). A very original gun. Makes you smile and think.
	Pneumatic underwater gun. (HaNTeR). An old and very well made gun. Despite the years it functions quite well. It was clearly done with soul.
	Pneumatic gun. With valve trigger and movable barrel. (Jack). A very interesting design of a gun based on Zelinsky’s design. The quality of workmanship and finishing will give odds to many factory guns.

Other guns

Already when the reservoir began to slowly freeze, and the “future catch” began to spend more time at the bottom, in the holes many fishermen are visited by a feeling of nostalgia, for the past moments of fishing, for the feeling when you pull out your trophy.

During the winter period, there is a lot of free time that can be spent usefully, for example, making a homemade speargun for spearfishing.

There are many models that you can make with your own hands, which will be characterized by accuracy and ease.

Making your own underwater gun

To make a spearfishing weapon at home, you must have several qualities:

Perseverance:
Painstaking;
Patience.

Such work will take a lot of time and effort, but the end result will give admiration and delight, especially in those moments when that very desired trophy is obtained with the help of a gun made by yourself.

So, an underwater gun is a combination of several materials and rocks in one design:

Wood for the base;
Stainless steel material for the release mechanism.

The average weapon that can be made at home will have a total length of no more than 900 mm, from hook to hole should be at least 75 mm, and a total weight of about 1.5 kg.

The handle of the gun will need to be treated with a special automotive sealant, sprinkled with sugar and dried thoroughly, then shake off the sugar and end up with a porous material.

You will also need to make a reliable stop, you can make it on the axis, then when the harpoon is inactive, it will rest against it and will not get confused, and when the harpoon is activated, it will be able to rotate.

Homemade spring gun for spearfishing

If all the instructions and recommendations are correctly followed, it is possible to ensure that the spearfishing gun will be characterized by a sufficiently strong force to hit a fish of medium size and light weight.

Most likely, the damage radius will be no more than 3 meters.

It is also worth knowing some of the negative aspects of homemade spearfishing weapons:

Significant level of noise when fired;
Spring creaks during charging.

In order to reduce the level, you need to systematically wipe the barrel of the weapon and the spring with a rag, which must be moistened with glycerin.

It is worth paying special attention to the safety rules and requirements:

It is necessary to charge the weapon only directly in a body of water;
When going ashore, be sure to unload it.
Shoot only if the water is clear and the target is clearly visible.

An important advantage of a hand-made weapon is its accuracy and lightness, which greatly helps to catch a dexterous predatory fish.

Any fisherman who tries himself as an underwater hunter needs to know that just shooting accurately is not everything; you need to not lose the fish from the harpoon.

Parts of the structure

Any underwater weapon design consists of the following elements:

Trunk;
Clip;
Harpoon;
Action spring;
Liner;
Hook;
Fuse springs;
Traction.

The barrel of a speargun is a pipe, with a diameter of 12 mm and a pipe thickness of 1 mm. Often, a material such as brass, which does not oxidize in water, is excellent for these purposes.

Stainless steel also works well.

In order to provide water with unobstructed entry and exit, it is necessary to drill holes along the entire length of the trunk, with a diameter of at least 3 mm and an approximate distance between them of 10 mm.

It is best to choose a piston for the barrel from duralumin or brass.

The pipe can be purchased in a larger size; the remainder will be needed to make bushings and pistons.

This will allow you to completely avoid turning operations in the manufacture of an underwater gun.

The clip, which constitutes one of the main parts of the underwater gun, must be made of rolled brass sheets, 1 mm thick.

It must have special holes, which need to be made on the sides and it is best to cut them out after bending the workpiece.

Using the chosen technology, it is possible to achieve a clear location of the holes, without bevels or offsets, on the right and left sides of the cage. When assembling the clip, you need to solder it to the barrel, you need to fit the parts along the slots and holes.

The main active part of any weapon will be a harpoon, which is made of a strong steel rod with a diameter of at least 5 mm, at the main end of which, for installation, a five-millimeter M5 thread is cut and a hole for the line is cut out.

After all the preparation work has been completed, it is imperative to harden the harpoon in a thermal furnace. In addition to everything, you will need to grind out a sleeve for the harpoon; it is best to use stainless steel for this.

The mainspring for a weapon should be made of OBC wire, 1.6 mm in diameter and wound spirally, so that the resulting pitch is 4.5 mm.

Before starting to process the wire, it must be released, namely, heated to 300 degrees and cooled to room temperature.

Such operations will avoid spring deformation in the future. The ends of the rod, or the springs, must be heated and bent so that they are perpendicular to the axis.

The insert in the gun is intended to secure flat recoil springs and is mainly made of textolite.

It will need to be glued to the clip, and then the springs will need to be glued to it.

To assemble an underwater weapon, you will need rivets, which are best chosen from strong, reliable steel.

In order to reel in a harpoon line, you will need a special hook, which can be made of brass or stainless steel.

The hook must be soldered to the barrel.

Safety springs are mainly used as a stopper for two main positions.

The best material is steel, 0.5 mm thick, made of durable alloy material 65 or carbon grade U8, U10, U10A. The spring is secured with rivets.

The tench rod is nothing more than 2 mm steel wire. One of the ends of the rod is bent to form a ring, with the help of which it will subsequently be attached to the trigger.

Today, pneumatic spearguns are the most popular among consumers. Although, it is worth noting that the principle of their manufacture includes several features.

It is precisely due to the fact that the design involves a rather complex manufacturing technology that some interested clients refuse this type of fishing weapon.

In order to make a spring speargun for spearfishing with your own hands, you need to prepare some materials in advance:

OVS wire Ǿ 2 mm grade, it is best to choose spring steel 65G;
duralumin tube with Ǿ12.5-13 mm, which will be intended for the barrel;
2 plates, 10-12 mm thick, made of vinyl plastic, from which the handle will later be made;
rod Ǿ 6-8 mm, the ideal option would be a material such as stainless steel for a harpoon.

The technology for the step-by-step production of an underwater gun is as follows:

All experts recommend starting the manufacturing process with the most complex element in the design, namely the spring, which is best left to professionals for coiling. Specialists will most likely wind the spring on a lathe in accordance with GOST standards, after which they will be fired in a thermal oven and apply a special anti-corrosion coating. Professionals will not need to give recommendations, they will only tell you what pitch of the finished product is needed and its final length, which will correspond to the size of the barrel. The spring already in the assembled product will work on compression and therefore its length must be approximately 300 mm longer than the barrel, otherwise it will shrink or burst at the first shot.
The essence of such a reserve is that at the moment of the shot, the value of the spring force at the very end of the barrel is not reduced to zero, but only to a minimum, which means there is no premature firing of the harpoon. This effect is called the compressed spring effect.
The second step will be to make a weapon barrel from the prepared material. If it is not possible to buy a small aluminum tube, you can use an old ski pole. It is believed that the most optimal barrel length is 700 mm. Thus, you can achieve the best and most comfortable shooting, in any conditions, in any bodies of water.
At the two ends of the tube, it is necessary to cut a thread and a special 150 mm groove, which will be intended for the sear. After this, it is worth making holes so that the liquid that gets into the barrel can come out easily and quickly.
The gun must have a muzzle and a plug made of duralumin. In order to install a harpoon in the plug, you will need to make a special hole. After which, feel free to begin working on the handle of the weapon and the trigger itself.
To make the handle, PCB plates are perfect, which are healed in a vice during the process and drill holes along the diameter of the barrel. Next, cut out the intended outline of the handle and use a file to cut out grooves 3 mm deep for installing the trigger mechanism.
Next, you need to drill a hole for the fuse axis, sear and the spring itself, Also, do not forget about fasteners, which will also require installation holes.
Now combine the two finished halves of the handle in the barrel and secure with screws, this will eliminate subsequent mixing along the length of the barrel. A retaining ring must be installed before fastening. The assembly process itself will be completed after the trigger mechanism, springs, fuses and sear are installed. In general, there will be some simple plumbing work ahead.
Now you can proceed to the harpoon, the best material for which would be stainless steel 6 mm thick. The harpoon must have a tip sharpened in a special way, so that 4 faces are made to fit the body. Thus, the sharpened edges of the tip will instantly cut the scales of the fish and pierce them much easier.
Almost everything is ready, the only thing left is the easy release device, which is made of a steel strip and is attached with screws to the barrel plug. At the moment of the shot, the line will simply unwind, without delay or effort, and when wound, it will be laid under the plate, in front of the barrel.
Everything is ready, you can try out the gun and start spearfishing. You just need to insert the harpoon into the barrel of the weapon so that it reaches the stop, then press the spring against the sear until a specific click is heard.
Thus, the sear goes up into the barrel and is pressed by the bushing, at the moment of release, the spring performs translational actions, returning to its original position. The gun is now loaded and ready for its first kill.
When the angler pulls the trigger, the sear goes into the groove and frees up space for the spring bushing. Thus, the spring expands and pushes the harpoon out.