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Ruby Red Lip
 
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| I'm new to diving/spearfishing and already addicted. I want to start doing a lot more spearing, so I'm looking to buy a speargun. I will be starting nearshore in 60 or 70ft. I found a 54'' AB BILLER TEAK LTD for $350 new. Is a good choice? What would be a good choice? Any help is greatly appreciated.
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Grouper
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offshore, i am by no means a pro but i have a biller 48 and love it. i know i dont have the range as the more expensive guns but i can reload in short of a minute and be ready to shoot again. i have the availability to shoot numerous fish with it. i have tackled up to a 50 lb jack with mine with no problems. i dont know how hard the 54 would be to maneuver in the water but i dont see anything wrong with it. i won a 60 inch biller at a rodeo but have never used it, it just seems to long. they are a very good gun for the money though in my opinion, especially for a beginner gun. hell i still use mine after six years and counting.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained!
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White Marlin
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Thats a good deal for the LTD. It is a solid stock gun, which basically there are 2 major "classes" in wood guns, the solid stoch, and the ones where the handle breaks up the stock.
If you can comfortably reach the bands on that gun to load it, it will be a great gun. Easy to reload too.
And I would stay with wood guns personally, and not get a metal. Just my opinion.
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Ruby Red Lip
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| Thanks for the info. I was thinking about going with the 48'' for easier handling, but didn't want to be underpowered. So that helps. Any preferance on type of wood?
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Trigger
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As far as wood goes, teak would be the best, in my opinion. Just rub her down w/ teak oil from time to time as needed. You'll find more mahogany guns priced a little cheaper, however. Clay is dead on...good size gun is one you can load in the water comfortably. And LTD is better, due to one-piece stock, just as Clay advised. Less flex in the stock=better accuracy, especially when you power down on her with bands! Hope to see you out slayin' fish!
Jerry West (850)380-3257 SCUBA Instructor "TEAM OUTLAW" GO BIG OR GO HOME!!! 
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White Marlin
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| Like Jerry said...teak is the best (also most expensive). It doesnt have a finish on it like polyurethane or varnish ect. It is only hand rubbed with teak oil. You scape the hell out of it, gouge it with 1/8th inch deep grooves from barnacles, ect...you just take a rag with teak oil, rub it down, and brand new lookin!!! Mahogany and the otherscannot go "bare" so to speak, and have a hard finish. first time out, you'll have chips in it, ect. And sandin it down to refinish is a pain.
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Ruby Red Lip
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| Appreciate all the help! Can't wait to shoot some fish!
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White Marlin
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| Also, if your gettin a used gun, make sure it really is a good deal. Make sure theres a tip on it, shock cord, and bands aer in decent shape. All those things add up to with tax add up to about $95 Good luck man!!! Spearfishin is pure bliss man!
__________________________________________________________________________________- UNDERWATER HELMET-CAM VIDEOS SPEARFISHING, USS ORISKANY, SHARKS, AND PICS!
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26' Pro-Cat Center Console w/ twin 140HP's PFF FORUM MEMBER SINCE 1/2/06 - ~2007 Outcast Mega Shark Tournament "Beautiful Losers"~
- ~2007 "Unofficial PFF Fall Shark Tounament" Winners!~
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Trigger
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| TEAK....! 42" Biller. Gets it done on just about everything around here...three bands. Used gun...stick with Clays recommendations. Bands etc add up to big $$
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Ruby Red Lip
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| Just ordered a 48" AB Biller Paduak!!! Wanted the Teak but like Clay-Doh said, it was the most expensive. Thanks for all the help. I can't wait to get out there!
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White Marlin
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When ya do get out and slay em...make sure to give us a report....and pics too..or well call ya a liar!!! 
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26' Pro-Cat Center Console w/ twin 140HP's PFF FORUM MEMBER SINCE 1/2/06 - ~2007 Outcast Mega Shark Tournament "Beautiful Losers"~
- ~2007 "Unofficial PFF Fall Shark Tounament" Winners!~
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White Marlin
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You will not be disapointed with that gun at all. Great choice.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "H2O: 2 parts hydrogen 1 part obsession." Jon
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Trigger
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Clay-Doh (9/23/2008)
And I would stay with wood guns personally, and not get a metal. Just my opinion.whats the reason for staying away from the metal guns? I too am starting to look into spear guns and the sport.
Scary stats:
a. The number of physicians in the US is 700,000.
b. Accidental deaths caused by Physicians per year is 120,000.
c. Accidental deaths per physician is 0.171. (US Dept. of Health &Human Services)
Then consider this:
a. The number of gun owners in the US is 80,000,000 (Yes... eighty million!).
b. The number of accidental gun deaths per year (all age groups) is 1,500.
c. The number of accidental deaths per gun owner is .0000188.
Statistically, doctors are about 9,000 times more dangerous than gun owners.
FACT:
NOT EVERYONE HAS A GUN, BUT ALMOST EVERYONE HAS A DOCTOR .
Alert your friends to this threat. We must ban doctors before this gets out of hand.
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Grouper
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matthewy8 (9/29/2008)
Clay-Doh (9/23/2008)
And I would stay with wood guns personally, and not get a metal. Just my opinion.whats the reason for staying away from the metal guns? I too am starting to look into spear guns and the sport. It's purely personal preference when it comes to wood vs. metal. The wood guns are usually just slightly negative with the shaft in the muzzle, but become positively bouyant once the shaft leaves the gun. The metal guns, I believe, are negatively bouyant all the time. It just comes down to which you prefer... they'll both kill fish.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Captain of the toy charter boat "Tuggy" 
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Snapper
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Most metal guns are also bouyant without the shaft. The only one I have found that is not is the Riffe Metal Tech series.
Death From Above It was fun while it lasted.”
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White Marlin
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JBL metal gns are also negative.
A monster wood gun that weighs lets say 20 pounds will not weigh that underwater. You will be able to swim around holding it straight out, ready to fire. Because the wood is bouyant. In a well made gun, the bouyancy of the wood will be perfectly balanced with the weight of the shaft and other metal parts, making for a "weightless" gun underwater. A pure pleasure.
I, along time ago, bought a little brand new 24" JBL explorer metal gun. That little thing would put a sever cramp in my right forearm from holding it up with my wrist strength underwater. It sucked. Whereas a big JBL woody magnum 54" or whatever it was was was so much easier.
Another consideration....a metal gun is lighter (above water) so I should use the technical scintific term, has less mass. That means, it has more recoil. A wood gun, with more mass, that is actually "lighter" underwater, will still absorb more of the recoil when you shoot, making for more accurate shots.
__________________________________________________________________________________- UNDERWATER HELMET-CAM VIDEOS SPEARFISHING, USS ORISKANY, SHARKS, AND PICS!
- WWW.MYSPACE.COM/435395882
26' Pro-Cat Center Console w/ twin 140HP's PFF FORUM MEMBER SINCE 1/2/06 - ~2007 Outcast Mega Shark Tournament "Beautiful Losers"~
- ~2007 "Unofficial PFF Fall Shark Tounament" Winners!~
- ~13th Annual Orange Beach Spearfishing Tounament 4 Time Placers!~
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Trigger
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Over time, the O rings that seal metal guns fail and leak. This causes the gun to flood and become negative. ( it sinks) There are more maintenance concerns with a metal gun.
Wood never gets negative!
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Grouper
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I had a JBL magnum XHD for 16 years w/o any problems. I just bought another JBL Gulf Magnum XHD. Both aluminum guns. Both float when discharged. I personally like the JBL because of ease of loading and the fact it has a 3/8" (9.5 mm) shaft diameter compared to the other brands' 6 mm shafts. Never had the shaft bend as I have seen with other guns. Also a thicker shaft means more mass on impact. With 3 5/8" bands, it has ample power. JBL also makes wooden spearguns. As for the claim that wooden spearguns are quieter, I really can't hear the difference. Both the guide and the nozzle of the JBL are synthetic materials so there is no metal to metal contact. In the end, it's a matter of preference and price.
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Grouper
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Clay-Doh (9/30/2008)
I, along time ago, bought a little brand new 24" JBL explorer metal gun. That little thing would put a sever cramp in my right forearm from holding it up with my wrist strength underwater. It sucked. Whereas a big JBL woody magnum 54" or whatever it was was was so much easier.
Clay-Doh, It appears that some wrist strengthening exercises are needed.  Vlado
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White Marlin
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Ha haaa Orion...you callin me limp wristed???? 
__________________________________________________________________________________- UNDERWATER HELMET-CAM VIDEOS SPEARFISHING, USS ORISKANY, SHARKS, AND PICS!
- WWW.MYSPACE.COM/435395882
26' Pro-Cat Center Console w/ twin 140HP's PFF FORUM MEMBER SINCE 1/2/06 - ~2007 Outcast Mega Shark Tournament "Beautiful Losers"~
- ~2007 "Unofficial PFF Fall Shark Tounament" Winners!~
- ~13th Annual Orange Beach Spearfishing Tounament 4 Time Placers!~
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Trigger
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The larger metal guns are definitely distinctive in the sound and I believe them to be louder than wood guns. I have shot fish w/ 'Orion' (Vlado) and 'Holy-Spearit' (Kevin) who use metal and I can hear 'em all over the wreck! 'Course they both shoot JBL cannons...
Jerry West (850)380-3257 SCUBA Instructor "TEAM OUTLAW" GO BIG OR GO HOME!!!
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Grouper
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Clay-Doh (10/1/2008)
Ha haaa Orion...you callin me limp wristed???? Not at all. All I'm saying is that you have to exercise your wrist/arm muscles as much as you do your neck muscles (by wearing the Clay-Doh helmet cam)
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Grouper
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BADBOY69 (10/1/2008)
The larger metal guns are definitely distinctive in the sound and I believe them to be louder than wood guns. I have shot fish w/ 'Orion' (Vlado) and 'Holy-Spearit' (Kevin) who use metal and I can hear 'em all over the wreck! 'Course they both shoot JBL cannons... That's the sonic boom caused by the shaft breaking the sound barrier.  
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