From ancient methods of spearfishing using sharpened sticks to the emergence of the speargun, Australia has now opened its doors and shores to the revolutionary Roller Speargun.
Spearfishing is an age-old sport that is the result of thousands of years of trial, error and scientific advances. While we have seen the techniques and purpose of spearfishing alter and improve dramatically over the centuries, there is no doubting that the most significant change to spearfishing is the development of the speargun. In fact, one could argue that with this invention, we’ve just about perfected the art of spearfishing.
From the emergence of rubber spearguns right through to the rail gun, there is one more speargun that is finally entering the market - the roller speargun. After years of immense popularity in Europe, it is slowly making its way onto our Australian shores, which begs the question- what is so great about this particular speargun?
While some believe the roller speargun is a new product on the market, this couldn’t be any further from the truth. Using a method that dates back many years, the roller speargun has only gained recent attention in Australia due to advancements in technology making it more readily and commercially available.
So, what is a roller speargun and how does it differ from traditional spearguns?
Take the normal rubber powered speargun for example. This type of traditional speargun has a head or muzzle that the rubber screws into or passes through side to side to give a leverage point for loading the speargun. The rubber is joined in the centre by the bridle or wishbone, used for loading onto the spear shaft. Quite often two, three or more rubbers are used to give greater power.
In contrast to this is the roller speargun. Unlike the rubber-powered speargun, the roller speargun has a muzzle with two spinning rollers- one on each side of the rubber, which are attached to a leverage point on the underside of the speargun barrel or handle. The rubbers on either side run parallel under the barrel, up and over the rollers, and then join at the bridle.
So, what are the benefits of investing in the roller speargun?
With better accuracy, faster speed and punching power, this speargun boasts perfection. Just a few of the outstanding features include:
- More power
- Reduced recoil
- Simpler loading
Punching power
Unlike conventional spearguns in which the rubber bands take up only 30-40 per cent of the barrel length, the roller speargun allows you to utilize the full length of the barrel, as the spear shaft is accompanied all the way to the end of the barrel. Essentially, the roller speargun gets its extra power from the longer band pull, instead of more bands. Likewise, the pre-tensioned rubbers underneath allow for more power and strength, resulting in more speed and momentum. This increase in power allows for more penetration on the target and more accuracy and range of your shot. As such, there is no need to add extra rubber bands to gain more power in the roller; it is merely a matter of shortening the length of the leverage point on the underside of the speargun and increasing the diameter of the rubber used, which will be much faster to load with only one rubber. This means the roller has more range and for the same barrel length there is much more force.
Reduced Recoil
Another positive aspect of the Roller Speargun is that it has no recoil- essentially meaning, unlike many traditional spearguns, the force of impact will not make the speargun spring back once it has been triggered. Not only does this make the speargun easier to handle, it also makes it more silent. The sturdiness of the roller speargun allows for a stable shooting platform, and allows you to maneuver more effectively in strong currents and rough conditions and avoid “shaft whip”.
Once the speargun is triggered and the spear is released, the wishbones come to an instant halt and the rubber bands pull in the opposite direction of the spear shaft, ensuring the speargun remains steady, diminishing the majority of the recoil. As any experienced spearo would know, reduced recoil is a great benefit as it makes the gun easier to fire with higher accuracy and excellent swing.
Easy loading
While both spearguns function by pulling the rubber and bridle to a loading notch, pin or fine on the spear, the standard rubber powered speargun generally uses rubbers that are significantly shorter than the total barrel length, so there is a straight stretch pull to triple the length of the rubber. Quite often, this type of gun can be difficult to load, particularly for beginners. On the other hand, roller spearguns are much easier to load because the rollers act like a pulley, reducing the force needed.
If you find yourself reading this and wishing you had invested in a roller speargun, do not fret because it is in fact possible to modify a standard rubber powered speargun to a roller, through changing the head and altering the rubbers.
If you want to know more about Roller Spearguns and its benefits, why not give our experienced staff a call on (07) 3409 9666 or shoot us an email at info@spearfishingproducts.com.au.