Crossbow for underwater hunting - review of the best models and how to make it yourself

For underwater hunting, pneumatic guns and crossbows are used. A crossbow gun works thanks to rubber rods that accelerate the arrow and it flies out at the target. It is preferable to use this device at sea due to its large size. Such a gun is capable of hitting a target at a distance of up to five meters.

Advantages:

Easy to contact;
Complete lack of recoil;
Safe charging;
Light trigger;
Low cost (compared to pneumatics).

Flaws:

Large sizes;
You cannot adjust the strength of the combat while the weapon is loaded;
If you hunt a large fish, the arrow may break;
Lower power than its pneumatic counterpart.

How to choose

Professionals buy several crossbows for different bodies of water, but for an amateur, one more or less universal gun will be enough. Weapons for underwater hunting are selected according to the following criteria:

Length. The main characteristic determines the range, power and accuracy of the shot. The sizes of guns vary from 50 centimeters to 1.5 meters or more.
Barrel rigidity. Only accuracy depends on rigidity - if the barrel is not rigid enough, then when immersed in depth it will bend, which makes it more difficult to make aimed shots. To avoid this, the barrel of the weapon is usually made thicker, but this also increases weight. If you don't want to carry the extra weight, you can buy a gun with an irregular cross-section, which saves weight and eliminates the need for a thick barrel.
Trigger mechanism. It can be regular or reverse. The latter increase the range of targeted shooting. When choosing a gun, you should pay special attention to the trigger, because a good trigger mechanism is the key to durability.
Line breaker. A cable is wound around it, which is automatically released when fired. The crossbow should be taken with a metal line release located on the side.
The head of a crossbow. Divided into five types:
Closed. Has significantly increased accuracy compared to other types.
With one pull. Increases power, but will have to sacrifice accuracy.
Mixed. It is a compromise between ring and single thrust, due to which the power of the shot increases without loss of accuracy.
Hydroformed barrel. The barrel is completely closed, which creates an absolutely straight shot trajectory.
Pull thickness. The larger the fish being hunted, the thicker the draft should be. You should not skimp on it, because cheap traction can fail at the most inopportune moment.
Harpoons. They vary in length, thickness, tip, hook, number of flags and steel. Single-pronged arrows have the greatest penetration power, but can easily get stuck in crevices. Multitooths have the opposite characteristic and are used for hunting on reefs. If the harpoon has two flags, then it will fix the fish more tightly on the tip, but the hydrodynamics are reduced. The thickness depends on the size of the prey. There are only two types of hooks: regular and shark fin, the first is usually used on budget harpoons, and the second is much better, but can only be installed on crossbows with an open head.

Design and operating principle

According to the principle of operation, the gun (underwater crossbow) is no different from its land-based counterpart.

The weapon includes the following elements:

barrel (trunk);
head;
harpoon (arrow);
traction;
line discharge;
trigger.

The barrel is made of aluminum profile, wood or rubber. There are also lightweight models made of carbon or fiberglass. The durability and weight of the equipment depends on the material of the barrel. The heavier the crossbow, the more difficult it will be to hunt.

The basis of a crossbow for underwater hunting are rubber rods that secure the harpoon. And he, in turn, is held by a trigger. When the hunter fires a shot, the trigger releases the arrow and the bowstring gives it acceleration.

Popular models

Seac Sub Sting

An excellent crossbow model for a beginner would be the Seac Sub Sting crossbow from the Italian manufacturer Seac Sub. Its price ranges from 4000 – 5000 rubles.

Has the following qualities:

The length of the gun barrel is 45 – 60 cm, depending on the model;
The barrel is made of high-quality aluminum alloy, which is why it has sufficient strength and resistance to bending;
The head part is double; if necessary, an additional ring part can be used;
The line releaser, trigger and safety are made of impact-resistant plastic;
The trigger mechanism does not rust and is highly reliable;
The harpoon allows you to use any tip.

Seac Sub Sting reviews:

“An excellent gun for beginner hunters, not too long, so it’s easy to transport. Despite the price, the crossbow is reliable and easy to handle, ideal for fishing in shallow seas.” Sergey, Samara.

“The crossbow is not the worst, especially considering its price, but the trigger will not last long, so I immediately replaced it. I do not recommend installing additional traction on such a gun, because there is a high probability of self-inflicted gunfire. You can use it, but this weapon will not serve you for long.” Alexey, Sochi.

Omer Cayman

For those who are looking for higher quality models and have a sufficient budget, crossbows from the Omer Cayman series from Omer may be suitable. The price of such a gun is about 10,000 rubles.

For this price you get:

Length from 50 centimeters to a meter depending on the model;
Closed headband;
High-quality and long-lasting cords;
The trigger mechanism, line releaser, trigger and barrel are made of high quality materials that are resistant to any sea factors that damage the gun.

Reviews about Omer Cayman:

“It’s a good tool, I’ve been using it for three years, it works great, it’s never broken. The materials are high quality, it shoots accurately. The only drawback is that short models are not very convenient for hunting at sea, but the company is super.” Valentin, Nakhodka.

“I recently bought myself a Cayman 75, an excellent crossbow! On the first day I caught four large pike, the weapon is very comfortable to hold and it shoots accurately. The only drawback I noticed was that the compound trailer scratches the barrel when fired, but this is not critical. I recommend it to everyone." Nikolay, Tuapse.

Demka Ami II

A cross between the Seac Sub Sting and the Omer Cayman is a shotgun from a Greek manufacturer called the Demka Ami II. It costs around 8,000 rubles.

The characteristics are as follows:

The length of the gun is from 45 cm to 1 meter;
Comfortable handle with trigger lock;
Reliable and high-quality pistol-type fuse;
Possibility of targeted shooting at a distance of up to 4 meters;
Open head.

Reviews about Demka Ami II:

“I’ve been using it for two seasons now, no problems. It’s comfortable to shoot and the accuracy is good, the trigger is comfortable, even if you use it with thick gloves. Their disadvantages include not the greatest traction power.” Evgeniy, Moscow.

“Excellent workmanship, shoots accurately, is practically weightless in the water and is very convenient to shoot, but when loaded on the second hook, the flight of the harpoon is not visible. It’s my first crossbow, I’ve been using it for quite a long time and I’m not going to change it yet.” Igor, Astrakhan.

Those hunters who liked the above-mentioned crossbows can, in the future, use more expensive analogues, such as Demka ALC, Seac sub X-fire and OmerHFCamo 3D, which are highly reliable and have good shooting characteristics, as they are made of expensive materials.

Spearfishing snorkel

For hunting in grottoes and under rubble, the best choice is a flexible tube. It does not cause any inconvenience if you need to climb somewhere - you just bend it back and do what you intended. But for those who specialize in fishing in shallow water, such tubes are not very convenient. Due to the fact that you often have to wade through vegetation, the design of the tube bends, clinging to the grass, and complicates breathing. For such cases, it is more reasonable to use rigid breathing tubes.

It is worth understanding that different spearfishing conditions require different tubes. Fishing at depth is unpretentious to tubes and allows you to use any. But it is still preferable to model with a valve at the bottom and a cap at the top. Such accessories for underwater fishing have a convenient design, but, unfortunately, it is not suitable for overgrown and shallow reservoirs, since the bottom valve becomes very clogged with all sorts of small things in the form of grass and debris. Therefore, it is better to do without a valve at all, since if it becomes clogged, its plate will not fit tightly to the tube, which can result in large quantities of water entering and preventing breathing.

DIY crossbow

To create a homemade crossbow you will need the following materials:

A wire with a thickness of 2 mm and a length depending on the size of the barrel will be used to make a spring.
Duralumin tube with a diameter of 12.5 mm, from which the barrel will be made.
Two plates about 12 mm thick, which will become halves of the handle. The material can be wood, nylon, plastic or aluminum.
Stainless steel rod having a diameter of 6 - 8 mm, which will become a harpoon.

Making a crossbow:

Spring. To make a spring, you can turn to professionals, or, if you have the necessary tools and experience, you can do it yourself. The spring diameter should not exceed 12 mm, and the pitch should not exceed 2 mm. The size of the compressed spring will be 300 mm greater than the length of the barrel, given that after some time of use the spring will shrink by about 20 percent.
Trunk. The recommended length is no more than 75 cm; this size will allow you to hunt in both fresh and sea waters. The first step is to apply threads to the ends of the duralumin tube, the second is to cut a groove for the sear. Its length should be 150 – 170 mm. It is worth making several holes in the trunk so that water can flow out easily. In addition, a plug and muzzle will need to be made from the same material as the barrel; a hole will be drilled in the plug in which the harpoon can be conveniently transported.
Handle. It is necessary to cut out parts of the handle from the existing plates and make a 3.5 mm deep recess on each for the trigger mechanism. The two parts of the handle are attached to the barrel with screws, and a thrust ring is attached to the front so that the handle does not “ride” along the barrel.
Trigger mechanism. Includes triggers, sear, safety and spring. These parts must be made of stainless metal.
Harpoon. It must be made in such a way that a line can be attached, which, when fired, will connect the harpoon and crossbow. The tip should not be made cone-shaped, but in the form of a pyramid, in order to better penetrate the scales of the fish.
Line breaker. Cut from stainless steel. The finished line releaser is attached to the plug using screws. When the line is reeled in, it is placed under the plate and tied to the harpoon. When fired, it flies out from under the plate without any problems and unwinds.

From such a gun you can hit fish from a distance of up to three meters.

Summarize

What is the best underwater crossbow? This question is difficult to answer unambiguously. A wide range of models allows you to choose the optimal weapon for both a novice hunter and a professional. Depending on the design features, a crossbow can be used when hunting any type of fish, even very large ones, but not in all types of reservoirs. Unlike firearms, water does not limit the capabilities of a crossbow. Lowered to depth, it retains excellent killing power, which is sufficient to kill large fish from a distance of 3–5 meters.

Blitz tips

When choosing a crossbow gun, pay special attention to the length: the shallower the body of water and the more vegetation there is, the shorter the gun should be.
Hunts best in warm seasons: spring and summer.
You always need to aim with a little anticipation, especially from a long distance.
For underwater hunting, in addition to a gun, you will need scuba gear.
You need to shoot at the front of the fish's body to make it more difficult for it to throw off the harpoon.
After each hunt, the tip needs to be sharpened.
All metal parts of the crossbow must be stainless.
Many varieties of harpoons and heads allow you to choose each gun to suit your taste; experiment and find the configuration that suits you.