How is flying on an airplane with the pneumatic guns? Do you get funny looks? I know the rubber spear guns you just declare as fishing equipment but not sure if the pneumatic aspect changes that
Hi. Actually the last time that I travelled with one it fitted in the suitcase and no one seemed to notice. but you are supposed to let the air out of them when you travel. However I believe that there are actually some countries that you can be arrested if you are in possession of them because they are considered a weapon. So you might want to look into it before you travel and ask the airline concerned.
Great to see someone appreciating the advantages of pneumatic spearguns! Quick question your link to planet dive store shows great pricing but wont deliver to Australia, is there a way around this?
Yes i love pneumatic spearguns. Beginner tip - let all the air out and customise the pressure specifically for a new person to try out. Yes, thats a shame about the postage to Aus. Just checked it out. You can try looking for the same gun on Ebay.com.au - as they seem to post to you. Or keep and eye out for the gun coming up on a different site. I have seen it on other sites but it since has dried up there. Good luck.
Its infinite. You do not lose air when you shoot. The spear is pushed out with a piston which is airtight, and then that is pushed back in when you insert the spear - which takes a lot of force.
Great video mate ...I understand after watching your video that only a specific type of spear can be used with this gun ? ...please also comment about my understaning that it is the most powerful (fastest spear release velocity) pneumatic speargun in the market ?
I dont know if it is technically the most powerful. It is very good power for the amount of force required to load it. There are longer ones which are more powerful, and there are other vacuum pneumatics as well. Only the spear which comes with this gun will work with this gun. But you can order spares from the same website.
Great review , i have ordered the 75cm one for shallow water but i have a problem when i shoot with high power and reload on half power it reloads on high power and it becomes a struggle i wanted the 85cm for wreck diving on 12meters but i do not think i can reload it on high power all the time for mares cyrano this problem do not exist is there a trick to keep it on half power when reloading even if u shoot on high power let me know please.
When you shoot high power you need to reload high power, and on low power it is a low power reload. Since it separates the 2 chambers from each other you need to load that which you fired off. However, i believe you can progresssively load the gun with a number of small pulses from low power if you need to load high power. i.e. shoot high power, switch to low, several half pumps, then click, full load. You should hear the air going through to the other reservoir. However, it suggest that you just let air out so you can load the gun in the water ok.
Has much better range than the cressi 100 - which is a very good gun. Both very accurate. The 50cm is a Seapro and has about half the range. Only good for close shots. The Salvimar has a lighter thinner spear as well as the vacuum system, both of which give it more range. I would also recommend the cress 100. Anything 75cm and above is good. The small one is a bit of a pain when the fish swims out of range.
I see. Yes the shaft is a bit thinner than most pneumatic guns. This is a 7mm and most are 8mm. It is possible to straighten it again if you are carefull. Any luck doing that?
great review! i was skeptical about these guns, but last year i got a present the mares mini mini sten and pnecumatic are actually very good, the mares dealer told me that every 3 years the serivce no need every year, also i found very good that its not true thats it actually needs more maintaince then a band gun, band guns sometimes to be always powerful you need to change less then 6 months the rubber plus alot of times they snap in water force you to leave, pnaumatic, no painful loading times, no rubbers etc, what do you think?
@@PaulGarbettNZ i have to leave many times cause of rubbers snapping or dyneema snap, pneumatic if keeping good it will just need a service every 2 to 3 years
Great. Is that the 85 cm? How many atm/bar did you pump it? Is it hard to load with the thinner shaft? Another advantage of pneumatics is you can attach a GoPro camera with a wrist Velcro strap to the tip of the speargun, so you can film without having the barrel show. I secure the mount to the muzzle with a safety lanyard. I have the 65 and 55. In ny USA, visibility is not great. The 65 is actually a 70, the 55 is true to size. The 65 is wet muzzle, the 55 is vuoto. Easier to aim with the longer gun.
Thanks for your comments. Yes it is a little harder to load with the thinner shaft as it can bend if too much pressure in there when loading. I let a little of the pressure out as I really struggled to load this one (85cm) on the factory pressure - which I think is 20bar. So I estimate about 15 bar. But this is still like a 7m range from your eye. I agree about the gopro. These are great for filming videos underwater. Literally point and shoot. Just leave it running on the end of your gun and go spearing as usual and there's your footage.
Paul Garbett Variety Channel it is worth getting the manometer to dial in the pressure. What and what size fish do you get with it? My 55 sent the shaft all the way through some grey triggerfish. They have very tough skin and bones. But the 55 see,ms less accurate for me than the 65. But love the small size. The footage with a camera at the tip is more immersive than footage that shows the barrel.
@@stefpix I don't think it is worth getting the manometer. What i do is pump it until its about the maximum that i can load it, and stick with that. For the Vuoto you need to take out the gasket to practice loading it dry. Yes, they are very powerful. Mine will easily go through 2 fish and out the other side. I always end up taking the fish off the string at the back. I have found the the long ones are very accurate - but it is the range that is the key. The range is directly proportional to the length of the gun i've found.
I found that it came with way too much pressure to load. I was bending the spear trying to get it in. But apparently you can charge it even more for insane power if you want. The pump they supply means you can pump it up. But i would use this if you let too much gas out when adjusting the pressure. Or if you are travelling with it and they make you let out all the pressure to go in cargo (you are supposed to but it depends how strict they are about it).
@@PaulGarbettNZ I want to get vuoto but has to be on back order till september expecting to wait for 3 monts which i quite a bit. Did you end paying inport tax on it? Do you think the "dark side(carbon)" is worth the dollar and no reel as well? Cjeers. Nick
@@nickbulgary8531 No I dont reckon the dark side is worth it. Mine tend to get a bit banged up on the rocks and I'm glad I didnt pay extra for the asthetics. Have a look on amazon and ebay. Sometimes they come up there. You only need the reel if you are shooting big fish. Ie that can drag you under.
Hi , nice review! Have you shot any solid kingies with it? I live up in Kerikeri and am considering the 99 cm model for kingies, what do you recommend? Cheers
I would recommend it yes. Good range for those bigger fish which don't swim that close to you. Try and shoot them in the head so they wont drag you around. You can put 30-50m braid on the reel which helps.
Hello, i am using another type of pneumatic speargun that has no power regulator, so I have some questions related to it. Can you load the weapon (to maximum or minimum power) and then without shooting, change the power back and forth as many times as you want? Or do you have to shoot and then change the power before reloading it? thanks
Yes you can change the power back and forth as many times as you want to once loaded. The idea is to click it to low power if the fish swims in front of a rock. If you shoot on half power you must then load it without changing the setting. But if you shoot on full power, you can load it either all at once, or in stages if you switch to low power. That is,you can pump it several times to add up to a full load if you want.
@@PaulGarbettNZ Thank you Paul for the clarifications! one thing i don't get from what you said "you can pump it several times to add up to a full load". You mean to pump it with a pump.. So, at eg. at 22 bar, right? This is done once in a long while. Or you mean something else?
@@Rasmus_el_Pescador It's hard to explain. But if you have trouble loading the spear, you can insert it half way and it will store the power making it easier to load it fully the next time.
Can you buy extra spear shafts for this gun? Which is better the galvanized or the stainless steel? Also is it safe to shoot a longer spear from this gun, say a 100cm out of an 85cm gun?
You can by extra shafts. It is a 7mm Tahitian shaft available here: www.scubastore.com/scuba-diving/salvimar-tahitian-shaft-for-pneumatic-guns-double-barb-7-mm/137428/p And yes you can shoot a larger spear from a smaller gun. It wouldn't be quite as powerful though because the spear would be heavier than the gun is used to - so put a little more air into it.
Hi Paul, Your videos have got me into spearing with the Pneumatics, Thank you! I am confused about my guns with my Salvimar power regulators. I have a 100cm Darkside as well as 100cm Predathor plus. But i am only 5'9" and it has been a real chore to load them. I do it but it is NOT EASY! So can i load my guns in reduced power then switch to high power for a high powered shot?> Then when there is no spear in the gun can i switch again to low power and repeat without any damage? I am confused.....
Paul i just experimented with 2 pull handles attached with a string to one another. IT WAS A GAME CHANGER!! I can esaily load the 100cm now, no issues. I saw a video short Salvimar video on the idea, in the video he had 4 handles to a string, all i needed was 2, Totally Enjoyed spearing today with the 2 mode Handle!!
Yes you can load at low power. Usually these guns have a one-way valve for low power. You can load it in multiple stages, over multiple pumps of the spear. Eg you push the spear in half way then relax. Next time it will be easier as you have stored that energy. Or rather, the gas goes through the valve and stays there. Next pump will be easy to about half way, then push a little further to 3/4. A third pump will be easy to 3/4 then one final push to click the spear in. You can then switch to full power. Or back for half power. Alternatively, you can load on the land with full power by using the ground as support. Then shoot on low power, where it is easy to reload again in the water.
Bought this gun on your good review. Great gun only problem I’m having is the shaft will slide 3/4 of the way out of the barrel when holding it pointing down. It often won’t stay firmly in the loaded position. Have you had this issue as well?
Hi. No i've never heard of that happening. That actually sounds bad. It sounds like the shaft is not sticking into the piston there. You could try letting the air out and inspecting the piston itself. You would have to unscrew the front of the barrel with a large spanner. It is not that difficult. I believe these can be replaced fairly easily. Or you could look at replacing the gun. It sounds a bit dangerous as it is, and make it difficult to shoot down i imagine!
Although, it might just be a case of needing to put the spear in straight to begin with. Maybe wiggle it a bit until it goes clunk into the piston. Unless the piston itself is damaged. Let me know how you get on.
Paul Garbett Variety Channel thank you for replying. I will try your suggestions thanks. I have still been using it trying to figure it out with no luck. Yes very difficult to make a shot pointing down and losses it’s power if shaft not in all the way. I can’t seem to get parts from Italy to Hawaii right now for some reason but thanks for the link.
@@marksawka9710 you can get parts from maverick america. They are not all listed on the website. It sounds like an issue with the piston or the wrong shaft tang.
No I don't think you will find them in Australia. You could keep and eye on Ebay.au and one might come up or you can get them from Tradeinn: www.tradeinn.com/diveinn/en/spearguns-spearguns/22/s?products_search%5Bquery%5D=vuoto
Cheers mate, a very useful info and it persuaded me to get this gun (85cm). Regarding the "Power Adjustment" switch. It has been delivered with it set to the Max position, is it possible to move it to Low and then load the gun? I'm just thinking that I'll probably need to re-pressurise it as you did. thanks!
Firstly, dont worry about letting out some of the pressure to make it easier to load. You will still have a massive range and power with reduced pressure - that's really what the vuoto system is designed for. If you shoot on low pressure you then have to load only on low pressure - then switch to high once loaded.If you load from low to begin with i believe there is a one-way valve that means you can load the gun to high pressure in stages. (just as difficult to load, but can be done in several attempts with each storing some gas). It then can be fired on low (as is) or switched to high. One way to deal with it is to load on land (or shallow water to wet spear), then use only in the half power in the water - this way it is very easy to load/shoot in the water.
@@PaulGarbettNZ thanks a lot, quite valuable info. I'll test it while in the water and probably report a bit later. It seems to me that I might be using it half power most of the time anyway. I cannot remember six meters visibility here in the UK. On average it's 3-4. I also got Salvimar oil for the gun, how often do you apply it? Many thanks!
@@ddd34660 Yeah I would only use the oil probably once a season if at all. I think with the sealed system it probably doesn't need it as much. Nomal pneumatic guns the oil comes in contact with the sea water, and that only needs oil once a season or every second season.
@@PaulGarbettNZ i think we need a new video by you regarding the advance procedures for this gun 😄...like hi to low power toggles intricacies ...loading with low power settings and shooting at hi power...loading and shooting the gun outside water (from the boat) after removing the seal...that will be a gold for us ...BTW I am planning to buy this gun after your solid reviews ...anxiously waiting for reply and more anxiously for the video
You never need to replace the air in the gun if you leave it pumped up. The air acts like a spring, and it drives a piston which pushes the spear. Older guns used to fire air out the gun to push the spear- which is not the case for modern pneumatic spearguns.
Can you put the link of the store as I am struggling to fing it somehow. Is the shaft standart for the 85 gun? And did you order with the reel as a packages? Hi from JafA land
I got it from: www.planetdivestore.com/dive/spearguns/pneumatic-speargun/salvimar-predathor-vuoto/16048/57752/sc. But you can also find it here: www.scubastore.com/scuba-diving/salvimar-predathor-vuoto-with-reel-85/1244270/p. I have noticed that it is often out of stock. So i'm not sure - maybe keep checking back. Or have a look on Amazon or Ebay for the same thing. Often they will post to more locations.
Thats odd. I think it is probably easy to repair. You can take these guns apart to do maintenance. If you let the gas out you can unscrew to nose and sort out any problems there. You can also buy a new muzzel and gasket if you need one. It is also possible for the piston to get jammed in there. Not likely, but it can happen if it is high pressure and shot off out of the water. You would also need to let the gas out and check it for damage, maybe oil it, and shove it back in. Let me know how you get on.
Hang on, was it not even loaded? Maybe the muzzel wasn't screwed in properly or something. Either way, let the gas out and check it. Do you know how to do that?
@@PaulGarbettNZ thanks Paul I did it but not sure if I did it ryt. 2 parts came out. But not sure if I did it ryt. Now I am scared to pump air back in it after the blast
Keep your eyes on the fish, not the gun sight, then lift the gun up between you and the fish. Shoot, keeping your eye on the fish. Try and hold the gun with a tight grip, otherwise the kick will make it inaccurate. If it shoots high, turn the gun on the side and aim down your right eye and right arm. You can also place your thumb up higher on the back of the gun to absorb some of the kick, for a more accurate shot. Or you can shoot with both hands on the gun. I suggest setting up a target in the water, and making sure you can consistently hit that everytime. e.g. a plastic bottle of air with a string down to a weight on the bottom.
Great I hope you go well. Let me know what works for you. I remember when i got my 100cm gun, i had about a 120% hit ratio for a while. Sometimes i hit more than one fish at a time. It was much more accurate than my older rubber gun.
I will sure keep you updated Paul, probably I will go on Saturday. I had also taken 2 fish bit the one eventually fleed. There were about 20 machi machi coming by, but it easy to hit them because they are wide. I expect with this gun to be able to shoot at 2-3 meters after exercising my aiming, right? I Ve seen you doing long shots with yours. Good morning from Greece!! 😊
@@hroniskaftanis6281 Good Luck. Yeah more like 5-7meters with one of those. The deadly range is about 7 from the eye. I have 5 meters of line to go out, plus the length of the gun and length of spear, and my arm = about 7meters. So long as you are accurate, yeah you can hot anything really.
Hello Paul, how thick is the rope you use for the spear? I just got the salvimar vuoto and the 150 rope I have is too thick to go through the hole. Thanks in advance.
Hi. Thanks for your question. Sorry for the late reply. I thought I had replied but its not showing up. I have a 1.5mm braid for the retaining line. This is the right size to thread through the spear retainer. The other line on the reel is a cheaper 15m 2mm braid. Its all plenty strong enough for big fish.
@@nikolaospapadopoulos5564 ok good. So it has to be very thin then. The provided line needs to be crimped. So the braid allows for you to tie the type of knots I like for my setup. So I recommend that others find that same thin braid of about 1-1.5mm for thier setups. Got mine from hardware store.
Hello sir i just bought this gun 85cm I heard some people says tht pneumatic speargun loss power to 15-20mtrs of water is it true by ur experience?? Thanks in advance ☺
Hi. Pneumatic guns lose one bar of pressure every 10m (2atm) depth that you dive so if you are shooting at 20 m you lose 2 out of 20 bars of pressure so that's a loss of 10% power at 20 m. However if you are worried about it you can simply pump more pressure into the gun if you are shooting at depths. However I'm not sure if this applies to the vuoto guns given that the spare is held against a vacuum rather than the outside pressure of the water. So I think in the case of the vuoto it doesn't matter what depths you dive the gun will remain the same power. I find that these guns are overpowered to begin with and I have let a lot of air out of my gun to make it easier to load and to bring the range down to 7 m.
Probably 75cm or greater. The effective range is about 6x the length of the gun. So in water 5m deep you want about 85cm. The sealed vacuum guns its even further range. I suggest that you get the longest that you can load - as the longer the gun, generally the better accuracy as it places the spear closer to the fish. The max i can load is about 1m - as my practical reach is about 200cm.
@@PaulGarbettNZ Ok thanks, I will be swimming out into the ocean from the beach, and my height is just under 5'11" ... does that give you a better idea on the length I should go with to shoot fish from surface with ease? still 75cm?
@@ryant8430 I would suggest 85 and above really. The 100cm is a good gun. My salvimar vuoto is 85cm but vacuum sealed with a range of 7m. You can measure it from the top of your foot to your maximum reach above your head with a closed fist. For me, the largest is 100cm gun, 200cm reach. Your reach would have to be 220 to go up to a 110cm gun. You can also get an extender which increases your reach - people use them on like a 130cm. Apparently the 130 vuoto is the most powerful gun you can get. Its range would be more like 10m!
Don't let the air out. It will be ok over the winter. Just make sure there is no water in the barrel. Leave the gun nozzle down over night, then take off the nozzle and rubber gasket and put the spear in by putting the loader on the ground and pushing the gun down onto it. Change to low power, and bounce the gun up and down on the spear. Sometimes you will find some water come out onto the spear or drip out the end. Replace the rubber and nozzle and store over the winter. I spray a little silicone on some of the parts to preserve them - such as the power selector - which tends to get a little salt into it.
@@cookwithmegoanrecipe8789 I'm not sure actually. It's probably one of the better oils to use. But sometimes the these oils can make the o-rings expand and loose their seal. So i'm not sure. I've had good and bad results. I think the silicone oils are the only ones that i can guarantee will be ok. You shouldn't need to oil it add all since water should not actually get into the gun. But if you doing oil it only add a small amount -like maybe 10-20ml. The rubber gasket in the muzzel should be oiled only with silicone oil, otherwise it will expand and loose its seal.
Here is a link to a video of a guy testing out a similar gun (130cm model). He reckons its as powerful as a 4-rubber speargun. th-cam.com/video/djx1hPkSqcE/w-d-xo.html
They dont seem to no. Often you cant get them because the individual companies wont import them. E.g Salvimar doesn't seem to import into Australia. But there are no official rules against them. So you just need to find a selller who will ship them there.
Thanks Paul, you're right. For some reason there are several guns in their range that Salvimar do not import into Australia. I tried to check with Australian Border Force but of course their email address for the local district office is incorrect and I'll have to go to the office person. Pain in the butt for those of us who are trying to do the right thing.
@@123colinfrost ok. See how you go. I have heard of a few ebay sellers shipping those to Australia. So you might have to shop around. They usually use a expedited shipping like fedex. I dont know, maybe these circumvent customs?
Finally someone breaking the taboo and giving real credit to pneumatic spearguns that they deserve...
How is flying on an airplane with the pneumatic guns? Do you get funny looks? I know the rubber spear guns you just declare as fishing equipment but not sure if the pneumatic aspect changes that
Hi. Actually the last time that I travelled with one it fitted in the suitcase and no one seemed to notice. but you are supposed to let the air out of them when you travel. However I believe that there are actually some countries that you can be arrested if you are in possession of them because they are considered a weapon. So you might want to look into it before you travel and ask the airline concerned.
Great to see someone appreciating the advantages of pneumatic spearguns! Quick question your link to planet dive store shows great pricing but wont deliver to Australia, is there a way around this?
Yes i love pneumatic spearguns. Beginner tip - let all the air out and customise the pressure specifically for a new person to try out. Yes, thats a shame about the postage to Aus. Just checked it out. You can try looking for the same gun on Ebay.com.au - as they seem to post to you. Or keep and eye out for the gun coming up on a different site. I have seen it on other sites but it since has dried up there. Good luck.
Great video, thanks 👍
How many full power shots do you get before it needs pumping back up? Approximately.
Cheers. 🍻
Its infinite. You do not lose air when you shoot. The spear is pushed out with a piston which is airtight, and then that is pushed back in when you insert the spear - which takes a lot of force.
Great video mate ...I understand after watching your video that only a specific type of spear can be used with this gun ? ...please also comment about my understaning that it is the most powerful (fastest spear release velocity) pneumatic speargun in the market ?
I dont know if it is technically the most powerful. It is very good power for the amount of force required to load it. There are longer ones which are more powerful, and there are other vacuum pneumatics as well. Only the spear which comes with this gun will work with this gun. But you can order spares from the same website.
@@PaulGarbettNZ thanks a lot Paul...your effort and research will benefit many
Best value for money gun in the world in my opinion.
Do you know if theres a different except for appearance between this one to the krypsis version?
Great review , i have ordered the 75cm one for shallow water but i have a problem when i shoot with high power
and reload on half power it reloads on high power and it becomes a struggle i wanted the 85cm for wreck diving
on 12meters but i do not think i can reload it on high power all the time for mares cyrano this problem do not exist
is there a trick to keep it on half power when reloading even if u shoot on high power let me know please.
When you shoot high power you need to reload high power, and on low power it is a low power reload. Since it separates the 2 chambers from each other you need to load that which you fired off. However, i believe you can progresssively load the gun with a number of small pulses from low power if you need to load high power. i.e. shoot high power, switch to low, several half pumps, then click, full load. You should hear the air going through to the other reservoir. However, it suggest that you just let air out so you can load the gun in the water ok.
Hello, what is the weight of the 85 vuoto predathor? Thanks
Thanks for the video. How did it compare for power against your cressi? Did you have a 55 and a 100 cressi?
Has much better range than the cressi 100 - which is a very good gun. Both very accurate. The 50cm is a Seapro and has about half the range. Only good for close shots. The Salvimar has a lighter thinner spear as well as the vacuum system, both of which give it more range. I would also recommend the cress 100. Anything 75cm and above is good. The small one is a bit of a pain when the fish swims out of range.
I like this gun very much but the only problem for me is when the shaft is bent. After shooting big morey eel, grouper.
I see. Yes the shaft is a bit thinner than most pneumatic guns. This is a 7mm and most are 8mm. It is possible to straighten it again if you are carefull. Any luck doing that?
great review! i was skeptical about these guns, but last year i got a present the mares mini mini sten and pnecumatic are actually very good, the mares dealer told me that every 3 years the serivce no need every year, also i found very good that its not true thats it actually needs more maintaince then a band gun, band guns sometimes to be always powerful you need to change less then 6 months the rubber plus alot of times they snap in water force you to leave, pnaumatic, no painful loading times, no rubbers etc, what do you think?
Yes i agree with you on all those points. Once a banded gun snapped and cut my hand open under the water. not doing that again!
@@PaulGarbettNZ i have to leave many times cause of rubbers snapping or dyneema snap, pneumatic if keeping good it will just need a service every 2 to 3 years
Great. Is that the 85 cm? How many atm/bar did you pump it? Is it hard to load with the thinner shaft? Another advantage of pneumatics is you can attach a GoPro camera with a wrist Velcro strap to the tip of the speargun, so you can film without having the barrel show. I secure the mount to the muzzle with a safety lanyard. I have the 65 and 55. In ny USA, visibility is not great. The 65 is actually a 70, the 55 is true to size. The 65 is wet muzzle, the 55 is vuoto. Easier to aim with the longer gun.
Thanks for your comments. Yes it is a little harder to load with the thinner shaft as it can bend if too much pressure in there when loading. I let a little of the pressure out as I really struggled to load this one (85cm) on the factory pressure - which I think is 20bar. So I estimate about 15 bar. But this is still like a 7m range from your eye. I agree about the gopro. These are great for filming videos underwater. Literally point and shoot. Just leave it running on the end of your gun and go spearing as usual and there's your footage.
Paul Garbett Variety Channel it is worth getting the manometer to dial in the pressure. What and what size fish do you get with it? My 55 sent the shaft all the way through some grey triggerfish. They have very tough skin and bones. But the 55 see,ms less accurate for me than the 65. But love the small size.
The footage with a camera at the tip is more immersive than footage that shows the barrel.
@@stefpix I don't think it is worth getting the manometer. What i do is pump it until its about the maximum that i can load it, and stick with that. For the Vuoto you need to take out the gasket to practice loading it dry. Yes, they are very powerful. Mine will easily go through 2 fish and out the other side. I always end up taking the fish off the string at the back. I have found the the long ones are very accurate - but it is the range that is the key. The range is directly proportional to the length of the gun i've found.
Forgot to ask if in any case you want to pump pressure up is that possible? Cheers
I found that it came with way too much pressure to load. I was bending the spear trying to get it in. But apparently you can charge it even more for insane power if you want. The pump they supply means you can pump it up. But i would use this if you let too much gas out when adjusting the pressure. Or if you are travelling with it and they make you let out all the pressure to go in cargo (you are supposed to but it depends how strict they are about it).
@@PaulGarbettNZ
I want to get vuoto but has to be on back order till september expecting to wait for 3 monts which i quite a bit. Did you end paying inport tax on it? Do you think the "dark side(carbon)" is worth the dollar and no reel as well? Cjeers. Nick
@@nickbulgary8531 No I dont reckon the dark side is worth it. Mine tend to get a bit banged up on the rocks and I'm glad I didnt pay extra for the asthetics. Have a look on amazon and ebay. Sometimes they come up there. You only need the reel if you are shooting big fish. Ie that can drag you under.
Hi , nice review! Have you shot any solid kingies with it? I live up in Kerikeri and am considering the 99 cm model for kingies, what do you recommend? Cheers
I would recommend it yes. Good range for those bigger fish which don't swim that close to you. Try and shoot them in the head so they wont drag you around. You can put 30-50m braid on the reel which helps.
nice gun!
Hello, i am using another type of pneumatic speargun that has no power regulator, so I have some questions related to it. Can you load the weapon (to maximum or minimum power) and then without shooting, change the power back and forth as many times as you want? Or do you have to shoot and then change the power before reloading it? thanks
Yes you can change the power back and forth as many times as you want to once loaded. The idea is to click it to low power if the fish swims in front of a rock. If you shoot on half power you must then load it without changing the setting. But if you shoot on full power, you can load it either all at once, or in stages if you switch to low power. That is,you can pump it several times to add up to a full load if you want.
@@PaulGarbettNZ Thank you Paul for the clarifications! one thing i don't get from what you said "you can pump it several times to add up to a full load". You mean to pump it with a pump.. So, at eg. at 22 bar, right? This is done once in a long while. Or you mean something else?
@@Rasmus_el_Pescador It's hard to explain. But if you have trouble loading the spear, you can insert it half way and it will store the power making it easier to load it fully the next time.
Can you buy extra spear shafts for this gun? Which is better the galvanized or the stainless steel? Also is it safe to shoot a longer spear from this gun, say a 100cm out of an 85cm gun?
You can by extra shafts. It is a 7mm Tahitian shaft available here: www.scubastore.com/scuba-diving/salvimar-tahitian-shaft-for-pneumatic-guns-double-barb-7-mm/137428/p And yes you can shoot a larger spear from a smaller gun. It wouldn't be quite as powerful though because the spear would be heavier than the gun is used to - so put a little more air into it.
Hi Paul, Your videos have got me into spearing with the Pneumatics, Thank you!
I am confused about my guns with my Salvimar power regulators. I have a 100cm Darkside as well as 100cm Predathor plus. But i am only 5'9" and it has been a real chore to load them. I do it but it is NOT EASY! So can i load my guns in reduced power then switch to high power for a high powered shot?> Then when there is no spear in the gun can i switch again to low power and repeat without any damage? I am confused.....
Paul i just experimented with 2 pull handles attached with a string to one another. IT WAS A GAME CHANGER!! I can esaily load the 100cm now, no issues. I saw a video short Salvimar video on the idea, in the video he had 4 handles to a string, all i needed was 2, Totally Enjoyed spearing today with the 2 mode Handle!!
@@giicllc8819 Great good work. I will look it up.
Yes you can load at low power. Usually these guns have a one-way valve for low power. You can load it in multiple stages, over multiple pumps of the spear. Eg you push the spear in half way then relax. Next time it will be easier as you have stored that energy. Or rather, the gas goes through the valve and stays there. Next pump will be easy to about half way, then push a little further to 3/4. A third pump will be easy to 3/4 then one final push to click the spear in. You can then switch to full power. Or back for half power. Alternatively, you can load on the land with full power by using the ground as support. Then shoot on low power, where it is easy to reload again in the water.
Thanks for your vid . buy this or mares Cyrano Evo?
Great video man, how many psi you adjust it for affordable loading?
Also i consider which size is the best and im close to 85
Thank you
your video is super!!!!
Thank you.
Bought this gun on your good review. Great gun only problem I’m having is the shaft will slide 3/4 of the way out of the barrel when holding it pointing down. It often won’t stay firmly in the loaded position. Have you had this issue as well?
Hi. No i've never heard of that happening. That actually sounds bad. It sounds like the shaft is not sticking into the piston there. You could try letting the air out and inspecting the piston itself. You would have to unscrew the front of the barrel with a large spanner. It is not that difficult. I believe these can be replaced fairly easily. Or you could look at replacing the gun. It sounds a bit dangerous as it is, and make it difficult to shoot down i imagine!
You can find the piston here if you need one: www.scubastore.com/scuba-diving/salvimar-speargun-piston-predathor-dark-side-vintair/138582/p
Although, it might just be a case of needing to put the spear in straight to begin with. Maybe wiggle it a bit until it goes clunk into the piston. Unless the piston itself is damaged. Let me know how you get on.
Paul Garbett Variety Channel thank you for replying. I will try your suggestions thanks. I have still been using it trying to figure it out with no luck. Yes very difficult to make a shot pointing down and losses it’s power if shaft not in all the way. I can’t seem to get parts from Italy to Hawaii right now for some reason but thanks for the link.
@@marksawka9710 you can get parts from maverick america. They are not all listed on the website. It sounds like an issue with the piston or the wrong shaft tang.
Hey, do you know if i am able to get one of these exact guns in Australia? I cant seem to find them anywhere online in aud so do i have to import one?
No I don't think you will find them in Australia. You could keep and eye on Ebay.au and one might come up or you can get them from Tradeinn: www.tradeinn.com/diveinn/en/spearguns-spearguns/22/s?products_search%5Bquery%5D=vuoto
Cheers mate, a very useful info and it persuaded me to get this gun (85cm). Regarding the "Power Adjustment" switch. It has been delivered with it set to the Max position, is it possible to move it to Low and then load the gun? I'm just thinking that I'll probably need to re-pressurise it as you did. thanks!
Firstly, dont worry about letting out some of the pressure to make it easier to load. You will still have a massive range and power with reduced pressure - that's really what the vuoto system is designed for. If you shoot on low pressure you then have to load only on low pressure - then switch to high once loaded.If you load from low to begin with i believe there is a one-way valve that means you can load the gun to high pressure in stages. (just as difficult to load, but can be done in several attempts with each storing some gas). It then can be fired on low (as is) or switched to high. One way to deal with it is to load on land (or shallow water to wet spear), then use only in the half power in the water - this way it is very easy to load/shoot in the water.
@@PaulGarbettNZ thanks a lot, quite valuable info. I'll test it while in the water and probably report a bit later. It seems to me that I might be using it half power most of the time anyway. I cannot remember six meters visibility here in the UK. On average it's 3-4. I also got Salvimar oil for the gun, how often do you apply it? Many thanks!
@@ddd34660 Yeah I would only use the oil probably once a season if at all. I think with the sealed system it probably doesn't need it as much. Nomal pneumatic guns the oil comes in contact with the sea water, and that only needs oil once a season or every second season.
@@PaulGarbettNZ i think we need a new video by you regarding the advance procedures for this gun 😄...like hi to low power toggles intricacies ...loading with low power settings and shooting at hi power...loading and shooting the gun outside water (from the boat) after removing the seal...that will be a gold for us ...BTW I am planning to buy this gun after your solid reviews ...anxiously waiting for reply and more anxiously for the video
hey ,one question
should you recharge the gun after each shot or it's like PCP gun where you can shot multiple times before pumping air into the gun?
You never need to replace the air in the gun if you leave it pumped up. The air acts like a spring, and it drives a piston which pushes the spear. Older guns used to fire air out the gun to push the spear- which is not the case for modern pneumatic spearguns.
@@PaulGarbettNZ thank you 👍
How much is the range of the shot? Thanks 👍
About 7 meters. Depends how much air you put in. Maybe more if pumped up.
Can you put the link of the store as I am struggling to fing it somehow. Is the shaft standart for the 85 gun? And did you order with the reel as a packages? Hi from JafA land
I got it from: www.planetdivestore.com/dive/spearguns/pneumatic-speargun/salvimar-predathor-vuoto/16048/57752/sc. But you can also find it here: www.scubastore.com/scuba-diving/salvimar-predathor-vuoto-with-reel-85/1244270/p. I have noticed that it is often out of stock. So i'm not sure - maybe keep checking back. Or have a look on Amazon or Ebay for the same thing. Often they will post to more locations.
Is mares cryano better than this? I heard it is easier to load.
I dont know sorry. I let the air out till the point where i am comfortable loading. Thats one of the advantages of the pneumatic gun.
I have a same gun that just fell from my bag and blasted. Not sure if it can be repaired its just the muzel that's come out
Thats odd. I think it is probably easy to repair. You can take these guns apart to do maintenance. If you let the gas out you can unscrew to nose and sort out any problems there. You can also buy a new muzzel and gasket if you need one. It is also possible for the piston to get jammed in there. Not likely, but it can happen if it is high pressure and shot off out of the water. You would also need to let the gas out and check it for damage, maybe oil it, and shove it back in. Let me know how you get on.
Hang on, was it not even loaded? Maybe the muzzel wasn't screwed in properly or something. Either way, let the gas out and check it. Do you know how to do that?
@@PaulGarbettNZ thanks Paul I did it but not sure if I did it ryt. 2 parts came out. But not sure if I did it ryt. Now I am scared to pump air back in it after the blast
@@eltonferns3236 Oh yeah. Maybe just do 50 pumps and see how it goes putting the spear in and out. See if it holds the pressure overnight. Good luck.
@@PaulGarbettNZ ok I'll try and see thanks.
I just got the vuoto 115 and cant aim at anything :P i have it at 20 bar. Had a 75 seac rail gun before. Do you have any aiming tips? 😁
Keep your eyes on the fish, not the gun sight, then lift the gun up between you and the fish. Shoot, keeping your eye on the fish. Try and hold the gun with a tight grip, otherwise the kick will make it inaccurate. If it shoots high, turn the gun on the side and aim down your right eye and right arm. You can also place your thumb up higher on the back of the gun to absorb some of the kick, for a more accurate shot. Or you can shoot with both hands on the gun. I suggest setting up a target in the water, and making sure you can consistently hit that everytime. e.g. a plastic bottle of air with a string down to a weight on the bottom.
Thank you for the tips Paul, I will try them!!
Great I hope you go well. Let me know what works for you. I remember when i got my 100cm gun, i had about a 120% hit ratio for a while. Sometimes i hit more than one fish at a time. It was much more accurate than my older rubber gun.
I will sure keep you updated Paul, probably I will go on Saturday. I had also taken 2 fish bit the one eventually fleed. There were about 20 machi machi coming by, but it easy to hit them because they are wide. I expect with this gun to be able to shoot at 2-3 meters after exercising my aiming, right? I Ve seen you doing long shots with yours. Good morning from Greece!! 😊
@@hroniskaftanis6281 Good Luck. Yeah more like 5-7meters with one of those. The deadly range is about 7 from the eye. I have 5 meters of line to go out, plus the length of the gun and length of spear, and my arm = about 7meters. So long as you are accurate, yeah you can hot anything really.
Hello Paul, how thick is the rope you use for the spear? I just got the salvimar vuoto and the 150 rope I have is too thick to go through the hole. Thanks in advance.
Hi. Thanks for your question. Sorry for the late reply. I thought I had replied but its not showing up. I have a 1.5mm braid for the retaining line. This is the right size to thread through the spear retainer. The other line on the reel is a cheaper 15m 2mm braid. Its all plenty strong enough for big fish.
@@PaulGarbettNZ Hi, thanks for your reply. I've only managed to use a 1.2mm braid for the spear retainer. Anything thicker wouldn't get through :)
@@nikolaospapadopoulos5564 ok good. So it has to be very thin then. The provided line needs to be crimped. So the braid allows for you to tie the type of knots I like for my setup. So I recommend that others find that same thin braid of about 1-1.5mm for thier setups. Got mine from hardware store.
Hello sir i just bought this gun 85cm I heard some people says tht pneumatic speargun loss power to 15-20mtrs of water is it true by ur experience??
Thanks in advance ☺
Hi. Pneumatic guns lose one bar of pressure every 10m (2atm) depth that you dive so if you are shooting at 20 m you lose 2 out of 20 bars of pressure so that's a loss of 10% power at 20 m. However if you are worried about it you can simply pump more pressure into the gun if you are shooting at depths. However I'm not sure if this applies to the vuoto guns given that the spare is held against a vacuum rather than the outside pressure of the water. So I think in the case of the vuoto it doesn't matter what depths you dive the gun will remain the same power. I find that these guns are overpowered to begin with and I have let a lot of air out of my gun to make it easier to load and to bring the range down to 7 m.
I most dive to 10-15mtrs ,, thanks for ur information ☺
what is the minimum length of a pneumatic speargun that I need to shoot fish from the surface as a beginner like you mentioned in this video?
Probably 75cm or greater. The effective range is about 6x the length of the gun. So in water 5m deep you want about 85cm. The sealed vacuum guns its even further range. I suggest that you get the longest that you can load - as the longer the gun, generally the better accuracy as it places the spear closer to the fish. The max i can load is about 1m - as my practical reach is about 200cm.
@@PaulGarbettNZ Ok thanks, I will be swimming out into the ocean from the beach, and my height is just under 5'11" ... does that give you a better idea on the length I should go with to shoot fish from surface with ease? still 75cm?
@@ryant8430 I would suggest 85 and above really. The 100cm is a good gun. My salvimar vuoto is 85cm but vacuum sealed with a range of 7m. You can measure it from the top of your foot to your maximum reach above your head with a closed fist. For me, the largest is 100cm gun, 200cm reach. Your reach would have to be 220 to go up to a 110cm gun. You can also get an extender which increases your reach - people use them on like a 130cm. Apparently the 130 vuoto is the most powerful gun you can get. Its range would be more like 10m!
What did you decide on?
@@PaulGarbettNZ I ordered a SALVIMAR Predathor 65cm because it fits in my bag for travel, haven't used it yet but will soon
Hello sir i had one issue, i have this gun i wanted to know how to store this gun as our season are off 5 months, any idea should i release air???
Don't let the air out. It will be ok over the winter. Just make sure there is no water in the barrel. Leave the gun nozzle down over night, then take off the nozzle and rubber gasket and put the spear in by putting the loader on the ground and pushing the gun down onto it. Change to low power, and bounce the gun up and down on the spear. Sometimes you will find some water come out onto the spear or drip out the end. Replace the rubber and nozzle and store over the winter. I spray a little silicone on some of the parts to preserve them - such as the power selector - which tends to get a little salt into it.
@@PaulGarbettNZ thank bro, is bike shocks oil is good fr this gun? Hw much ml should I pour in it?
@@cookwithmegoanrecipe8789 I'm not sure actually. It's probably one of the better oils to use. But sometimes the these oils can make the o-rings expand and loose their seal. So i'm not sure. I've had good and bad results. I think the silicone oils are the only ones that i can guarantee will be ok. You shouldn't need to oil it add all since water should not actually get into the gun. But if you doing oil it only add a small amount -like maybe 10-20ml. The rubber gasket in the muzzel should be oiled only with silicone oil, otherwise it will expand and loose its seal.
Ok👍😊😊 thanks
Paul.what size did you get? 55?
It's the 85cm. Good size to handle and good range.
Here is a link to a video of a guy testing out a similar gun (130cm model). He reckons its as powerful as a 4-rubber speargun. th-cam.com/video/djx1hPkSqcE/w-d-xo.html
Ok
Great video Paul. Do you know if NZ or Australian Customs have any restrictions that apply to importing pneumatic spearguns?
They dont seem to no. Often you cant get them because the individual companies wont import them. E.g Salvimar doesn't seem to import into Australia. But there are no official rules against them. So you just need to find a selller who will ship them there.
Thanks Paul, you're right. For some reason there are several guns in their range that Salvimar do not import into Australia. I tried to check with Australian Border Force but of course their email address for the local district office is incorrect and I'll have to go to the office person. Pain in the butt for those of us who are trying to do the right thing.
@@123colinfrost ok. See how you go. I have heard of a few ebay sellers shipping those to Australia. So you might have to shop around. They usually use a expedited shipping like fedex. I dont know, maybe these circumvent customs?
Your line is ran wrong. It needs to spool out at the top
Thank you. I have fixed it since making this video. It is better as you suggest.
Hello sir what us total length of this gun without installing shaft??
It is 85cm barrel so ablout 100cm from tip to handel.
Thanks sir...can u tell me wts length of shaft 🙏
@@Bluefinbustr about 85 not including tip
Thank you😊
Seems like a scammer.. ordered sweet replies.. no item received