Band or pneumatic speargun? Here’s a quick guide that answers the ever-popular scuba diving and spearfishing question.

1. BAND OR
PNEUMATIC
SPEARGUN?

2. AN ARTICLE BY
WORLD-DIVE.COM
© 2013 World-Dive.com

3. According to that ever popular source of info,
Wikipaedia, spearfishing is “an ancient method of
fishing that has been used throughout the world for
millennia. Early civilizations were familiar with the
custom of spearing fish from rivers and streams
using sharpened sticks.” Well, things have changed
since then. A lot! The scuba diver or snorkeller
wishing to take part in spearfishing has a plethora of
choice when it comes to selecting a speargun.
There’s even different types of speargun –
pneumatic and band powered guns.
So, here’s a quick guide that attempts to answer the
ever-popular scuba question “Pneumatic Vs Band
Speargun”
Rubber powered spear guns are simpler and
cheaper. They are made of wood or metal. The ones
with the tubular barrels have muzzles at the end of
the tube, for attaching the bands. The wooden spear
guns have the bands passing through a slot in the
stock. Using rubber powered spearguns, one can
vary the strength of the rubber. It is easier to load,
and one can target much better with a band
powered speargun. In deep water, it is easier to use.

4. It is silent when shot, it is powerful and accurate.
However, the rubbers can be damaged by water and
UV rays, they need to be replaced after 6 to 12
months. The speargun itself needs to be replaced
from time to time.
A pneumatic speargun has a wider spear which goes
inside a sealed internal barrel. It contains air at
ambient pressure. There is a strong line, a minimum
of twice the length of the gun. Pneumatic spearguns
are more expensive and more complicated, they are
also smaller than band powered spearguns, so they
are more convenient to use.
Pneumatic spearguns are more durable than band
powered spearguns. They allow multiple reloads. In
shallow water they are more powerful. However,
they are difficult to load, the larger ones in
particular; and one needs a loader all the time when
using a pneumatic speargun. They need servicing in
every year or every other year. Some parts of a
pneumatic speargun are not easy to replace, since
one cannot find those parts in every dive shop.
There are plenty of good speargun brands out there.
Adreno, Sea Hornet, and Rob Allens are the most

5. renowned ones. For pneumatic spearguns, Mares
and DeeperBlue are the most recognized brands.