Safety off/on?

[T.Scott]

While freediving, I have been hunting with the safety on and my finger off the trigger. I've missed chances and am working on getting quicker. Now, I see this Spearfishing 101 "Gone to Baja" video where the guy making the video says he hunts with the safety off. How do you guys hunt, i.e. safety on/off & finger on/off the trigger?

[f94gator]

Safety? My gun has a safety? :D

[deadend]

The only safety you need is not to pull the trigger until you're ready to fire! Safeties will only make you miss fish!

[Spear One]

Your best/most reliable safety is between your ears!

[fishkillapro]

A couple times when I have dove I have put on the safety and then forget to take it off right when I am about to shoot a fish. Now I usually have it off and always keep my finger away from the trigger unless I am shooting.

Also I have a certain way that I shoot that I do every time so unless I am in that position My fingers are away from the trigger.

Cam

[Johnoly]

Safety off, Many times you will only get 1 shot at a fish.

[Bill McIntyre]

Nome of my present guns even have safeties, but years ago when I had them, they were always off.

[lmk_tampa]

well... i just use the safety to load the gun... I really shouldn't, but it makes me feel safer... i've missed the notches a couple of times loading when i was first starting and it hurts like a bastard... really has nothing to do with the safety... anyway, i got used to putting the safety on when loading and off right after that. There has been many a times when I was getting used to this habit that I prepared to fire just to find the safety on. But like Cam said, I'm always in a position that I cannot describe, that unless I'm in that position with all the checks in my mind, I don't shoot... you just need to go out a little more and develop a routine. Pretty much every freediver I know has a predive, breathing, recoup and shoot routine.

[Capt.Gene]

:eek: If'n you're not using your safety better tell your well intentioned dive buddy not to lube up your trigger with superlube.
I spent a dive in the grounds firing my gun by releasing the safety.

[calicojack]

Capt. Gene: What gun were you using?!??

[ErikY.]

2 reasons to not use the safety, IMHO: 1, you will forget it's on and miss fish. 2, you are more likely to be more careless with the gun in the 'safe' position, ie: pointing at your buddy, yourself, your float, etc.
I leave it on, know it's on, and always treat it like a lethal loaded weapon.
Peace,
Erik Y.

[Southern Cross]

I missed my first shot ever on a nice cobia because my safety was on.
Just use it to load now.

Handed my loaded Rob Allen to a guy in the boat recently, because I was in a hurry to assist another diver. Told him it was loaded when I handed it to him, and asked him to unload. Got everyone in the boat and noticed my gun bouncing around the deck, loaded with the safety off. Scary $hit.

Good test for the trigger, but I don't suggest trying.

[Spearo_Fla]

What's a safety? My safety is my finger in back of the trigger. That way if a big fat G.G. is in view then I can pretend to squeeze the trigger and nothing happens.

[Wayward Son]

My safety normally stays in the Fire position. I do not load it on a boat, nor bring it back to a boat loaded.

[JimC]

As I even do with my hunting rifle Safety on But I keep my finger on the safety so I don't forget to push it off.
Wouldn't be very easy to explain a misfire if an injury occured while the safety was off. I'd rather miss a fish than know I accidently shot my buddy because I wasn't using it. Train yourself to keep your finger on the safety and you will be just as quick as not using it.

[Capt.Gene]

Old Biller gun from the very early 90's.

[grayson]

I agree with JimC.
When I'm solo, the safety is OFF, but if I've got buddies around me, I keep it on until it's time just in case. Sure I forgot it a couple of times in the beginning, but it is now second nature.

[straight shaft]

Lose the safety dude!

[Yalapaja]

Lose the safety dude!

It just leaves more fish for the rest of us.

[fishkillapro]

I feel that the safety should be off because you should never have your gun pointed anywhere near dive buddies in the first place.
Also the stalking angle should be less than horizontal, so if there is a misfire the shaft is aimed down.
my II cents

[Yalapaja]

I feel that the safety should be off because you should never have your gun pointed anywhere near dive buddies in the first place.
Also the stalking angle should be less than horizontal, so if there is a misfire the shaft is aimed down.
my II cents

When freediving sometimes we will go down then look up so the fish are back lit so getting a shot from below. I agree you should never point a gun at a dive buddy and if you are coming near your buddy with a loaded gun let him know you are coming.

[Stinkey Fish]

Your saftey is never point the gun at anything you don't want to kill. No saftey's on my guns.

[fishkillapro]

When freediving sometimes we will go down then look up so the fish are back lit so getting a shot from below. I agree you should never point a gun at a dive buddy and if you are coming near your buddy with a loaded gun let him know you are coming.


Yes, I did not consider that.

[detra]

I guess I'll be the voice of uninformed reason and risk being flamed as I don't even own a speargun.

However, countless hours spent pheasant, deer, and elk hunting have taught me to keep my finger on the safety and to snap it off as soon as I begin mounting the gun. I've never lost game to this safety precaution.

Someone please tell me why spearguns are any different. Are speargun safeties so poorly designed as to require an inordinate amount of time inactivate them?

[f94gator]

Someone please tell me why spearguns are any different. Are speargun safeties so poorly designed as to require an inordinate amount of time inactivate them?

Actually, some of them are. My safety isn't one that I can just flip off with my thumb as I'm aiming. It's a lever that I have to turn and is not in a place conducive to doing so while aiming.

Question - I have a new S&W 357 revolver. It doesn't have a safety. Why?

[JimC]

You can't just bump the trigger and make you S&W fire SA or DA you have to pull the trigger hard enough to cock it or you have to thumb cock it.

[inletsurf]

JBLs have a nice safety that is almost effortless to disengage. All others I found to be a PITA. Therefore my best safety is my finger off of the trigger.

[detra]

Your S+W .357 has a 14lb trigger pull in DA. I doubt you'd walk around with it in SA mode. I used to carry my .45 cocked and locked, but it had 3 redundant safeties, thumb, grip, and firing pin block.

Again, I'm ignorant here. I will say again, I have never even fired a speargun and I agree finger off the trigger and your brain are your best safeties. But I still have 2 questions. How much trigger pull is required of "average" spearguns, and which ones have usable safeties?

[JimC]

Never thought about how much pull there is. I have a biller and jbl and neither are difficult to keep you finger on. or thumb w/jbl

[f94gator]

I have another, related question.

How many of us have accidentally discharged our spearguns? Not including mechanical failure, assuming that that would have happened whether the safety was on or off.

[T.Scott]

Great question f49gator. My dive buddy put a spear thru the drywall in his apartment. Another time, he sent a spear tip went thru the couch. His wife saw it and her response was.... "I can't have anything nice around here with out you tearing it up". As his dive buddy, I feel it is my duty and obligation to ridicule him about this as often as possible. What up David?

[granitedive]

When I freedive for halibut, my little biller safety is off with my finger on the trigger. If I'm going for rockfish, then safety on, 'cause I'm looking in holes, maybe even setting the gun down. Bluewater hunting? The Riffe saftey is not a quick release. I keep it off except for loading or if I'm swimming from one location to another. I don't really spearfish around buddies, but if they approach, the safety goes on. To me it's unfathomable why anyone would ever have a loaded gun on a boat. Why would you need to?
A month ago, while WSB hunting, I was messing around with something while holding my 3-band metal tech 5 pointing staight down; no one (to my knowledge) near me, and I accidently pulled the trigger. Didn't shoot anyone, but the gun butt smacked me hard in the chest. Luckily, it wasn't in front of my face.

[f94gator]

To me it's unfathomable why anyone would ever have a loaded gun on a boat.

I agree. A safety shouldn't be necessary on the boat as the gun shouldn't be cocked.

[Chad Carney]

I guess I'll be the voice of uninformed reason and risk being flamed as I don't even own a speargun.

However, countless hours spent pheasant, deer, and elk hunting have taught me to keep my finger on the safety and to snap it off as soon as I begin mounting the gun. I've never lost game to this safety precaution.

Someone please tell me why spearguns are any different. Are speargun safeties so poorly designed as to require an inordinate amount of time inactivate them?

detra,

No flames here, just an attempt to explain.

If you had the level of experience with a speargun that you obviously have with firearms, it would be much easier for you to understand that spearguns are very unlike any kind of land weapon used recreationally.

Just diving, being in the three dimentional underwater environment, unable to function or even stay alive without extensive equipment, physical exertion and conditioning, is enough to require new rules.

Most experienced and effective spearfishers have learned the skills and techniques required to safely handle their guns without safeties. Spearfishing close to a buddy is inherently dangerous, so most divers spread out well beyond range so they can hunt rather than protect.

And yes, speargun safeties really are that poor to operate, especially while wearing tough gloves. Even the best safeties I've seen on spearguns are still quite lacking.

Chad

[ErikY.]

I think range of the projectile plays a big part. Most spearguns shoot 15 to 30' under water, and as Chad says, we're not usually close enough to anyone for there to be a problem.
I admit to occasionally locking the safety if I need to wrestle some gear (knots or line issues) and there is a diver close. Out of the water the gun is never cocked, so that's not an issue.
I think there are forms of diving where a diver would need to load the shaft on the boat: heavy seas or current, maybe chasing a marlin from the surface and a quick drop into the sea under way.
Peace,
Erik Y.

[jfg]

I have missed shots because I had my safety on, so I have developed a routine. While hunting, safety off. While loading, safety on. I am extra cautious with any type of gun, water or land and am always aware of where the gun is pointing, so if the situation requires it, I just automatically put gun on safe until the situation changes again to take the safety off again. I am always checking my safety. It is just second nature with me. And like chad said, safety's are poor to operate. The design needs work.