Powerheads. Where to buy?

[Charlestondivin]

Im looking for a powerhead and cannot find anywhere online to buy them for a decent price. New/used I dont really care i just would like to find one at a fair price. would prefer a .223 Rob@charlestondiving.com \
Any info would be appreciated.

[Reef Raider]

.223 the best way to go as far as I'am concernd and get a good hot load to burn in it . I tried some of the off brand ammo that a friend had one day did not like it one bit. The hotter loads blow a nice big hole in the fish that way my PH gos in to the fish . This is a big help when shooting in open water . Becouse I shoot my PH on a line shaft the shaft gos in to the fish and the fish will not go to the BOTTOM the thing is to be careful not to pull it out you need to swim to the fish a little do not just pull the fish to you. I shot 5- 35 lb to 40 lb AJs once in 130fsw and never went deeper than 80fsw .


You might want to buy it new from Spearfishing Specialty if your LDS doesnt have it ask them to look in to getting some of their
gear for in the shop.

[dothanfrogman]

Your local dive shop should have one.

[Charlestondivin]

LDS is VERY proud of them.

[greyface]

My LDS sez they can't even get 'em in .223. I bent over, and paid $99 for a .357, and $40 for a spare shaft. It felt like I got 2 shafts!:D

[seastalker]

Try Beco
http://www.beco-products.com/about_beco.htm

They have a good low profile product that allow you to change champer for different loads. They also stand by their product (speaking from experience) . Consider your obtion to have a heavy duty spring so you powerhead does not fire premature from using two bands when needed.

[ScottCarullo]

Interesting you mention the stronger spring to reduce premature detonation with a powerful gun.

I have a powerhead I had custom made by a friend who is a professional machinest. It does not have any spring. Its very easy to use, fast to reload, never detonated by gun (I use AB Biller 48" with double bands) and is very flexible for different caliber loads. I use 357 mag 99% of the time. The barrel hits the target and is pushed (along with the bullet) back into the firing pin which is stationary and for discussion purposes attached to the shaft. The barrel is held in semi-firmly with two O-rings. If someone tells me how to put a photo in here I'll show you a photo of how its made. I have extra ones :)

There is no springs, no safetys, no locks, no clips or wires. KISS method applied to design. I can shoot a fish, enpty the spent round and reload in 5-10 seconds if I had a bullet handy - which by the way takes the longest in the whole reloading scheme.

Anyone familiar with alternative or custom made powerheads?

btw - $99 is not an expensinve powerhead when you consider the machining that goes into one and how fast you can pay it off - like one or two nice fish.

Thanks - Look forward to the replies!
Scott

[ScottCarullo]

I wanted to keep this seperate...

Why do you want a 223 powerhead? I find the most common is a 357 and you can use a hot 357mag load or a smaller 38 load in the same powerhead so its really flexible and rather small.

44mag is too hard on the diver for regular use - can you say ear ache?

I've looked at several rounds in the store to see how they were made - and you have to use a shell with a casing where the 'rim' has a larger diameter than the rest of the shell so it stays in the barrel. I was hunting for something less expensinve than 357mag because in most stores they are some of the highest priced ammo. Granted, small price to pay when you consider what you trade each shell in for, but imaging buying 100 rounds for the same price as 50 - the fish aren't going to care much when they meet up with either.

So - What do you use and what was your reasoning for selecting it?

Thanks...
Scott

[Reef Raider]

Sound travels faster under water but I don't think it makes it louder. If you fire a PH that much in 1 dive you are going to know it if its a 357 or a .223 .
I have a 357 and a .223 the .223 has a bigger kill zone hands down. With a well placed shot I could use a 22 but I do not allways have the time for those shots.
I would like to load my own ammo but no time for that if some one wanted to get the price per round down as low as it gos that would be the way. You could load wad cutters for all that it matters the blastof gas from the powder kills the fish too . Have you ever used blanks in your PH?? Do you know what the effective range of a .223 round is under water ? Not very far.

[ScottCarullo]

Thats interesting. What would you say the kill area is for either?

I have to admit I have no idea but I also know that I have never shot a fish with a .357 that didn't end up in the cooler. I have seen come of my friends have to shoot a cobia multiple times since it has about 3 lives on average :) Even with cobs, I have killed them the first time. Only fish that ever swims away from the PH is when its a dud... that really sucks. They swim away with a tatoo similar to ----> O that on them that is white.

If I had to make a guess I'd say putting a 357 wihtin several inches (assuming it hits the fish) of the spot would render it bagged.

Scott

[Reef Raider]

I estimate 6" on the 357 with a very HOT load and 9" to 12 " for the .223. The .223 has a much higher velocity and makes more gas. if you still dont think so go shooting at night( on land that is )and see for your self which round has the bigger flash. The spent rounds make good bait too . What is the biggest fish you have taken with a PH????? If the 357 works for you then by all means keep using it but just becouse it works for you don't think its the best there is. And it fits a AR15 dbl duty . Buy a gun stock bandolier and keep it on your arm works for me.

[ScottCarullo]

Thanks for the information, that is interesting.

Do you find with the .223 that you have excessive "meat loss" in the concussion doughnut left in the fish or is the hole the same as .357 just larger concussion radius?

Reminds me of shooting some ducks that flew too close and all I had left was a stick ball of feathers :)

Largest fish - 50lbs maybe - just never had the opportunity to shoot anything larger (that is legal anyway)

Scott

[Reef Raider]

If there is a bad shot there is going to be some meat loss all right. I shot a 25 lb cuda that was ****-in a round just a little to much 1 day . It was a body shot about 6" behind the head dam near blue the ****er in 1/2 crab bait and chumb . The day comes that I got to take a shot on a 500 lb BULL shark and you know what I'll be sssooo glad I had my .223.

The hole is larger and some of this is from the load.There is more damage with out a dought. But the fish meat is not wasted
and yes the "concussion donut " is bigger.

[Charlestondivin]

I was looking for .223 mainly because I have a lot of that ammo. I reload most of my rounds for pistol and rifle but the .223 rounds i have are military surplus. they look like they have some sort of red sealer on the primers already. I would seal them again anyway but thought it might help.