Why do people hate A.B. Biller guns??

[phylo]

Im just curious.. I have a 32 and so far its been an acurate easy to use gun..

Phil

[Prater]

I dont hate mine, I really enjoy using it and have taken several fish with it. but when it comes to larger fish it just does not perform like others do. I have had my shaft bounce off a nice size grouper that was in range. its a 42 and I will still use it along with my 58 mid handle I just built.

[PCdiver]

I think that might partially be a West Coast thing. I know several people that shoot in the Gulf of Mexico that love their Billers.

Not to start an East Coast West Coast war or anything...:stick::rofl:

[patrick]

there's nothing wrong with billers, my father has had a sea hornet for 20 years. he loves the thing... but at least on the west coast, we like to use real guns...
or maybe we have insecurities we're trying to cover up...

[PCdiver]

What are you trying to say, size matters??? :scratch:

Be carefull how you answer this, its a double edge sword..:eek:

[patrick]

<derail>:rofl: hmm im gonna take the high road on this one, and say that it's not always the size of the boat, sometimes it's the motion in the ocean (if that indeed is the high road) :D </derail>

billers can be made to shoot real well. but i can't get over all that wasted space toward the rear of the gun.. i would prefer that space to be added to the bandstretch of the gun...

[AndrewG]

I had a Teak Biller 54, (3) 5/8 bands. It was a great gun and I would recommend to anyone. It was accurate and had decent range and not really expensive. I would recommend going with a slip tip for big fish, but otherwise it will kill fish.
I only sold it because I build a bigger gun and I'm not into collecting spearguns.

[kster]

All I can figure is that out west here, we're used to heavier guns. The perception is that the plastic muzzle and 2 piece stock are not tough, however, one of the local spearos who owns a shop has been using the Biller 60" limited (1 piece stock) with 3 bands and slip tip, and says that it works great. He's really influential on the San Diego spear community, so we may see some minds changing.

[patrick]

All I can figure is that out west here, we're used to heavier guns. The perception is that the plastic muzzle and 2 piece stock are not tough, however, one of the local spearos who owns a shop has been using the Biller 60" limited (1 piece stock) with 3 bands and slip tip, and says that it works great. He's really influential on the San Diego spear community, so we may see some minds changing.

mark put a lot of time into that gun, and its pretty awesome. would i shoot fish with it? probably.. but not on a regular basis.. theres just soo much wasted space...

[ny_er]

with the slide ring they don't have the range of other guns, or you really have to crank up the bands to get more range

they also shoot a heavier shaft, which in my experience also shortens the range, but on the plus side when you hit something it usually punches a big hole in it

also on the plus side they seem very reliable, at least in my limited experience

[FGCdiver]

I think the slide ring is one of the biggest points people dont use them. Biller does sell shafts with a hole in front of the notches though. I shoot a sea hornet and it is an ok gun with a line shaft but I freeshaft most of the time. It does everything I need it to most of the time.

[nailman]

I love my 60" biller and have had no problem taking some very large fish with it. It is what you get comfortable and accurate with that counts the most. Even though i have made the switch to one of Stuart's over/under I will still use it. Have good memories with that gun!!!

[WonderBoy]

I don't have any solid evidence, but I'm pretty sure the Biller 48 Special is the most sold speargun in the world. It may not do one environment perfectly, but it can be used in every environment. It is a perfect all-around gun.
I started on one and love it. Most every shooter I know started on one, but that could be geography.

[West_Coast_X]

because it occupies lowest position on the "good, better, best" hierarchy in the gun product marketplace?

[ny_er]

What is the average life expectancy on different guns?

[peskydor]

I own two Billers and one of WESTX's guns. The Billers are terrific reef guns and free dive guns & in my long life have shot enough fish with Biller guns to fill a 1 ton truck. The neat thing about them is if one doesn't like the specific gun it is easy to modify into something else with little effort. The West Coast Extreme is the same size as the Biller 54. It is a kind of specialty gun but what it does it does very well. I like them both. Lately, I have been tending toward the WX gun for shooting Spanish Mackeral. The thin shaft with Tahitian head (and my mods) leave very small holes in these delicate fish. Although I have written several long threads on DeeperBlue concerning modifications to the Biller 54 some of you might be more familiar with photos of the unusual steel links which I mounted on the WX Kitto type muzzle.

[kjflyfish]

The thing I hate most about the Billers is the handle.

[Catalyst]

When I was shopping for guns recently I did a lot a searching and concluded that by time you bought a biller 54" and made a few suggested mods, you could have just bought a riffe comp 3x solid teak gun for the same money. I ended up getting the 3x and love it.

[los mentirosos]

My first gun for rig diving was a 48" Biller. I only shot it one trip and sold it. I bounced it off of a couple snapper I feel it should have skewered. I got the 60" Biller and would say it's a completely different story. It has gone through everything I've shot with it so far. Even with only one band loaded it has enough punch for the same size/range snapper I was bouncing the shaft off of with the 48". I just ordered the larger 5/8" bands for this season. One for the 60" gun and one for the 54" gun. The shorter band will get loaded in the closer slot on the shaft. All in all I think Billers are a good value. There is no local supply of parts for some of the better guns in my area. If you need parts it's gonna be ordered from out of town. Although I'm sure you could get overnight shipping. Sure there are better guns, there are better boats too........ and better places to dive etc etc....

[ny_er]

you shoot a biller with less then a 5/8 band? no wonder it was bouncing off

[Superfrog]

I have a Biller, and it is a fine gun.

[grouperdude]

i dont like the ring. or the handle .. i prefer line releases on the side not bottom.oh and dislike using hip loading guns

[njspearo]

people dont hate billers, they hate JBL's

i have a 48, and its alright, my main complaint is the thickness of shaft, and ring for sure, but i have taken some nice fish with it.

[So Cal Shaggy]

The only reason I use the guns I do (a 100 euro and a midhandle hybrid) is because they are easy to handle I can swing them in any direction with almost no effort and I can get the maximum band stretch from the rear placed trigger mech with a shorter barrel length than with a gun such as a Biller. Do not get me wrong I used a JBL for years but wanted to target larger fish which my JBL just could not do.

[xrispearo]

yeah you must be mistaken with JBL. people like billers. they're the most effective "cheap" gun out there. I might still be using my 36" if i hadnt dropped it off a cliff

[kjflyfish]

Thats true. Unlike some of the JBL products (not all), Billers are quality guns. They just don't have the ergonomics and bells and whistles of the customs.

[Rinaldo]

You have larger fish and longer shots primarily in the west coast so I think the guns are bigger and more powerful, on the east coast for hole hunting and around reefs and wrecks you don't need 20 foot range every shot. The majority if my shots are 10 feet or less here. However I do like knowing that if I need that extra 10 feet it's there for me.

[scubapro]

For scuba I love them:thumps:

[anchorman]

I use a biller and have no problems killing fish with it.

Its a 42 using 20" 5/8 band and a 22" 5/8 band. As for the ring, bit of advice take it off the shaft and flip it over so the long end points to the spear tip. This will make all the difference in the world and a must do in my opinion.

Its a damn good reef gun for me.............works everytime.

[BigMako]

I don't think people hate Biller guns. They are a very popular gun for the money. I just think there's a great deal of wasted space on them. Not enough band pull to total length. I think a lot of people try to use them where they weren't intended to be used.

[Kooker19]

They are perfect beginner guns and they are at a great price. Although they are a good bet for scuba, freediving I wouldn't recommend them.

[eward4]

I love my 54" biller. Never had a problem with it and it's very accurate.

[Seth]

i shot a biller once, hated the handle, but with double bands the trigger pull didnt feel so bad. not sure what length it was, but it had about 90 cm bandstretch. i think i preffer a more.. ergonomic design.

[Rifreediver]

i have a 42 it was my first gun and i love it... i got my biggest fish on it and its 11 years old... i have a wong also but someitmes i still like to take out the gun that started it all

[rjnjupiter]

I shot my first lobster with a Biller...then I grew up. Seriously, great first gun like the Daisy repeater BB gun.

[apnea_beast]

a cheap euro gun is much better than a biller.

[coastalherper]

What are the options as far as cheap euro guns?

[renepotvin]

coastalherper,
in Main you'd probably want a 75 cm cressi comanche that cost less than 100$. It's a real gun too.

[NED]

I was looking at a 36" biller as well for some kelp and hole diving in Nor Cal. What else do people recommend as a good starting gun for upper here? I am just looking for a good gun to shoot some rockfish and the occasional lingcod.

[eward4]

This 90 lb. Cubera was taken with a Biller 54". Like I said in an earlier post; I love my biller. I see some people referring to them as a beginner gun but I disagree.

[headhunter2323]

I've been using A 54" LTD offshore and a 42" LTD inshore. I love the guns. I've been Fishing with a 48" teak Ab Biller for almost 30 years 100's and 100's of pounds of fish......Flawless in tournments I've destroyed guys and gals with Riffe, Andres, and many others. Beginer is the one holding the gun not the gun.I make slight adjustments to them, beef up to 5/8 power bands and heavy duty shockcord assembly and thats about it. Happy fishing all those guns from the other side of the pond can stay over there.:gun:

[North Star]

My two sons have used 36" billers for a decade and have killed endless numbers of fish with them. I have offered to buy them other guns and they refuse them - they like their billers and can hit anything with them. All they do is reef hunt with them, however. Both have reels on them. Reliable guns.

[Bill McIntyre]

I've been using A 54" LTD offshore and a 42" LTD inshore. I love the guns. I've been Fishing with a 48" teak Ab Biller for almost 30 years 100's and 100's of pounds of fish......Flawless in tournments I've destroyed guys and gals with Riffe, Andres, and many others. Beginer is the one holding the gun not the gun.I make slight adjustments to them, beef up to 5/8 power bands and heavy duty shockcord assembly and thats about it. Happy fishing all those guns from the other side of the pond can stay over there.:gun:

Do you realize that the last post to the thread was on 3/27/2008?

[speargunhunter]

Do you realize that the last post to the thread was on 3/27/2008?

:lol::rofl: Yea dont feel bad, ive done the same thing. come to think of it..... i think Bill called me on my bad too!:scratch::lol: oh well, it was an interesting thread anyways:D

[North Star]

oh well, it was an interesting thread anyways

I thought so too - And hadn't noticed the date either!

[Diesel1]

with the slide ring they don't have the range of other guns, or you really have to crank up the bands to get more range

they also shoot a heavier shaft, which in my experience also shortens the range, but on the plus side when you hit something it usually punches a big hole in it

also on the plus side they seem very reliable, at least in my limited experience

Switch to a Floridian shaft, get rid of the slide ring, do open muzzle conversion and you'd be good....There is a thread on here dealing with that specific issues.