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All About Guns What's your weapon of choice, and why? Discuss the beloved speargun here!

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Old 09-20-2022, 06:12 PM   #1
kavachi
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Belt reel to gun connection

semantics here, but spearing five days a week is all about the ironing out all the little bugs with gear....

curious re other options for connecting belt reel line to loop on gun. Hate clips dangling off gun, so need something that attaches to the belt line, clips onto loop on bottom of handle [pipegun] or loading pad [wood gun]

and YES - I am very aware of dangers involved in being clipped in - in addition to high-vis quick release pull tab on the belt reel plate, belt is always tail loose and ready to ditch, and I always have very sharp knife & line cutter both in easy reach with either hand. Diving in super clear tropical water and very bloody careful to away from loose line

So far have tried:
= longline clip with swivel - fantastic for quick easy unclip, but bulky [when clipped to loading pad and dangling down] and clanky [when clipped to bottom of handle] when creeping up on shy fish
= 8mm dyneema soft shackle - super streamlined and weighs nothing so doesnt dangle, but can be a pain to undo with gloves when wet snugged right up
= Centro 600lb snapswivel [what i'm using at the mo, clipped to bottom of handle] - provides max strength with zero twist, the coastlock snap's not too bad to unclip with gloves, and is less bulky and clanky than longline clip with swivel, but annoying when clipped to loading butt on wooden guns.

hoping someone here might've found something better
thanks 🤙🏽
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Old 09-21-2022, 12:21 AM   #2
popgun pete
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Re: Belt reel to gun connection

Being jerked through the water with your arms trailing like a trolling lure's strands and being unable to reach a belt buckle and praying the line will break is not a good place to be. No fish or gun is worth your life unless you are shooting small stuff and can overpower the victim. A belt reel to your gun is dangerous and your response time to get out of trouble can be extremely short, like seconds.
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Old 09-21-2022, 04:34 PM   #3
kavachi
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Re: Belt reel to gun connection

Quote:
Originally Posted by popgun pete View Post
Being jerked through the water with your arms trailing like a trolling lure's strands and being unable to reach a belt buckle and praying the line will break is not a good place to be. No fish or gun is worth your life unless you are shooting small stuff and can overpower the victim. A belt reel to your gun is dangerous and your response time to get out of trouble can be extremely short, like seconds.
thanks Pete
TO CLARIFY - am NOT suggesting spearing clipped in to belt reel for shooting large or powerful fish, or without years of experience with gun-mounted reels before using the belt.
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Old 09-21-2022, 06:58 PM   #4
popgun pete
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Re: Belt reel to gun connection

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Originally Posted by kavachi View Post
thanks Pete
TO CLARIFY - am NOT suggesting spearing clipped in to belt reel for shooting large or powerful fish, or without years of experience with gun-mounted reels before using the belt.
Well as you know it is surprising just how quickly things can instantly turn pear-shaped, like a line loop encircling your wrist at the wrong moment and the fish suddenly making a last ditch, no effort spared break for freedom.
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Old 01-09-2023, 06:56 PM   #5
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Re: Belt reel to gun connection

any reliable belt reel options out there with auto release?
the old rubber stopper jammed in the line guide slot does work, but auto release clutch like on the newer vertical gun reels would be noice
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Old 01-10-2023, 09:12 AM   #6
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Re: Belt reel to gun connection

Have a pic of this?
".... high-vis quick release pull tab on the belt reel plate..."
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Old 01-10-2023, 11:04 AM   #7
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Re: Belt reel to gun connection

This is what I do:

First of all, the only reliable belt reel in the market (IMHO) is the Rob Allen (I've tried several other known brands and I don't want to try any others). I carry it in my belt after all the lead weights (at the tip of the belt, to make it clear). In case there is a problem, I can open the belt and let the reel go (I had to do it once).

Then, I connect the reel with the gun using a 4' bungee that has a tuna clip. The gun has a dyneema loop in the handle where the clip is attached.

The belt reel is always connected to the gun when I am in the water as with limited oxygen I don't like to be making innecesary movements and the brain is not thinking too sharp to make wise decisions when you have a fish in your shaft and your gun reel is tangled.

After I shoot a fish, I disconnect the belt reel when I know I won't need it anymore and before starting retrieving the fish. You don't want all that line tangling around you when retrieving a fish. I normally keep swimming when retrieving line to avoid it tangling with my body, fins, knife, etc... See last picture.

I'll show you a couple pictures to illustrate how I use it.
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Last edited by Marco; 01-10-2023 at 11:21 AM.
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Old 01-11-2023, 08:03 PM   #8
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Re: Belt reel to gun connection

thanks Marco! really appreciate yr advice and pics

have v similar setup, just heavy BB snapswivel instead as i hate longline clip clanging around

ended up using 10mm OD handspear rubber for the bungee - nice and skinny but buoyant enough so doesnt tangle in coral aspetto, and helluva lot less likely to wrap around anything on belt than bare dyneema line.

the reel end of the bungee is glued into an inch length of 19mm rubber that jams into line guide on the reel to prevent unspooling when loading, removing fish etc.

I like to have the drag [brake] tension on belt reel backed right off so minimal resistance when reel does deploy and kicking back to the surface.

per prev comment, tis very rare the belt reel deploys, just there in case gun reel tangles, which do everything possible to prevent
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Old 06-09-2023, 08:58 PM   #9
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Re: Belt reel to gun connection

posted to wrong thread
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Old 06-10-2023, 03:48 PM   #10
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Re: Belt reel to gun connection

Have been using the setup outlined in above post for a year now and loving it.

Only change is moving to lighter snapswivel connection - 600lb Centro double ring was overkill - Centro #6 single ring snapswivel a lot less bulk, tho big enough to open with gloves, and still plenty strong for reel shooting.

Using the red/pink 10mm Primeline handspear rubber as its high vis and resists getting wrapped around things really well, 1.2m length the sweet spot for me - clear of me when let the gun hang, but not too long when lining up a fish

The one part I'd like to improve is the belt reel itself - both Rob Allen and Aussie stick out a fair way when worn on the hip - any of the lower profile more 'pancake' shaped reels work well on the hip? thinking lower profile wider shaped reel would also slop around less when winding line back on. and maybe a decent fold-down handle too, as rarely need to use it
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Old 06-13-2023, 04:48 PM   #11
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Re: Belt reel to gun connection

Quote:
Originally Posted by kavachi View Post
Have been using the setup outlined in above post for a year now and loving it.

Only change is moving to lighter snapswivel connection - 600lb Centro double ring was overkill - Centro #6 single ring snapswivel a lot less bulk, tho big enough to open with gloves, and still plenty strong for reel shooting.

Using the red/pink 10mm Primeline handspear rubber as its high vis and resists getting wrapped around things really well, 1.2m length the sweet spot for me - clear of me when let the gun hang, but not too long when lining up a fish

The one part I'd like to improve is the belt reel itself - both Rob Allen and Aussie stick out a fair way when worn on the hip - any of the lower profile more 'pancake' shaped reels work well on the hip? thinking lower profile wider shaped reel would also slop around less when winding line back on. and maybe a decent fold-down handle too, as rarely need to use it
"A picture is worth 1000 words"...
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