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Old 05-20-2020, 11:20 AM   #1
sway21
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What to do with old Swimaster Voit? Shaft diameter?

Hey guys,

My neighbor was cleaning out garage and gave me his old speargun. The handle is a Swimmaster Voit. The barrel looks like and old JBL.

The shaft measures 54" total length and the barrel is about 38". The thumb safety switch appears not to be working but the shaft engaged the trigger smoothly and releases when trigger pressed.

What to do with this thing? I don't have calipers, anyone know what the shaft diameters typically were?

I might throw a small band on there and use it as a small hole gun in the keys, sometimes when lobstering we will see some red grouper holed up.

Or should I just junk it and keep the shaft and give it to my biller dive buddy.

Last possibility is cut it down in length and get a smaller shaft like 32 or 36" to make a small hole gun.
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Old 05-20-2020, 12:31 PM   #2
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Re: What to do with old Swimaster Voit? Shaft diameter?

It should work. I am pretty sure they use jbl shafts.. 5/16" what does the end of shaft look like?
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Old 05-20-2020, 04:19 PM   #3
popgun pete
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Re: What to do with old Swimaster Voit? Shaft diameter?

The Voit Swimaster Magnum was produced by Joe LaMonica for the company, when they got out of spearfishing he continued making the gun under his own name, hence JBL. The safety only works when the trigger mechanism is cocked. The guns use 5/16" or 3/8" spears, you should still be able to get them from JBL and they will be spring stainless steel. The guns are long-lived and have served for decades. Bands are wire wishbones of the traditional vee-shape. That guns takes 2 or 3 bands in the biplane wing muzzle.
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Old 05-20-2020, 04:32 PM   #4
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Re: What to do with old Swimaster Voit? Shaft diameter?

Attached is parts info for the guns. Note the metal guns are out of production, they ceased being made a few years ago. An All-American gun with an iconic shape (no Chinese parts), thousands have been made and represent an era which built spearfishing as we know it today as many spearfisherman used them when they started out and some have never stopped.
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Last edited by popgun pete; 05-20-2020 at 05:02 PM. Reason: more info
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Old 05-20-2020, 07:28 PM   #5
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Re: What to do with old Swimaster Voit? Shaft diameter?

Quote:
Originally Posted by sway21 View Post
Hey guys,

My neighbor was cleaning out garage and gave me his old speargun. The handle is a Swimmaster Voit. The barrel looks like and old JBL.

The shaft measures 54" total length and the barrel is about 38". The thumb safety switch appears not to be working but the shaft engaged the trigger smoothly and releases when trigger pressed.

What to do with this thing? I don't have calipers, anyone know what the shaft diameters typically were?

I might throw a small band on there and use it as a small hole gun in the keys, sometimes when lobstering we will see some red grouper holed up.

Or should I just junk it and keep the shaft and give it to my biller dive buddy.

Last possibility is cut it down in length and get a smaller shaft like 32 or 36" to make a small hole gun.
If you don't want it then give it to some kid who wants to start spearfishing, it seems to be all there, so not really sure why you are asking. JBL haters have yet to come out of the woodwork.
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Old 05-21-2020, 07:37 AM   #6
sway21
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Re: What to do with old Swimaster Voit? Shaft diameter?

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Originally Posted by jfjf View Post
It should work. I am pretty sure they use jbl shafts.. 5/16" what does the end of shaft look like?
Here it is. Looks like from JBL's website its the "Magnum Explorer Gen 1 Shafts" (https://www.jblspearguns.com/product...plorer-shafts/)
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Old 05-21-2020, 07:40 AM   #7
sway21
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Re: What to do with old Swimaster Voit? Shaft diameter?

Quote:
Originally Posted by popgun pete View Post
Attached is parts info for the guns. Note the metal guns are out of production, they ceased being made a few years ago. An All-American gun with an iconic shape (no Chinese parts), thousands have been made and represent an era which built spearfishing as we know it today as many spearfisherman used them when they started out and some have never stopped.
PopgunPete, Thanks for info I appreciate it.

Do I need to stick to smaller bands like 1/2" or can I got 9/16" on this gun?
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Old 05-21-2020, 09:35 AM   #8
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Re: What to do with old Swimaster Voit? Shaft diameter?

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Originally Posted by sway21 View Post
PopgunPete, Thanks for info I appreciate it.

Do I need to stick to smaller bands like 1/2" or can I got 9/16" on this gun?
You can use 9/16" bands on the Magnum, that is what the guns were fitted with originally.
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Old 05-21-2020, 02:54 PM   #9
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Re: What to do with old Swimaster Voit? Shaft diameter?

Nothing wrong with using older guns that have been properly cared for and/or repaired. I still have and use a trio of Healthways guns in this style from early 1970's. Bands, of course, go after some time. Trigger mechanisms are nearly indestructible if washed and rinsed after sw use. The barrels can corrode from the inside out if not flushed, drained and dried. There's no need to turn them into wall hangers! Mine still take fish.
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