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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 01-05-2023, 11:33 PM   #1
UCLA_Spearo
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Getting Guns and Shafts Abroad

I'm going to be doing some travel to India for work over the next couple years. From what I have gathered about the legality of spearfishing there is that while the practice is not illegal, possession of a speargun might be (can be considered a weapon). Anyway, there's not a lot of enforcement in most areas and I wouldn't be worried about getting caught with one. I just don't want an expensive gun confiscated at customs though. I'm looking into purchasing components in the US and getting the gun stock made abroad (teak is relatively abundant and cheap, so is labor). Does anyone have simple plans that they don't mind sharing? Plans that I could provide to a local woodworker who has no clue what a speargun is and likely a language barrier, and he'd be able to make it? Also, components that you would recommend for those plans? Looking to get something made in the 50-60" range.
Also, if I were to try to get shafts made there as well, I have no idea where to start. Getting them fabricated would be easy, but does anyone know where I might start my search for appropriate raw materials? I'm googling "steel mills" and there are some options. Wondering if there's something else obvious that I can search.

Thanks!
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Old 01-06-2023, 12:16 PM   #2
divenfish
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Re: Getting Guns and Shafts Abroad

It probably depends on which part of India you're going to.
Here is a link to a Youtube clip apparently taken in the state of Goa, mid western India.
They are using Euro guns for some nice grouper in relatively shallow water

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtbBQ-trH2k
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Old 01-06-2023, 03:11 PM   #3
popgun pete
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Re: Getting Guns and Shafts Abroad

DIY speargun plan from way back when. My own gun which predates these plans, same ideas though.
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Old 01-06-2023, 03:37 PM   #4
UCLA_Spearo
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Re: Getting Guns and Shafts Abroad

Quote:
Originally Posted by divenfish View Post
It probably depends on which part of India you're going to.
Here is a link to a Youtube clip apparently taken in the state of Goa, mid western India.
They are using Euro guns for some nice grouper in relatively shallow water

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtbBQ-trH2k
Thanks for sharing this! I went ahead and emailed him. I'll be just south of Goa, but I'm sure I'll make my way up there. There are some offshore islands and some shorediving spots. I asked around a bit about spearfishing at the dive shops last time I was there....a lot (maybe majority) of the population is vegetarian, so while there is a small dive community, I couldn't find anyone with any interest in shooting fish. Also couldn't get a straight answer about the legality of spearguns.
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Old 01-06-2023, 11:59 PM   #5
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Re: Getting Guns and Shafts Abroad

why not a pipe gun and disaasemble it Cheaper if confiscated as well.?
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Old 01-07-2023, 08:27 AM   #6
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Re: Getting Guns and Shafts Abroad

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Originally Posted by jfjf View Post
why not a pipe gun and disaasemble it Cheaper if confiscated as well.?
Agreed.
Disassemble Everything, as much as possible, then pack all parts in different spots ( like not all in the same plastic bag. Some with shaving kit, some with socks, etc), re-assemble once there.
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Old 01-07-2023, 11:20 AM   #7
AEgir
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Re: Getting Guns and Shafts Abroad

Hawaiian sling
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Old 01-08-2023, 02:06 AM   #8
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Re: Getting Guns and Shafts Abroad

I used to have to do that a lot. This is the reason why I spent so much time trying to get light tube guns to work well for big fish. India is actually one of the biggest suppliers of Stainless Steel in the world so you could easily get SS shafts and have someone mill and even TIG weld stuff. Probably the hardest to get in would be the handle (as it looks like a gun) ... but if you dismantle the trigger out and put it in a diving bag with other stuff it usually goes through as it is plastic and looks like a toy. Gun tubes and shafts can easily pass if you put them in with fishing rods or golf clubs. The trigger and muzzle and bands can just be dismantled and you put them together once there. Otherwise you just need a trigger and some bands and have someone build a gun for you to your specs. Plenty of burmese wood in India and tons of extremely talented carpenters that will have better wood skills than anyone on earth and cost is just a fraction of what you would pay elsewhere. Just remember one thing ... get the word "gun" out of your lexicon. A speargun is "fishing equipment" ... you can say it with a straight face and be 100% correct. That hint actually came from someone working in the airport. Just never, ever say the word "gun" and you should be fine. In the end the airport guys are actually tuned to looking for drugs and firearms and you don't have any of those.
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Old 01-14-2023, 11:54 AM   #9
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Re: Getting Guns and Shafts Abroad

Other words to avoid: "trigger or spear". One thing you might consider is to pre-package the parts and have someone ship them in individual packages after you arrive or ship them to someone there before you leave. You would pay international shipping, but I've shipped dismantled guns all over the world that way without a problem. I also used "experimental" a lot on the forms, ie: "experimental plastic rollers" for a rollergun. One of my favorites was "experimental trip mechanism" for a trigger mech. Sounds a little silly, but I never had a shipment fail to get through. Absolute best way, however, is if you know someone at a US military base anywhere near there. You can ship the whole gun with US postage.
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