SEA HORNET Clone from CHINA!!

[Spear One]

Originally Posted by popgun pete

Some automobile windscreen wiper blades have two thin strip spring stainless steel straps positioned either side of the rubber blade refill which can be used to fabricate a better spring for these reverse trigger mechanisms. The correct form is shown on the "Sea Hornet" mech photo.

Good tip Pete. I had proper springs made for the sample guns I received and the triggers then performed well.

[popgun pete]

Originally Posted by CuzzA

Kevin, as it turns out I got a message from the seller stating they are going on Holiday for the next couple weeks and asked if it is a problem. I told them don't bother and to cancel the order. So I won't be able to bring it by.

I could be wrong, but don't Ocean Rhino, Sea Hornet and Biller guns all use the same shaft design?

Fred Biller was responsible for the forked (bifurcated) spear tail to stop the shaft rolling from side to side in the sear box, previously to that spear modification the shaft was straightened up by tilting the metal wishbone once the first band was cocked.

[jfjf]

Originally Posted by CuzzA

Kevin, as it turns out I got a message from the seller stating they are going on Holiday for the next couple weeks and asked if it is a problem. I told them don't bother and to cancel the order. So I won't be able to bring it by.

I could be wrong, but don't Ocean Rhino, Sea Hornet and Biller guns all use the same shaft design?

You can get a MAKO for almost the same price and you won't be wondering about the quality. They start at only $155 and have free shipping- but longer guns do cost somewhat more.

[popgun pete]

Originally Posted by jfjf

You can get a MAKO for almost the same price and you won't be wondering about the quality. They start at only $155 and have free shipping- but longer guns do cost somewhat more.

Another gun from China via South Africa via Sporasub (and Champion{ARC 2000}as well) if we jump into a time machine and follow the design back to its earliest origins, so they can do some things right.

http://www.spearboard.com/showthread.php?t=78630

[jfjf]

The MAKO gun is assembled in the US, the bands are from Primeline in the US, the bands are hand tied (in the US) and the shaft is from South Africa and the whole gun is backed by an incredible warranty. Probably quite different from the Ebay gun in those respects, anyway. They ARE similar in price.

[popgun pete]

I wonder who will be next to attract the attention of the ever industrious Chinese fishing and spearfishing equipment producers; maybe an "IFFY" speargun will be appearing on the eBay listings next, or even a "Metaldeck" speargun with an alloy frame.

[popgun pete]

They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and I must say now that the initial shock has worn off that the Chinese have done a magnificent job in replicating the “Sea Hornet” timber frame gun and their alloy extruded barrel sections replacing the latter's timber work are a very snug fit in the matching socket ends of the plastic parts. So snug that I had to grease the aluminium extrusions to aid in pushing the barrel and cocking stock all the way in to the bottom of each socket. Like the “Sea Hornet” the loaded spear shaft sits slightly above the alloy shaft guide track as the plastic track guide sections are slightly higher than the track they abut against.

A curious thing is that the flopper retaining ring sits on the shaft and not on the extended shank of the spear tip which in turn is slightly shorter than the equivalent “Sea Hornet” fish extractor spear tips. A small transverse pin traps the flopper retaining ring on the shaft right behind the screwed on spear tip, but also has the effect of trapping the line slide on the shaft as well. Hence if you bend your spear shaft then you will have to change over the line slide as well because it will not slide free of the shaft due to that transverse pin. You can see this small diameter transverse pin in the attached photo. Note that the floppers don’t fold close to the shaft with their flattened ends trapped under the flopper retaining ring, although some judicious bending may improve this situation.

The new alloy barrel makes it possible to have a travel version of the “SHOOTER” gun by putting a join in it as is done with the Riffe and JBL travel spearguns that have two-piece spears. I had suggested such a two-piece travel gun to “Sea Hornet” over the years, but they were never interested in doing it or anything else to improve their spearguns.

Now they have perhaps paid the price of staying still while the rest of the World has caught up with them and in some ways improved on their product while still behind in some areas which I am sure will be rectified in next to no time at all.

[CuzzA]

Originally Posted by jfjf

You can get a MAKO for almost the same price and you won't be wondering about the quality. They start at only $155 and have free shipping- but longer guns do cost somewhat more.

I think Dano and his company is truly great for our sport. I wouldn't have interest in that gun simply because I would want my back up gun to use the same shafts and bands. Hence my interest in this Hornet knock off. In my haste to order I didn't think that through... that is another reason I cancelled the order when they gave me the chance. My shafts would be a bit long for that gun and my bands would probably be too long as that gun is 8 inches shorter than mine.

[Spear One]

Originally Posted by popgun pete

They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and I must say now that the initial shock has worn off that the Chinese have done a magnificent job in replicating the “Sea Hornet” timber frame gun and their alloy extruded barrel sections replacing the latter's timber work are a very snug fit in the matching socket ends of the plastic parts. So snug that I had to grease the aluminium extrusions to aid in pushing the barrel and cocking stock all the way in to the bottom of each socket. Like the “Sea Hornet” the loaded spear shaft sits slightly above the alloy shaft guide track as the plastic track guide sections are slightly higher than the track they abut against.

A curious thing is that the flopper retaining ring sits on the shaft and not on the extended shank of the spear tip which in turn is slightly shorter than the equivalent “Sea Hornet” fish extractor spear tips. A small transverse pin traps the flopper retaining ring on the shaft right behind the screwed on spear tip, but also has the effect of trapping the line slide on the shaft as well. Hence if you bend your spear shaft then you will have to change over the line slide as well because it will not slide free of the shaft due to that transverse pin. You can see this small diameter transverse pin in the attached photo. Note that the floppers don’t fold close to the shaft with their flattened ends trapped under the flopper retaining ring, although some judicious bending may improve this

The new alloy barrel makes it possible to have a travel version of the “SHOOTER” gun by putting a join in it as is done with the Riffe and JBL travel spearguns that have two-piece spears. I had suggested such a two-piece travel gun to “Sea Hornet” over the years, but they were never interested in doing it or anything else to improve their spearguns.

Now they have perhaps paid the price of staying still while the rest of the World has caught up with them and in some ways improved on their product while still behind in some areas which I am sure will be rectified in next to no time at all.

Back when I was dealing with them on the trigger spring....they insisted on using that tip so I showed them a way to get a closing collar onto the shaft.......that they apparently did take my advice on. I told them it was not the optimal way to do it but apparently they went ahead with it.

[popgun pete]

The last time anything official appeared from "SEA HORNET" was this full page advert in INTERNATIONAL FREEDIVING & SPEARFISHING NEWS.

[popgun pete]

Note that the safety knob/lever should be installed on the right hand side of the "Shooter" speargun if the “SAFE” and “FIRE” rotation indicating arrows are to be followed. As delivered the safety knob/lever is installed on the left hand side.

[popgun pete]

A bit of history which Kevin will recognize.
Biller and Sea Hornet
http://www.spearboard.com/showthread.php?t=22678

[popgun pete]

I am not absolutely sure that this patent application was for the eurogun style MarXman "Sea Hornet" VTRAK gun, but the dates would be about right. Apparently the application has now lapsed, another bad omen for the future of the Australian owned company. Another generation of the Preece family had submitted this application and I hope one day we may see this new gun, but it may come out of China!

[Spear One]

Originally Posted by popgun pete

A bit of history which Kevin will recognize.
Biller and Sea Hornet
http://www.spearboard.com/showthread.php?t=22678

Some old memories there for sure Pete.

[popgun pete]

Well I decided to order the 32" gun for my nephew as I can fix any problem with the trigger and he can then have a crisp new version of a gun that appeared fifty years ago and has provided good service over all those decades (probably will need a longer band on it though).