How to Aim a Speargun: Aiming Techniques for Band, Pneumatic, and Roller Spearguns

Accurate shooting is one of the most critical skills in spearfishing. A perfectly placed shot means a clean kill, a secured fish, and minimal gear damage. A poor shot means a lost shaft, a wounded fish, or a long, exhausting fight that could have been avoided. The way you aim your speargun depends on the type of gun you're using, and understanding the differences between aiming techniques will immediately improve your accuracy.

Whether you're shooting a band-powered Euro gun, a pneumatic speargun, or a modern roller setup, these aiming techniques will help you put the shaft exactly where it needs to go.

Instinctive Aiming: The Most Natural Method

Instinctive aiming is the technique most experienced spearfishers rely on. It works the same way you'd throw a ball or point your finger at a target — your brain calculates trajectory and alignment subconsciously through repetition and muscle memory. You extend the speargun toward your target, focus your eyes on the spot you want to hit, and pull the trigger without consciously aligning sights or reference points.

Instinctive aiming develops over time with practice. It's especially effective at close range where speed matters more than precision alignment. The more you shoot, the more your brain learns how your specific gun tracks and how the shaft travels through water. This is the aiming method that works best in fast, reactive situations where a fish appears suddenly and you only have a second or two to take the shot.

Sighting Down the Shaft: Precision at Distance

For longer shots, sighting down the shaft gives you a more precise aiming reference. This technique involves lining up your eye with the top of the speargun barrel and the tip of the shaft, essentially using the shaft as a rifle barrel. It's the most accurate method for stationary or slow-moving targets at the outer edge of your gun's effective range.

The key with shaft-sighting is understanding that water refracts light and makes objects appear closer and higher than they actually are. You'll need to compensate for refraction by aiming slightly lower than where the fish appears to be. This compensation becomes second nature with practice, but it's important to be aware of it — especially on longer shots where even a small aiming error results in a complete miss.

Aiming Band-Powered Spearguns

Band-powered spearguns are the most common type used by freedivers worldwide. They're simple, reliable, and available in a wide range of sizes. When aiming a band gun, the shaft typically sits on top of or inside a track on the barrel. Your aiming reference is the shaft tip aligned with the barrel — wherever the shaft is pointing, that's where it's going.

Multi-band setups deliver more power but don't change your aiming fundamentals. The shaft still follows the barrel track. The main difference is increased range and penetration, which means you can take shots at slightly greater distances with confidence. Practice with your specific gun frequently so you understand its power curve and how the shaft drops at various distances.

Aiming Pneumatic Spearguns

Pneumatic spearguns use compressed air to launch the shaft, and they handle differently from band guns. Pneumatics tend to be shorter and more maneuverable, making them popular for hunting in tight spaces like caves, ledges, and dense structure. Aiming a pneumatic gun is similar to band guns, but the shorter barrel length means your margin for error at distance is smaller.

The recoil on a pneumatic speargun is noticeably different from a band gun — there's more barrel kick, which can affect accuracy if you're not prepared for it. Practice controlling the gun during the shot and maintaining your aim through the trigger pull. Pneumatics excel in close-quarters situations where their compact size and quick reload give you an advantage over longer band guns.

Aiming Roller Spearguns

Roller spearguns have gained serious popularity in recent years because they deliver exceptional power and range with significantly less recoil than traditional band guns. The roller mechanism pre-tensions the bands along the length of the barrel, which reduces barrel whip and makes the gun track straighter during the shot.

Aiming a roller gun is fundamentally the same as a band gun — sight down the shaft or aim instinctively — but the reduced recoil means your shots are more consistent and accurate at longer distances. If you're upgrading from a traditional band gun to a roller, you'll likely notice tighter groupings and more confidence on those borderline-range shots. The tradeoff is slightly more complexity in rigging and band replacement.

Practice Makes Perfect

No matter what type of speargun you use, the key to accurate shooting is practice. Spend time in the water shooting at targets, take every reasonable shot opportunity on dives, and pay attention to what works and what doesn't with your specific setup. The more comfortable and familiar you are with your gun, the more instinctive your aiming becomes. For more spearfishing gear tips and shooting techniques, visit SpearFactor.com.