help,i've aquired mares gun with no manual

[skicat7]

A friend gave me a mares pnumatic speargun that is about 10 years old. He could not find the pump for it. He has disappeared scence giving me the gun. Last week I finally had a chance to us it. The group I went with had an ex owner of a dive shop who gave me the nuts n bolts of shooting it. Of course now I'm hooked. I want to get a pump and would love to have a manual so I know how to opperate it, pump it up, and do rutine mantance on it. The gun held air for two years between my getting it and using it. would rather learn about this gun then buy a new one. Wife does not dive and dive time is presous do to three little ones owning our world. Please help if you can. Thanks

[mishu1984]

ok. its most likely the mares sten. first of, get the o-rings changed. then get the pump. maintenance is pretty straight forward.
in my opinion, you would be better off buying a new gun. it would be cheaper than refurbishing your current gun and shipping all the odd parts that you would need, plus labor costs, etc.
g'luck

[skicat7]

Thanks but the gun held air for two years. My friend take good care of his stuff. All I need is a way to get a manual and a pump. I don't think the gun is dead yet.

[Marwan]

i think you can find a manual online..such as this one (check page 80)
http://www.aberdeenwatersports.com/F...aresManual.pdf
it would be more helpful if you post some pics/details of the gun so that we could help a bit more, i dont know which mares you own?

[skicat7]

Sorry, I'm a fireman at work. My gun is at home. I can post pics in a couple of days when I get home. I downloaded the manual and that helped quite a bit. thanks. do you know if you can tall how much air is in the gun. It sounds like they are pretty simular. If it helps, my gun is green. it isn't very big. designed for rock and kelp hunting at short range. I would guess it to be around 34 to 48 cm. but thats just a guess. i don't use metric much here.

[Marwan]

well, you will need a pressure gauge for that..i think one other alternative is to try and see with some of your local dive shops, maybe they can sort you out with a pump and a gauge..
a green mares huh? i dont know it...sorry...but then again im not very experienced with ariguns

[ulysses]

Skicat,

you can download the user manual for Mares Spark mim / Sten / Cyrano at the official Mares website:

http://mares.com/download.php?region=ITA&id=2387

However, the technical drawings in the dealer manual linked in by Marwan are much better.

You do not necessarily check the current pressure with a gauge. You can simply depressurize it and reload with the pump strokes indicated in the manual for your model / size of airgun to the desired pressure. That is after you get a new pump . If you can describe the handle, I will be able to tell you which model you actually have / which manual and pump stroke table applies.

Cheers, ulysses

[ulysses]

From the details you have already described it would appear to be a Mares Sten Mini Mini = 42cm/16.5''.

Here is the pump stroke / pressure table:

http://img82.imageshack.us/img82/171...aatmpne9lx.jpg

Cheers, ulysses

[skicat7]

Sorry Ulysses, the gun is biggedr than that. I'd say closer to 25 inches. the gun is dark grey with lime green stickers and grip. it has the low/high pressure switch. the coil spot for the line is under the trigger instead of on the side. Tomorrow I'll be with the gun again. Thanks for all the help by all. I have the table for pumping but without a owners manual, I don't know how to tell how much pressure is in it. I guess one could screw the pump in until it leaks to drain it and start over. skicat
Next question, is a cressi sub pump compatible with a Mares gun.

[ulysses]

Then it's an old Mares Sten Medi (70cm)

In order to depressurize the gun and reinflate it at a known pressure based on the pump strokes / pressure table you will have to push a pin in the hole in the middle of the valve at the back of the gun (needless to say you will unscrew the plastic cap at the rear of the handle). Before you do that, it is advisable to let the gun rest for approx. 15min in a muzzle up position (e.g. leaning against a wall). This will limit the amount of oil / oil vapour that will be released.

The Cressi pump won't fit on a Mares gun (different thread).

Cheers, ulysses

[skicat7]

I thinl we got it. The gun is approxamatly 68 cm from tip across the top to the butt. The barrel is a little over 56cms. The spear is 78cms total and about 68cms with out the tip. Of course all the neasurments are approximate but that put it at the sten medi plus it being green. I think, with help of the forum thanks a bunch, I know whet I have. all I need now is to get a pump and my addiction can continue. The dive master who started my addiction said on the day we dove," We don't "fish",we gather!
Again thanks for all the help.