I was privileged to be introduced to one of the 'Fathers of Spearfishing', Don Rolstead. Jack Prodanovich recommended that I visit with him to take a look at the rollerguns that he had made. On my visit to his home in San Diego, Don had set out for my viewing and photography, two of his hand-built rollerguns. From viewing Don's photo albums he has been very effective as a spearfisherman during his career. As I have been gathering information for the Rollergun Interest Group, I am very appreciative of his generosity for sharing personal information.Thank you, Don Rolstead, a 27 year member of the San Diego KELP KINGS and thoroughly experienced veteran spearfisherman.

As you may be able to see from these images, the speargun band of both attach at the underside of the gun, just in front of the foam buoyancy. They then go around a set of rollers up near the nose. I have featured the wooden gun in the pictures because it illustrates the correct position of one of the bands when not cocked. Notice the position of the rollers, the strong metal wishbone. The band is still under tension as it rests upon the tubular stop. Don's rollerguns use slide rings to attach the shooting line and slip-tip line to the spearshaft. The wishbones engage notches cut into the 3/8" diameter stainless steel spearshaft.

In these photos, only one band is shown. In reality, three bands over three rollers were used on this gun while hunting white seabass. Also notice the second stainless steel rod below the spearshaft. This is a sharpened rod used for defensive purposes to ward off the undesired advances of sharks, sealions and hungry eels. This rod also can prevent the wishbone from slipping off the end of the gun if the rubber band is cut too long. It too can function as a band arrester and has a clip to retain the slip-tip line. Notice the position of the slide rings on the spearshaft. This is a well thought-out and highly evolved functional design.

The images above illustrate some of the other components that make these guns function. On the left is a picture of the old Mares speargun handles that Don used to create his rollerguns. Don said that these components were very reliable. Also notice the black Riffe's Reel on the left gun. It was a product that the Riffe brothers sold during the 1960's. The image on the right shows the band anchor of the wooden gun. It appears to be a nosepiece, probably from the same Mares speargun that the handles were taken from.

I appreciate the fact that Don Rolstead allowed me to record and publish these images of his rollerguns which he hand-made in the mid-1960's. The concept of the rollergun is still very valid in the year 2001.