Why 45 cm? Understanding the Short-Gun Advantage

Most spearfishers default to a 70 cm or 90 cm gun as their primary — and for open water, sandy bottom, and reef environments with clear visibility, that is the right call. But there is an entire category of spearfishing environments where longer guns actively work against you. Dense kelp forests, river systems, freshwater lakes thick with vegetation, shallow rocky reefs with corridors and overhangs, and night diving scenarios where fish hold tight to structure. In all of these environments, the gun that wins is not the most powerful one — it is the most maneuverable one.

A 45 cm gun turns, aims, and tracks a moving target in a fraction of the time a 70 cm gun does. It does not snag on weeds or kelp fronds mid-swing. It fits into crevices where fish hold and where a longer gun cannot follow. And crucially, at the short ranges that define this type of hunting — 1 to 2 meters — a 45 cm pneumatic generates more than enough power to land a clean, ethical shot on any fish you can realistically target. The Pelengas Magnum Plus 45 delivers 20 to 30% more power than any conventional speargun at this length. It is, without qualification, a weapon for the environments it was designed for.

It is also — and this is frequently overlooked — one of the most effective backup guns in spearfishing. Many experienced hunters carry a 45 cm as a secondary, mounted to their buoy, for situations where the primary gun is too large to use or when a quick opportunistic shot presents itself at close range without time to reposition.

Pelengas Magnum Plus 45 — Feature by Feature

20–30% More Power Than Comparable Guns

The Pelengas Magnum Plus 45 is not a compromise gun. At a barrel length where most pneumatic and band-powered spearguns run out of steam quickly, the Magnum Plus 45 delivers 20 to 30% more power than any conventional speargun of similar size. This is the result of Pelengas's pneumo-vacuum system combined with the Magnum's optimized piston stroke geometry — a longer effective stroke relative to overall gun length than competing designs. At short range, this translates to a shaft velocity that penetrates effectively and holds cleanly through the shot.

Hydrodynamic Anodized Aluminum Barrel — Light, Corrosion-Proof, Positive Buoyancy

The barrel on the Magnum Plus 45 is hydrodynamically profiled anodized aluminum — a deliberate choice for a gun built around maneuverability. The aluminum construction keeps total gun weight down, reducing fatigue across a long session of active hunting where the gun is constantly being repositioned. The hard anodize finish is corrosion-resistant in both salt and fresh water, and the barrel's internal diameter of 11.99 mm is precision-machined to match the 7 mm harpoon and maintain consistent shot-to-shot performance. The gun is positively buoyant — it floats even with a reel installed, meaning a dropped gun is a recoverable gun.

Patented Side Line Release — Clean Line Management at Short Range

The side-mounted line release on the Magnum Plus 45 is a patented Pelengas design. At the short ranges where this gun operates — typically 1 to 3 meters — clean, reliable line release is critical. A line that snags, tangles, or releases inconsistently at close range is dangerous. The Pelengas side line release has been refined through multiple generations of the platform and provides a consistent, snag-free release on every shot. The line also runs through a high-strength stainless steel sliding sleeve fitted with Pelengas's proprietary line protection system, which prevents the shooting line from being cut by the harpoon mid-flight — a failure mode that affects many competing gun designs.

Technopolymer Shock-Absorber Bushing — Durability Under High Cycle Load

A 45 cm gun used as a primary hunting tool in rivers, vegetation, and cave systems gets fired and reloaded more frequently per session than a longer gun used in blue water. Pelengas engineered the Magnum Plus 45 for this high-cycle use case by fitting a technopolymer shock-absorber bushing and piston assembly. Technopolymer outperforms rubber in both abrasion resistance and dimensional stability under repeated mechanical loading — meaning the internal components maintain their tolerances and performance characteristics over significantly more cycles than a standard rubber piston design. This is the difference between a gun that shoots consistently at 5,000 cycles and one that has degraded noticeably by 1,000.

Polyurethane Damper Piston — Quiet, Smooth, Non-Spooking

The piston is fitted with a polyurethane damper that cushions the end of the power stroke — absorbing the mechanical shock that would otherwise produce a sharp, loud report at the moment of firing. In close-quarters hunting environments, where fish are within 2 meters and a loud shot spooks every target in the vicinity before you can reload, a quiet gun is a productive gun. The polyurethane damper on the Magnum Plus 45 significantly reduces shot noise compared to undamped pneumatic designs, letting you take follow-up shots in the same area without clearing the local fish population.

Integrated Reel Mount — One-Minute Install, No Tools Required

The Magnum Plus 45 features Pelengas's patented integrated reel mount that allows a reel to be installed or removed in under a minute without tools. For a gun commonly used as a buoy-mounted backup, this is a practical advantage — the reel can be swapped between guns quickly as the day's conditions change. When running the gun without a reel for dense vegetation work, the mount adds minimal weight and zero drag. The gun remains positively buoyant in both configurations.

7 mm Tahitian-Style Cullen Harpoon — Versatile Cross-Compatible Shaft

The included harpoon is a 7 mm Tahitian-style Cullen shaft — the same diameter and profile used across the Pelengas Magnum lineup and compatible with many standard spearguns from other manufacturers. This cross-compatibility is practically valuable: spare shafts sourced for any other Pelengas gun in the same diameter work directly in the Magnum Plus 45, and replacement tips and sliding sleeves from the broader Pelengas ecosystem fit without modification.

Full Specifications — Pelengas Magnum Plus 45

Standard Kit vs. Profi Kit

The Standard Kit contains the speargun, harpoon, shooting line, and instruction manual. It is the right option if you already own a reel, a pump, and spares — or if you are adding the 45 as a backup gun to a kit that already includes these items.

The Profi Kit adds a reel with line, a pump, and a full maintenance kit including replacement O-rings, tools, and lubricant — plus a carrying case. For buyers who do not already have a Pelengas pump and spares, the Profi Kit is the better value. The maintenance kit is particularly important for a 45 cm gun used heavily as a backup or in freshwater environments where cuff wear is accelerated. Having replacement cuffs on hand before they are needed prevents a gun failure on the day you need it most.

Shop Pelengas Magnum Plus 45 — Standard & Profi Kit →

Who Should Buy the Pelengas Magnum Plus 45?

• Freshwater and river spearfishers — the 45 cm is the dominant choice for hunting in low-visibility water, roots, submerged vegetation, and tight river corridors where a longer gun is physically unworkable
• Backup gun divers — experienced hunters running a 70 cm or 90 cm primary will often mount the 45 to their buoy as an immediate-access backup for close-range opportunities or primary gun failures
• Cave and crevice hunters — shallow reef systems with overhangs, ledges, and rocky corridors where fish hold tight and a longer gun cannot follow the shot angle
• Night divers — fish are slower and easier to approach at night, reducing the range advantage of a longer gun while the 45's maneuverability in tight torch-lit environments becomes a significant advantage
• Travel spearfishers — the Magnum Plus 45 packs into most travel bags and dive bags alongside other gear without the logistical challenge of transporting a full-length speargun
• Divers new to pneumatics — the 45 is easier to load, lighter to handle, and less demanding to maintain than longer pneumatic models, making it a lower-risk introduction to the platform before stepping up to the 55 or 70

Where the Magnum Plus 45 Fits in the Pelengas Lineup

Pelengas Magnum Plus 45 →  |  Pelengas Magnum Plus 55 →  |  Pelengas Magnum 70 →  |  All Pelengas Spearguns →