If you ask any veteran spearo what makes of speargun they’ve owned, there’s a good chance they’ll mention the name AB Biller. It almost seems like a sort of unwritten law; at some point, you’ll own one, or maybe two.
Take a glance at their website and you’ll notice straight away that there’s a ‘no-nonsense’ feel about it. It’s clear, to the point, and gets straight down to business. There’s a section for advice and a couple of paragraphs about the company itself, and a reminder to respect your environment and be responsible hunters. But it feels like they’re just saying “We’re American, we make great spearguns, now go buy one!”. And there’s a lot to admire in that. To quote from their site – “The speargun of choice for the serious hunter”.
History Of AB Biller
Like some of its competitors, the AB Biller company has been making top-of-the-range spearguns for about forty years. Continuing the theme of ‘no-nonsense’, it limits production to spearguns, spearpoints and tips, replacement parts and accessories. It’s all refreshingly straightforward and you can see why it would attract those serious hunters who just want to get on with the job.
This family-run business is based out of Bloomingdale, Illinois. This is close to Lake Michigan, where you can imagine the range of guns being put through rigorous testing. With typical American flair and tendency to ‘go-big’, the high-quality wooden barrels they manufacture have a reputation for being seriously robust. Check the spearo forums and you’ll find dozens of references to the size of the stock, along with warnings about the devastating impact of the thicker shafts on smaller prey. Accuracy is mentioned too, with most hunters recommending AB Biller as being suitable for novices and intermediate level spearos as well as pros.
Their Products
For many years, Biller has kept its focus on wooden spearguns. This is because they believe that its grooved, high-grade teak, mahogany, or padauk barrels absorb up to 80% of the firing noise. The neutral buoyancy of the wood helps with maneuverability underwater. Meanwhile, the stainless steel trigger mechanism provides a smooth action that adds to the feel of quality.
However, Biller has added a stainless steel gun to its range. It is called The Professional, emphasizing that it is manufactured to the same standards as its wooden counterparts. It proved to be so good that it came top in Max Spearfishing’s ‘buyer’s guide to the best spearguns on the market’.
If wood is more your style, however, AB Biller is listening to spearos. The Floridian is a masterpiece, designed using feedback from patrons. Namely the growing number of deepwater and open water hunters out there who require range, power, and accuracy. Biller claims that this has it all. In fact, they state that it is the ‘longest shooting, powerful, accurate, easy to use, and affordable speargun on the market today’.
And there’s no reason to doubt these claims. It looks great, without being ‘fancy’. It does the job without any fuss. Like all AB Biller spearguns, this truly is a weapon for the serious hunter.
