It has not been the first pneumatic speagun, but the Asso is a historic model by Seac, sold in very high numbers.
It is not the most revolutionary, but the Seac Asso has surely been always excellent in strength and reliability, characteristics that have determined its commercial success.
The first Asso
It is the end of 1984 when Seac launches on the market the Asso first version, to which two others will follow. The owners of Seac, Arata and Rapallini, decide to enter in the field of pneumatic spearguns with the ASSO. The dimensions are up to 10: 5 models with power regulator (50-65-75-90-105) and 5 without (30-40-50-65-75). Shortest length goes down to 30 cm for the “gun“, complete with socket, while bigger length is 115 cm for the model thought for waiting technique.
The very first version of the ASSO has grip and head in light green, writings in silver and black, and Seac logo with the trident and silver, yellow and blue colours.
A year later Seac utilizes the experience made to optimize the Asso, and designs the New Gun Series version, that is actually considered the first official version, where from an aestetic point grip and head change into dark green, while trigger, security switch and valve cover go from white to black.
But key is the internal upgrade of the Asso, with piston and bushing of the head that go from an 80% steel solution, which could scratch the barrel in case of dirt, to an almost totally Derlin plastic version. Such solution, in addition to improving durability and reliability of internal components, determines weight reduction of the speargun at the tip, for better balancing and brandishing.
Below a nice advertisement of the time, where a beautiful woman hunter holds a great seahorse from the reins, while it carries a Asso 65 with power regulator.
Below, a historic photo of the Asso production, with a close-up of Maurizio Trabucco, in Seac since ’85, and who has directed many years the speargun department, and today has additional responsability in the quality control. Thanks to him, it has been possible to recover the material of this article.
The second Asso
Around 1987-88 Seac renews its successful pneumatic speargun, and designes what is considered the second version of the Asso. Modifications involve in particular the muzzle, that is slightly elonged and, most of all, modified in the three output holes, that start to have a certain angle of inclination, made to improve outflow of the water from the barrel during release phase. Not only; also the pump for air charge is modified, moving from a threaded terminal made in nickeled brass, to an integrated solution made of aluminum, so to have aluminum in contact with the aluminum of the threaded hole in the speagun, for better reliability of the threads. To such upgrades, also a constant research in materials had been brought forward for constant improvement in reliability.
Also graphics change, where the yellow becomes the predominant colour of the writings, and also trigger, security switch, valve cover and line release change from black to yellow.
(Click on the below images to see them full readable size).
The third Asso
The third series of the Asso is launched in 1995, and once more changes its graphics, where the yellow is substituted by yellow fluo, both in the writings and in the components, such as security switch, line release lever, trigger and valve cap, while in this last version the trident of the Seac logo disappears.
But also the technical part continues its evolution, even though avoiding revolutions that could compromize a simple and reliable design. So, the muzzle holes grow in diameter and in inclination, reaching 45°.
Also piston and bushing are modified from the second to the third version of the Asso, with a process that goes from production in moulds to machining from solid piece, with the advantage of having much more precise components, both in dimensions and mechanical characteristics of the material.
Also, in the speaguns with power regulator (C/R), the holes for the air passage in the regulation block are increased in dimensions, so to make it even more simple to load the Asso with the power regulator at the minimum position.
Lengths go from 30 (S/R) to 135 (C/R).
(Click on the images below to see the images in the readable version).
Numbers
It is difficult to put together the numbers of all the Asso sold in history, but certainly the first pneumatic speargun by Seac reached 11,000 pieces sold in only on year. Reliability and a great power at that time, with 20 bar pressure in the tank, together with an appealing design, have made the Asso an attractive and simple product, adapt also to not particularly experienced spearos.
Asso today
Seac today still offers the Asso in its range of pneumatic spearguns, together with the camouflaged Alligator, and the Caccia HF (Hydroforming) with preformed barrel for better balancing and brandishing.
The Asso offers a 40 mm diameter alluminum cylinder for the tank, 13 mm barrel that permits to utilize up to 8 mm diameter shafts. The muzzle is in light alloy with increased diameter 45° inclined holes (three) to optimize the outflow of water from the barrel during shot, reducing friction and improving power. Without and with power regulator versions are available, the latter able to reduce output by half, useful for fishing in the holes in the rocks, but also to simplify reload phase.
Lengths go from 30 cm in the version with no power regulator (S/R), up to 135 cm in the power regulator version (C/R).
