View Full Version : Spro Barrel Swivels (discrepancy) ?


fish raptor
11-01-2017, 09:39 PM
I am a big fan of the Spro terminal tackle. Love their snap swivels and barrel swivels. Very small but very strong and it is generally agreed upon that they make the best. They very pricey but I don't loose many so I think they are the best choice.

I ran out of barrel swivels for setting up some rigging for Salmon trolling on Lake George so I ordered 2 bags of #2's (65#) and 2 bags of #3's (100#).

I was VERY surprised when I got them that I COULD NOT tell ANY difference in the #2 compared to the #3 sizes. Side by side with lots of light and a magnifying glass they were ABSOLUTELY IDENTICAL. To take it one step farther I had a micrometer to I mic'd them up (both rings on each end) (.012) were IDENTICAL to one another and WIDTH of BARREL itself. (.177) were identical on both.

If you emptied both bags out on the table and mixed them up it would be physically IMPOSSIBLE to tell them apart ??????

So...... I went into my terminal tackle box and grabbed a #100 Spro snap swivel and a #60 Spro snap swivel and you could EASILY see the difference in size between the two, the barrel was considerably bigger on the #100 than on the #60. (see picture included)

Not sure but I wonder if it was a Friday when they packaged these barrel swivels and somehow they put the smaller #2's in the #3 bags as that is what is appears.

Unless their is some "metallurgy" differences that make on stronger I would guess someone screwed up at Spro.

Has anyone encountered this scenario before ?

I'm going to "bet the farm" they made a mistake.....

fish raptor
11-01-2017, 09:46 PM
It only makes sense to me that the #100 barrel swivels should be the same size as the #100 barrel swivels that are part of the snap swivels in the pic.

FyshhTrap
11-02-2017, 11:30 AM
they only use size 1 and 4 on Lake George, .....for Everything.:smokin:

fish raptor
11-02-2017, 06:51 PM
they only use size 1 and 4 on Lake George, .....for Everything.:smokin:

Oh !!???? O.K......

so since they can use the number 1's I just cut my 2's in half.....

nightfighter
11-02-2017, 07:57 PM
Marketing..... Same # in a bag? Price difference? I have noticed this too when I have seen them in the shop, side by side on the rack. Don't remember which I ended up buying.

l.i.fish.in.vt
11-03-2017, 05:43 AM
krok swivels same size as spro higher lb test and i can get them cheaper than spro

Linesider82
11-03-2017, 11:23 PM
Second krok "billfisher" swivels size 1-3 & 1/0 for plugs, to line to leader, to closing an open eye siwash for rigged eels.

I like spro swivels too, don't get me wrong but you can buy 2-2.5 times the product if you buy krok. And as mentioned above are stronger.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

fish raptor
11-05-2017, 06:33 PM
follow up to the Spro barrel swivel saga.

I called Spro hoping to talk to a rep / engineer to get specs and verify if size 2 and 3 are identical. Secretary said "no one here to talk to", I should call New York area Spro rep which she gave me his number.

I called him (3) times and then he called me back. He advised me that there is "no one" at Spro in the U.S. ..... they are just the importer / distributor. To get any technical specs / answers I would need to call the people who make them in Japan.

WDF !!!! Gotta be truthful with you, my Japanese is a little rusty !

I told him I had an easier solution. I would just call either the place I bought them to have them double check their bags on the shelf or possibly another vendor to see if someone can "physically see" if they can notice a difference in size through the bag. If so, then I got bags packaged wrong. I will definitely check out the other brand you gents mentioned, that is knew to me. The reason I like spro is they are stronger "for their size" compared to others. Is this other brand as strong per size ? thanks

JFigliuolo
11-06-2017, 07:11 AM
Is this other brand as strong per size ? thanks

Stronger.