Catch Box

[Bill Herriman]

;) Here is a catch box that I have used for several years. It has 2 or 3 tee shirts hung in it (swinging free). They are trimmed and pinched between two 1 x 2’s with three C-clampsabout 6 inches from the back. Solid (not old rotten ones) tee shirts will last longer than any thing I have found. Hang a couple of old sheets behind it in case you miss. If you need more Info write me at nherriman@stx.rr.com
http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/7852/catchbox3pt7.jpg
http://img237.imageshack.us/img237/3715/catchbox1wd0.jpg

[S31]

what distance do you use this at ?

at what distance could you say you could hit 100/100 with this size opening ?
and to make it harder,
would you back the box up for more distance or make the hole smaller ?

i'm still a noobie looking for consistency
been practicing my 25-35 shots in the morning and again after suppertime
went out and bought some lead fishing weights to play with

[Bill Herriman]

I hang a target in front of "the hole". When shooting all the time (I have a torn rotater cuff right now) I can hit the hole 100/100 at 20 meters. I shoot about a 6 inch group at 20 meters (23 yards) when shooting a lot. Bill

[S31]

I can hit the hole 100/100 at 20 meters.
I shoot about a 6 inch group at 20 meters (23 yards) when shooting a lot. Bill


ok, well everyone needs a goal, right . . .
although, consistency like the above might take a few years (decades?)

[Bill Herriman]

;) Are you a sight shooter or a instinctive one? I can get your consistency up pretty fast sight shooting. I am not a as good of a instinctive shooter as a sight shooter. Bill

[S31]

i think i'm a sight shooter
as i draw my slingshot up and back
i guess i hold it at an angle ( term-cant ? )
and then i line up the top tip with my target

i would assume instinctive shooting is just bringing it up and letting go ?
i'm sure there's more to that to instinctive shooting

i figure if i'm gonna put the time and effort in here
i might as well hit what i'm aiming for

[Bill Herriman]

:o Hi all: I thought that I knew a lot about Catch boxes. I have been using the same one for several years. I have changed tee-shirts several times because of shooting things other than slingshots into to it (air rifles) and messing them up. I have never had any trouble with shot bouncing out. Now all of a sudden about one half the shot bounces out! Hey I haven’t changed a thing! I have adjusted things and played with it. If anything I have made it worse. I am dumb founded any Ides on what might have caused the change. In the past I have shot all speeds of slingshots with no problem. Bill Herriman

[administrator]

Bill,

Sorry to hear about the ammo suddenly bouncing back out. Maybe the t- shirt is touching the back of the box. That might make the ammo ricochet backwards. Maybe you could angle the tee shirt so the bottom is a bit farther back than where it is attached at the top. That way the ammo would be deflected downwards. Very strange that it worked so well before, but not now. The remedy will probably be something least expected.

Attached is a similar catch box the ellenburg boys made in the late 1960's. The unique thing is using the plastic coffee can lid hung at the bottom of the V made by the string. (see attached picture, this drawing was taken from an old box in which they sold the original WS-1) The amazing thing is that the lid can be hit over and over again without getting tangled up. I don't think they shot steel-ammo at it, just marbles. After being hit the lid just drops down again, ready for the next shot.

Maybe modern plastic lids aren't as touch as the ones made then. Or maybe they're even tougher now. Anyway, I think it's worth experimenting with to determine the right place to tie the string to the top of the box. Also, it's length.

Good luck on solving the "catch box riddle". :)

Regards,
Bill Stark

[Bill Herriman]

My wife pointed out something that I did. I had put a extra tee-shirt in the box for my super fsat extended fork, and the box worked with that slingshot. I will take it back out and see if that works. If i find the solution I will post it. Bill

[Bill Herriman]

I have got my catch box fixed! 150 shots with out any pop outs. I now have 2 tee-shirts and a piece of rip-stop nylon behind them. Here about a year ago I had left this configeration and went to 3 tee-shirts thinking that a lot of people could not get the rip-stop nylon. I was shooting a very fast extended fork then and had maybe 1 pop out in 4 or 5. I had thought that it was because of the fast slingshot. Then I had tore my rotator cuff and had to stop shooting for awhile. When I recently started to shoot again with an easy pull slingshot I had a lot of pop outs. I thought it was because my super fast had beaten up the tee-shirt and had formed a pocket in the middle so I put new (from a garage sale) trimmed tee-shirts in the box. The problem got worse instead of better. My wife said you don’t have the rip-stop nylon in back of the tee-shirts so I unclamped the tee-shirts and put it in. The problem got worse then my wife said maybe I had one too many tee-shirts in the clamp so I took one out (like my original configeration) and Walla no more pop outs. I hate it when mw wife is right (more often than not). Bill - I have found in the past that the configeration above will outlast carpet maybe 100 to one. I know that does not sound reasonable< but try it. I have shot maybe 50,000 shots at this cofigeration without changing tee-shirts in the past. Bill Herriman

[Bill Herriman]

;) I hang 2 t-shirts (trimmed to fit my box) and a piece of rip stop nylon behind them. With my field bands and 44 cal. steel shot nothing goes through or bounces out. I use a piece of carpet (upside down) in the bottom of the box to dampen bouncing. With lighter or heavier energy you will need to adjust the number of layers of tee-shirt material to avoid bounce out. I have shot over 50,000 shots in 3 years with out changing the tee-shirts or the rip stop nylon. I did change tee-shirts about a six months ago to put dark green tee-shirts in. When I cut a 2 and 1/2 inch round hole in a piece light colored piece of cardboard for a bull’s eye it is easy to see with the dark green. Here is a picture of my catch box. I got my tee-shirts for 25 cents each at garage sales. I got the piece of rip stop nylon at the fabric (yard goods) store for about 2 dollars. You can see more pictures and info by scrolling up to previous pages in this thread. Bill
http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/7852/catchbox3pt7.jpg

[S31]

i saw my neighbour throwing out some old speakers
i knew i wanted them, but i didn't remember why

and now i remember why


;)
http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/7852/catchbox3pt7.jpg

[Roadkill]

Here's a tip for you guys shooting steel ammo into catch boxs. The same places everyone has been getting those green casteration bands should also have(or can get for you) rumen magnets (or I've always called them cow magnets). They are about an inch by three inches,strong,and pretty cheep. I keep one in the bottom of my box and pick up twenty or so balls at once! I know, I'm lazy:D but my old fingers just don't pick 5/16 balls out of corners very well anymore:mad:

If you don't have a farm supply close google "vet supplies".;)

Roadkill

[Bill Herriman]

You can see my Catch box above and some dicussion about it. I will also show my tee-shirt insert up date in another post. Bill

[hawk2009]

Great idea using a magnet to pick up ammo, I found one in my draw it is a magnet from a snooker cube chalk holder, it is ideal as it has a belt clip on it and attaches to my pouch for carrying ammo it is also oblong and fits in to the corners of the catcher,My catcher has squares of blanket cut out & hung by one corner with a sheet draped over the front it keeps the noise down I also use soft targets aswell,I use silicone tube cut to the size of a golf ball it does not get damaged when hit so I have not had to change it. Here's a couple of photo's.:).

[Flatband]

I also use a little magnet with an eyelet on it. Really makes life easier! Flatband:)

[Bill Herriman]

I noticed that Image Shack deleted some of my catch box photos. If anybody would like to get a copy of a magazine article that I wrote on how to make my catch box and some pictures via email, write me at nherriman@stx.rr.com The email may take a couple of minutes to open. Bill

[BRENT_BONNETTE]

I am new to this site and having fun reading the old messages. I like the catch box. Saves on ammo for sure. I love shooting my sling, lots of fun.
well, you all keep coming up with good ideas lol

Brent