Im curious...

[SteelSlinger]

I currently have a Marksman wristbraced slingshot, the 3055 model with the marksman tapered bands. I have been using 3/8" steel shot for plinking. Will this set up be adequate enough for hunting rabbits? It seems pretty accurate.(At least on the days when I'm shooting well)

Would there be a better option for me?
Also, what are the advantages to a slingshot without a wrist brace and what is the advantage with the prongs being further seperated apart?

[chiefaj]

If you shoot right handed: Hold out your left hand with your slingshot vertical. This is not the way that your two bones in the forearm are comfortable working together. Now turn your left hand with slingshot inward to hold the slingshot Horizontal and you will feel more comfortable. The wrist brace gets in the way of holding a slingshot Horizontal. You get a better sight picture Horizontal. Holding the slingshot Horizontal you can now put your forefinger and thumb up on the forks which works like a brace anyway. Also without a brace you can get on target faster. In shooting flushing birds you need speed on target. The lighter the slingshot the better. My hunting slingshot “Quick Point” is 3 oz. which adds to speed on game.

Now about hunting ammo. You can shoot lead balls much harder than steel with out the ball curving. Lead has much better penetration and range. 40 cal to 45 cal get results. I found that large steel balls will push birds in the air sideways and thus lose the power punch. Lead balls go right in. (I have this on TV camera). Chief AJ of www.chiefaj.com

[bunny buster]

chiefaj is absolutely right.
there really is no need for a wrist braced slingshot. shooting horizontally is really the proper way to shoot. it is the most accurate and comfortable way to hit your mark.
ergo slingshots are truly the most accurate, stable, and can be powered with even the most aggressive powerbands. with the ergo, there are thumb
and index finger grooves for you to grip the frame. the slingshot will not twist
or cant toward you when shooting.
the distance between the forks is important on a shoot through the fork design. you will want it wide enough for the pouch and projectile to clear without hitting the forks. if your slingshot twists off center when pulling back, you will hit one of the forks with your projectile and break a fork.
using an ergo slingshot will eliminate the twisting off center problem.
now...if you have an over the top shooter design, the distance between the forks, really isnt important because the pouch and projectile literally does
fly over top of the forks.
so imho ... an ergo with an over the top confiqureation...is by far the the
most accurate,and powerful setup.
you can see examples that i make by going to my website.
www.bunnybuster.com

[chief]

will,i guess it is possible for hunting,but at very low distences,and mostly head shots.and for the wrist brace question,wrist brace are not important,i prefer to shoot without one,im more accurate without it.and lead shot will add much more power to your shooting then the steel. (practices with the cheaper shot,then use lead to hunt with)

[Kolar12]

I wonder if sling shot designers have ever made an "L" shaped sling shot?

One where the handle is comfortable to hold as the Chief AJ states in the horiztonal position and has the forks upright in the vertical position. Seems like this could be done, maybe even with and adjustable ball where the forks could be rotated into any position the shooter would feel comfortable with.

I am new on here and am trying to learn more about how to shoot a sling shot and which ones are best.

[SteelSlinger]

Maybe I should consider buying a new slingshot sometime soon.

I think I have been shooting pretty well with my Marksman. Im not really sure if this is good but today I hit a 1 1/2" circle 5 times in a row from 7-8 yards. I have only been shooting for a few weeks. The brace on my marksman isn't solid, it bends and kind of molds around my arm. It doesn't seem like it's getting in my way.

If I start using the 40cal or 45cal lead balls would it be a good idea to use an RR-2 band or would the RR-T's work just as well? I imagine I can pull the RR-2's because the bands I use now are very easy to pull back and my bow has a 55lb draw.

Thanks again.

[Flatband]

Hi SS,if you plan on hunting,use 44 or 50 caliber lead and change the tubes to the RR2's. They will do better with the lead. A Wrist Brace slingshot is an excellent choice for target shooting and it also is a big help to people with weaker wrists,women,children,arthritics etc. For hunting I would stick with a traditional slingshot. They are a lot less cumbersome in the brush. As far as fork width,if you have rotating prongs like some of the Trumark models, a wide fork opening makes sense for clearance and less band and pouch slap. Without the rotating prongs and too wide a fork, the shot leaves the pouch sooner, and possibly more chance of band oscillation. On the other end of the scale,too narrow and you'll get a lot of slap. Like in anything,you have to find your comfort area. I like a throat width of 2-3 inches. Hope it helps!:) Flatband

[chiefaj]

Hey, SteelSlinger, putting 5 straight into a 1 ½” Bull’s-eye is great from 8 yards. Chief AJ here in Tuscola, IL. Now more about lead balls and practice. I use lead balls for serious Hunting and in practice on aerial targets I use 50 cal paint balls for much safer and you can fine a lot more places to shoot into the air. I had a great time this summer with the White 50 cal marbles, my WRS, a sit-up-on Do-All trap that throws standard birds. I had to fine a person to sit on the trap to load clays and pull the string. I stood by the trap and said “PULL” being all ready to shoot. The White Marbles sure do act as a tracer and you can watch the glass ball catch up with the clay and break it. That is a hoot. This was done at a trap club where downrange is safe for a half mile. No, dong this trap shooting you do not get to reuse the marble. I have coached 4 others to do Slingshot Trap Shooting now. Anyway, SteelSlinger you sure did get a lot of good answers. Chief AJ of www.chiefaj.com

[SteelSlinger]

I sure did. Thanks guys. That clay shooting sounds like a lot of fun Cheifaj.

One more question if you don't mind...
Has anyone chronnied the RR-2 bands shooting the 45cal balls?

Thanks again guys. Sorry for all the questions. You guys just seem to answer everything so well I had to keep going! haha

[chiefaj]

Yes, I sure have chronnied the RR-2 with .45 cal lead ball, the pure lead ones by Lawrence that are drop shot and come in a 5# cloth bag. These balls are 145 gr on bullet scale. Now, SteelSlinger when I go slingshot shooting I take tool boxes, CHRONY, at least 12 slingshots of wood, wire, metal and many kinds of ammo. By the end of the day I usually windup shooting rocks.
Back to ball speed. Out of my “Quick Point” 3 oz Hunting Slingshot with RR-2, Black tubes, I get on avg 200 fps. That gives me about 50 foot pounds of energy. That is smashing power and penetrating power.
Here’s what is next. I have a friend that is mixing up and molding for me some ballistic jelly like is used to test rifle bullets. That is going to be a fun day shooting slingshot balls into blocks of ballistic jelly and taking photos. Then will know what ammo penetrates the deepest. Perhaps we should do this at the “East Coast Slingshot Tournament” Alverton, PA next May 16 & 17, 2009.
Now the in the photo below is the White 50 cal Marble catching the Clay Bird and breaking it. Here's the Pheasant that with the "Quick Point" slingshot, RR-2 black tubes and a .45 cal lead ball that I shot through and thorugh or like the Mountian Men used to say: "Let daylight through". QP slingshots, RR-2 tubes and such www.chiefaj.com or www.slingshotsusa.com

[the patch]

hey chiefaj,i use to make ballistics jelly,very close to the real deal.i would shoot my gun and i would pitch my cards into it.at the time i wasent shooting my slingshot.i should make some more and try that out,thanks for the great idea!

[chiefaj]

Hey Patch, that is super. I want to post your results on www.nationalslingshotassociation.org site. I sure want to see how steel and lead compare in penetration. What size in best, Wow all of that. I wish we could do this together but your testing will be of great interest for hundreds of us. Just do it! AJ

[the patch]

that would be interesting sense the only test that been done realy are chronys.ill get my papers together and start making mixtures of the best ballistics jelly i can find,wichever mix i choose,ill then test with lead,steel,and different sizes.expect results with a month,ill keep you posted.

[Bugar]

lead 45-50- cal, how do the compare ,, say with FLATBANDS, against 1/2" marbles, what is the speed of each
lead=fps
marble=fps
using flatbands not RR2's
anybody make a run thru a chrony to check them out ?
Bugar

[Flatband]

Hi Lloyd,I have been meaning to "get the lead out" when shooting over the Chrony, but haven't tried it yet. If you're getting over 200 fps with 45 caliber or over lead shot you have some serious knockdown power. The steel and glass will shoot a lot faster but for foot pounds of energy,you can't beat lead. When the weather warms up,I want to do some testing with lead balls. Flatband:)

[the patch]

hey guys,just wanted to let you know,i purchased all the materials i need to make the ballistics gel.but........it takes allmost 3 days for it to be ready :( i havent even had time to make any yet :mad: (thers flagfootball,and i have school still...) but tomorrow im going to start,allso,what type of lead would you like me to shoot?is ther some certin number,like i seen most the time at the end it says like "395." or "495." i dont understand the differences and if someone has a prefrence let me know now,official testing will probably be done within 2 weeks.then after that results are results and ill probably never make anymore of this gel again. :o

[BRENT_BONNETTE]

I purchased trumak slingshots years ago and have misplaced them during my move.
I am detremined to find them. In the meantime I purchased another trumrk. If i find the other two I will place a different band on each.

Sure glad slingshots are inexpensive.

[BRENT_BONNETTE]

I was wondering. Do you think that making balls out of plaster of paris would work. Tha wopuld be a cheap way for ammo plus they would break up and possible desolve after a period of time. I will explore this
and post

[Scary]

I need to look it up, but I had a recipe for making a very hard kitchen polymer using cornstarch and some other food stuffs. It was quick and bio-safe. I'll get back to yall on it.

[wilbanba]

I was wondering. Do you think that making balls out of plaster of paris would work. Tha wopuld be a cheap way for ammo plus they would break up and possible desolve after a period of time. I will explore this
and post


i use ceramic pie weights
pop would be a bit light
but i find the pie weights have decent weight plus the are biodegradable
your mileage may vary...
cheers.

[Scary]

well, I couldn't find the binary mixture but if you look up "cold porcelain" you will find many recipes for something very similar.

[woodman]

I wonder if sling shot designers have ever made an "L" shaped sling shot?

One where the handle is comfortable to hold as the Chief AJ states in the horiztonal position and has the forks upright in the vertical position. Seems like this could be done, maybe even with and adjustable ball where the forks could be rotated into any position the shooter would feel comfortable with.

I am new on here and am trying to learn more about how to shoot a sling shot and which ones are best.
hi kolar12 iv'e just made a L shaped catty, dont know what it shoots like yet just putting some bands on it,you can see some photos of it in my album merry christmas woodman

[Bill Herriman]

Woodman, you make some very nice looking slingshots. Bill

[woodman]

Woodman, you make some very nice looking slingshots. Bill
thanks bill