Rubber powered slingshots

C

coote

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Apr 3, 2006
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These are quite deadly with the right person behind them.

I've heard of a guy reputedly taking a deer with a powerful slingshot and a heavy lead ball (head shot). Dunno if it is true, but I think I can believe it. I wouldn't recommend a slingshot for a deer, but it is interesting food for thought.

I'd like to find a good source of stretchy rubber rather than having to use strips of inner-tube. Any ideas for cheap do-it-yourself slingshots?

Meanwhile, I found this on Youtube. The star of this video is a genius

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ieWrWLjii0
 
Surgical tubing. I replaced the worn bands on my wrist rocket with it and have lots more power now.
Bob
 
Nice video that,but makes me feel pretty inept with a catapult:grumpy:

Wonder what types of knife that old boy likes to carry:D
 
Get rubber from a spear fishing supplier. The smaller rubber we use for a shock absorber on the spear cord, slightly larger rubber is used on hand spears and the mother rubber on the spearguns (bungee rubber). Some of the guns have up to 8 rubbers for shooting marlin ;)
 
I want to build a hunting slingshot that uses 2 oz lead round fishing weights for ammo. Any one built one this size?
 
Bushman5 said:
I want to build a hunting slingshot that uses 2 oz lead round fishing weights for ammo. Any one built one this size?
Click to expand...
Slingshot or fishing weights? You could get some blackpowder lead ball mold and make various size round balls to shoot.
 
I have eaten plenty of game taken with a slingshot.

Saunders FalconII. I became deadly accurate with it when I was about 15 or 16.

They used to sell standard powerbands (#35 pull approx) and HEAVY powerbands (#45 pull). We would shorten them slightly by inserting them a bit further on the sling to tweak the most power possible, then "tune" them by installing one band slightly more because we would shoot with the slingshot tilted 90 degrees (kinda like a ghetto punk shoots a glock) We didn't do this because it looked cool, it was more accurate and gave a better sight picture. We shot .32 - .38 cal lead balls and slightly larger steel ball bearings. When you get above that size, the velocity and range starts to drop dramaticallyThere is absiolutely no doubt in my mind that you could kill adeer with one. I have never done it, but if I was stuck and hungry........

You can get the tubing from just about medical supply, either locally or on the web, but I would just buy a set of bands with the pouch attached.
 
You cannot necessarily use Spear Gun "rubbers" for slingshots. The inside diameter of a lot of Spear Gun surgical tubing is too small, you cannot get it on the forks of a slingshot.

Now, if you can get surgical tubing that has a suitable inside diameter to fit on the forks and the outside diameter of the tubing is a bit thicker, then you would have an even more powerful set of bands.

Trumark!
 
you can use any tubing on a wooden fram by notching the forks and slipping the tube through an knotting it on the outside of the fork...but you cannot do the same thing with a metal frame
 
I'm decent with a slingshot and a complete amateur compared to one of the best, Madison Parker. Check out what that guy can do and be prepared to get awed.
 
I have been using surgical tubing for years ,in combination with hex nuts,very powerful.
Do not leave slingshot on direct sun, for prolonged time,it may soft the rubber and make it worthless.Happened to me,this summer.
 
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i've put up my slingshot for a while, trying to get better with a trad sling and a throwing stick...I need allot of practice with those..
 
Helpful and interesting responses thanks.

That flat band rubber looks good. I went to the Ebay site and found out that it is cut from sheets.... now I will look out for a source of thin sheet latex. Mind you, the Ebay stuff looks like a fairly good buy.

Madison Parker.... Thanks for reminding me of the name. I thought he was the dude that got the deer with the slingshot... I Googled him and found his photo gallery.... and yes, there is the picture of him with the deer. Here is the link to his gallery:

http://www.primitivesupply.com/gallery.cfm
 
I like the flat bands, too. As for surgical tubing, Lowes carries it back in the plumbing department (although I don't know what the inside dimensions would be.)
 
Try McMaster Carr. They have the latex sheets, but from experience, you end up getting more than you need and a little difficult at first to get straight cuts. I would recommend getting them from ebay. I buy them regularly from this guy and he is really good - even makes custom slingshots - made me a custom Osage.
 
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