A Makeshift sling

[Bhold]

I was looking during some time for a type of sling I could make easily in the field, either with paracord or with strong nettle cordage. After some browsing, I found this easy tutorial: http://www.slinging.org/42.html
It's simple, it's strong, and it works! Quite well indeed! And you would be using something made just as in Greenland.
Just be careful with too small stones, as they can pass through the tied pocket and hit something very far away from the target.
I devised a very simple and effective way of improving the sling on this aspect: when you make two bends on the string, make a couple more; this way you will end up with a pocket made of five pieces of string, instead of three; tie the knot as in the first sling.
Not having any pocket made from a different material, it's all cordage, and it is easily incorporated to a survival kit, or even can be carried tied to the waist or the wrist, without being cumbersome.

A word of advice from our sponsors: try this first away from innnocent bystanders, and away from anything you could miss if you broke it. I mean REALLY away! This kind of thing throw a stone farthest and stronger than I would first expect.

Another tip: the site where I found the tutorial for the sling (slinging.org) presents lots more resources, if you feel this is for you and you would like to build a more beautiful sling. There you can find throwing tips too; or take a look for "sling" at the wikipedia (.com?).

Gosh, hope I have compensated my not very much appreciated thread on the blowgun! There's a lot of way of killing rabbits, anyway!

Cheers, have fun.

 

[Ogri the trog]

Now theres a thing....
Cool link Bhold, and something that I'm sure I'll try in the coming few weeks.

Oh, and you are right, there are many many ways to............pesky rabbits

ATB

Ogri the trog

 

[pierre girard]

Some people are pretty good with a sling. I once watched a friend knock the head off a grouse on the wing. Takes a lot of practise though.

PG

 

[Galemys]

Thanx for that one Bhold, really nice & simple

Tom

 

[Woods Wanderer]

i got good enough to hit pheasant sized targets at 15 to 20 meters but then found girls then lost any ability just to say they are well worth practicing the long ones (50 inch strings)will put a 6 ounce stone 300 meters with practice so be careful my faverite is a short one (24 inch strings) with a 6 ounce stone the foot pounds are amazing when they wack something just give it a go one tip dont try to swing your arm really fast cos itl go no were use your wrist

 

[Lithril]

Really should'nt start reading posts like this... havent got the time to invest.... can't resist... well I'm going to have to make one you know and start playing

 

[DOC-CANADA]

A warning to all people considering making a sling:

You can't stop at just one, so unless you have the time to spare, take up something less time consuming, like deciphering hieroglyphics.

Like bhold, I started out looking for an easy sling I could whip up from a bit of paracord, and then it got a little more complex, and then a little more.............

Now I'm learning how to crochet so I can design some really unique pockets.

A few steps along from the initial search for the "simple" sling:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/DOC-CANADA/Coyossling2.jpg

Ignore this warning at your peril.

 

[Pappa]

I made a braided sling using this tutorial:

http://www.slinging.org/20.html

Even that was much less time consuming than you'd expect. IIRC it only took about an hour to make.

The one thing that surprised me about the sling was its inherent accuracy. I imagine it takes a lot of practice to be a 'crack shot' with the sling, but I found it pretty easy to get within a metre of my target on about 80% of shots (having never used a sling before).

Pappa