Advice on slingshots.

[swright81076]

I've ordered some thera band gold ready made slingshot elastic from eBay. Several sorts, tapered and straight. Double and single.
I want to make my own, so after a mooch down the local I've returned with a couple of nice forks to whittle into shape. Sycamore and Hawthorne. Are these going to be OK to use?
They have forks about an inch and half diameter.

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[ex member pyrophil]

They look ok to me, try them out.

 

[swright81076]

I've roughly carved them into shape. The Hawthorne a very traditional style, but feels wonderful in hand.
The sycamore is gonna be more of a modern style affair.
Need some file work then a bit of sandpaper and we're off.
(The Hawthorne was put in the oven to dry out a little bit, I was fortunate that it didn't split)

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[Adze]

Until you're convinced they'll take the strain of the Tband gold, wear some safety specs It's amazingly painful when the snapped end hits you in the eye at 270fps :aargh4:

 

[swright81076]

Ouch. I'll definitely wear goggles. :thumbup:
I'm sure the Hawthorne will be fine, don't like the sycamore so it'll be a little spoon or fuel tomorrow.

Just bought 1000 8mm steel ball bearings off evil bay for a tenner!

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[ex member pyrophil]

that sounds like a good price.
I not used a catapult for years, mite have to look out for a good bit of wood next time i am out.

 

[Adze]

If you're going to use it for hunting, steel is a poor choice compared with lead - and 8mm is way too small for live quarry really as even at 210fps, which is pretty fast for a catty, you're only making 3.2 lbft as it passes the forks.

You really want a lead ball of .44 calibre as a minimum (that's approx 12lbft at 210fps, but realistically you're going to get more like 180fps - or approx 10lbft)

To put that in perspective re steel - a .44 calibre steel BB only makes 6.5lbft at 180fps - that's close to air pistol territory really and definitely not suitable for hunting.

The figures for DU are off the chart! 15.5lbft at 180fps and a whopping 21lbft at 210fps in the same size - no wonder Walmart don't stock it!

 

[The Big Lebowski]

That's interesting reading... Is it taken from chairgun?

I have a load (2000 odd) 8mm steel balls but they where purely bought for plinking at the mo.
I'm only using single Tbands and even with 8mm BB's, I would not enjoy being on the receiving end!

So 11mm cast lead would be ideal hunting ammo? .44 converts to 10.8 mm. Cheers, al.

 

[norca]

http://shanghai-uk.forumotion.co.uk/ check this out for info and banter i use 10mm and 9.5 in both lead and steel with good results ive used flats but pref tube all i can say at start is wear specs and enjoy try to kill a few cans first

 

[Chiseller]

Tapered bands ? That sounds like what should have been fitted to a gadda I recently purchased. First pull and a band came off

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[swright81076]

Right. Thanks for the info. I was planning to use the balls for both practice and eventually hunting. I'll keep them all for practice and get some proper lead shots for hunting.
really appreciate the advice guys.

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[norca]

might be worth while investing in a mould and cast ya own http://www.henrykrank.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=164 in pudsey

 

[swright81076]

Just bought a mould off flea bay. £10 for 12mm balls, 8 balls to the mould. Its for fishing weights but it'll do.
Just need to find somewhere that sells cheap lead.

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[swright81076]

is this a good buy:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BULLION-BARs-INGOTs-LEAD-FROM-4-99p-KG-NOT-SCRAP-SILVER-COPPER-ROUNDS-OR-COINS-/320938716681?pt=UK_Coins_Bullion_Bars_SM&var=&hash=item4ab9702e09#ht_1283wt_1105

1kg lead bullion for £5 ?

should make a few dozen balls

 

[Wook]

1kg's not as much lead as it sounds like of course. I read somewhere that lead is heavy....

I wouldn't discount steel bb's. 6ft/lb is considered acceptable for close range hunting - several pistols on the Blackpool Air Rifle website are advertised as such. Or if you want to go really old school, nicely rounded pebbles from a riverbed.

Is catty hunting legal though? I have a crossbow pistol producing nearly 13ft/lbs, but it would be illegal for me to hunt with it. Go figure....

 

[norca]

yes it is legal to hunt and take rabbits pigions etc

 

[swright81076]

1kg's not as much lead as it sounds like of course. I read somewhere that lead is heavy....

Ive heard that too, maybe a kilo of lead is heavier than a kilo of feathers then.

 

[swright81076]

Just picked up 3kg lead from local scrappers for £4.50, mould will be here tomorrow so by the weekend, I'll have some shot and burnt, blistered fingers.

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[norca]

Just picked up 3kg lead from local scrappers for £4.50, mould will be here tomorrow so by the weekend, I'll have some shot and burnt, blistered fingers.

sent from my Jelly Bean'd galaxy nexus.

welder gloves helps the fingers