Catapult for Hunting

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Turnip

Full Member
Sep 28, 2010
508
53
Radnorshire
use one more than my air rifle these days! mainly rabbits pigeons and squirrels. although not had much need recently with the dog currently off raw food.
they are fantastic tools but as with any hunting, you owe it to your pray to be good enough to dispatch them cleanly.
Never used one for fish, not sure on the legal side of hunting fish with a catapult?
 

Turnip

Full Member
Sep 28, 2010
508
53
Radnorshire
That's a good point and one I'll check on before I give it a try. It had never occurred to me until I just read about it elsewhere.

Anyone have recommendations on model type or what I should be looking for?



OLO
www.onelifeoverland.com

hmm the choice is yours really, I shoot OTT, tried TTF but wasn't for me really, flat bands are great, but tubes last sooo long!
The main thing is to buy 1 decent catty and stick to it until you're good enough. it'll take a bit to figure out what works for you and then you just need to improve your aim, consistency is key!

Wasp slingshots are great for the money.
Proshot have ally cattys or the simple shot slingshots, also great!
 

Broch

Life Member
Jan 18, 2009
7,981
7,757
Mid Wales
www.mont-hmg.co.uk
I have a couple of home made ones (as well as an old black widow) but I only use them for 'plinking' as I've never considered myself accurate enough to use them for hunting.

It continues to amaze me that we can't use bows and crossbows for hunting but can use catapults (as long as we don't use stones of course).
 
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Code 4

Tenderfoot
Feb 25, 2020
86
50
65
Shrewsbury
I got the Barnett Black Widow, takes a bit of practice to get half decent with it. I use the steel shot that comes with it. Pros are its quiet if you do not want any attention. They got them on sale over at BBguns4Less. £12.99 and some free amo. Check out the U Tube to learn more.
 

pieinthesky

Forager
Jun 29, 2014
206
99
Northants
I have a black widow type catapult that I have had and used occasionally for 40 years. I recently bought and then made my own catapult for flat bands.

The flat bands are way way better than the tubes on my black widow, so much so that I now consider the black widow a waste of time.

There are loads of really good (and cheap) catapults available and I would suggest browsing the slingshot forum to figure out what you might like, buy a couple of different models and see how you get on. Also read up on technique - it is a bit like archery in some ways.
 
I cannot answer that question 'flat vs tube' but what I can say is that i have been reading through some slingshot forums and the majority do seem to favour flat bands over tubes.

That said I have ordered a Barnett Strike 9 which has single tubes I think it's highly likely that I'll also try a banded model if I'm struggling with accuracy or just not getting on with it.

I'm a half decent archer so hoping the technique I've learned there will help me perfect the slingshot.

OLO
www.onelifeoverland.com
 

pieinthesky

Forager
Jun 29, 2014
206
99
Northants
I haven't a clue why. All I can say is from my reading around the internet, that is the impression I got and this was then confirmed, convincingly, by my own experience.

Having said that, nothing is straight forward and maybe I had poor quality tubes or some other unknown factor was in play. Others may have the opposite experience.
 

grumit

Settler
Nov 5, 2003
816
11
guernsey
I have several catapults from the pro Diablo black widow to a couple of gzk titanium’s Aswell as a couple of other flat band catapults with quick clip bands both in ott (over the top) and TTf (through the folks) had a couple of wasp uniphox which can be banded either way they are cheap worth buying to start with Simon is really good to deal with and balls of steel Sussex are good for steel ammo check out Chris gaffin Catapult carnage zackery Fowler makers of mischief and gamekeeper John. And bill Hayes on u tube for info on how to do everything from tying bands to measuring active band lengths
 

Suffolkrafter

Settler
Dec 25, 2019
525
464
Suffolk
I recently bought a TriStar mark 2 from Suffolkslingshots. I've not much basis for comparison but I really like it. I've put some work into 'calibrating' myself with it, and practicing, and I'm starting to groupshots with increasing precision and accuracy. There's a lot to think about with it, and a lot of practice needed.
Service from suffolkslongshots was really good too. I've not hunted but given what it does to my shed door I've no doubt it would take a rabbit down. It is ott.
 

Robbi

Full Member
Mar 1, 2009
10,228
1,027
northern ireland
I have a couple of home made ones (as well as an old black widow) but I only use them for 'plinking' as I've never considered myself accurate enough to use them for hunting.

It continues to amaze me that we can't use bows and crossbows for hunting but can use catapults (as long as we don't use stones of course).


Why not stones ? Never heard that before.
 
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Bazzworx

Full Member
Mar 5, 2009
461
148
38
North Wilts
I thought stones didn't make good ammo because the odd shape meant they didn't always shoot straight. I think the size I use is 44 cal lead shot which I cast myself.
 

Bazzworx

Full Member
Mar 5, 2009
461
148
38
North Wilts
I guess they would probably be fine, never used stones myself. Using the same shot every time takes a variable out of the equation and the less variables when hunting game the better
 

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