Catapult shot
- Thread starter rorymax
- Start date
I make my own and use a cheap 10mm ball mould from eBay. The lead is scrap from work. I also emptied out an air gun pellet trap I had and got several kilos worth!
Make some out of Fimo modelling clay (more environmentally friendly that steel BBs) using a fishing boilie maker.
Bad idea that mate.... its one thing to get good with a certain size/weight ball, but you will have to learn all over again when you switch.... differing velocities mean differing flight trajectories, meaning your aim will go to crap as soon as you switch ammo... practice with what you intend to use to hunt with or its a pointless endeavour.
Even for a complete a novice? I'm still getting frame hits because I think I'm inconsistent with my setup, or haven't found something that works 100% yet. I've found when I try to aim my hit rate is less than when I shoot instinctive, but when I don't aim I get more frame hits. It's not loads, say 3 out of 100 shots, but I've had a few near misses when they've gone flying over the garden wall and into the allotments behind. I'm consistently low too which is really annoying, bang on laterally but so many shots are just a smidge low. My plan was to get that sorted out and then look at different ammo. What's 9.5 steel like for taking bunnies, woodies and tree rats?
At the moment between 20-30 yards, just plinking in the garden with a towel strung up for a backstop
Hi Shewie,
All other things being equal - frame hits (especially at the low rate that you're experiencing) are generally caused by the ammunition not being centred in the pouch and also inconsistency in how the pouch is held at full draw (do you twist it? Sometimes? All the time? etc). Some people twist the pouch to horizontal at full draw, some people hold it at vertical - it doesn't really matter so long has you're consistent with your set up(easier said than done!).
Ammunition has to match your bands - and bands have to match you. Basically, the faster the projectile, the flatter the trajectory over distance. A 9.5mm ball bearing will kill anything at the right speed - but bands designed for, say, 10mm lead shot will cause you to be wildly inaccurate with 9mm SS. Then again, the draw strength for 10mm lead shot may cause wrist strain etc depending on the your frame...the variables are endless, and like archery, the shooter requires a tailored set up (frame, ammunition, band strength/ length etc).
My advice is to start with the bands - get a length and strength that you can comfortably shoot at maximum strength draw. Next select the heaviest ammunition that is consistently accurate with those bands.
The two final checks before firing is that the ammunition is exactly centred in the pouch and that the maximum draw position is consistent.
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