# I have a theory on slingshot gaps.



## SJAaz (Apr 30, 2019)

I'm only writing this because it's almost midnight and I'm still wide eyed.

I am thinking that the more narrow the gap between forks, the higher your anchor point has to be when shooting gangsta style.

I'm amazed to think that it took me nine months of tinkering with slings to realize that!

insomnia is a big fat booger!


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## Northerner (Nov 9, 2010)

Yup, if you aim with the fork corner then a higher anchor is needed for frames with less outside fork width. I settled on an ideal frame width by finding the width that allows me to anchor on my ear flap (tragus) for 10m shots using my desired ammo speed. My preferred width s 80-85mm.


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## SJAaz (Apr 30, 2019)

Amazing how some things never occur to a man. Never thought about it until I shot two small slings today. Well, yesterday .. It's 2:15, I gotta get some sleep.


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## Ipdvolvoz (May 28, 2019)

So a wider the fork the lower anchor point in needed?


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## Grandpa Grumpy (Apr 21, 2013)

Ipdvolvoz said:


> So a wider the fork the lower anchor point in needed?


Yes,if you are using the same aiming reference on the different gapped frames.


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## SJAaz (Apr 30, 2019)

Northener...

If I remember my art classes, the top of the ear (most often) is level to the corner of the eye. The ear lobe (mostly) is level with the corner of the mouth.

Except for my first girl friend whose mouth corners hung down like a mastiff, but it wasn't to bad because her mustache hung down and covered them up.


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## Northerner (Nov 9, 2010)

Just checked and the top of my ear is level with the corner of my eye. Unfortunately, the top of ear doesn't work so well for an anchor point. You would need to turn your head almost sideways 90* when shooting in order to get your eye over the bands. Otherwise, shots go left if you draw with your right hand. I find the top of the tragus is about as high as I can go and still get good accuracy and not hook/launch my glasses. I guess a person's face contours could also dictate best anchor points.

You might be surprised at how much affect on POI you get when moving the anchor point from ear lobe to top of tragus. Going from corner of mouth to tragus extends draw length about 4" and give you a very noticeable increase in speed. Below is an approximate idea of how I index. It's not for everyone but works fine for me.

You shouldn't drink so much when around your mastiff. Bad things seem to happen.


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## jazz (May 15, 2012)

I never understood why something is called anchor if you move it up or down. I am not a native English speaker so maybe I miss something in the meaning of the word "anchor"..?


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## Pebble Shooter (Mar 29, 2014)

The "anchor point" is basically where you connect the thumb knuckle of your pouch holding hand somewhere on the side of your face, such as on the cheekbone, or on the lower section of the ear lobe for every single shot you make. People have different styles for this technique.

It ensures the same band or tube extension (draw weight) to propel the ammo at the same speed for every shot, which improves accuracy - providing that your slingshot holding hand is steady during the process of aiming at the target and releasing the pouch.

That said, the more skilled slingshot shooters do not use an "anchor point", but hold the pouch without connecting the thumb knuckle with their face. This shooting style is referred to as "instinctive" shooting, and is much harder to master than the steady anchor point method.


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## SJAaz (Apr 30, 2019)

Jazz...

This english is sometimes hard to pin down.

1 definition of "anchor" is a heavy object that you lower in the water to hold a floating object in place.

another difinition is to fasten on object in place so it won't move. (probably derived from the first)

When shooting, we "anchor" the holding hand down before each shot. Next shot, we anchor again.


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## Blue Raja (Feb 10, 2016)

Thanks, all. This helps me understand why I have difficulty with my aiming point when I switch between slingshots.


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## Grandpa Grumpy (Apr 21, 2013)

SJAaz said:


> Jazz...
> This english is sometimes hard to pin down.
> 1 definition of "anchor" is a heavy object that you lower in the water to hold a floating object in place.
> 
> ...


We also use the term "floating anchor" which is really oxymoronic.


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## Sneaky (Oct 1, 2019)

This is probably obvious from what's been said, but if you shoot with a fixed anchor and aim off of a reference point on the frame, you have to hold lower in relation to the target as the fork gap narrows. Coming from a traditional archery background where I did not "face walk" (moving your face anchor in relation to distance to the target) I have a set anchor at the corner of my mouth and everything sort of falls apart if I try to anchor somewhere else. So, because of that and the bands/ammo (speed) I generally shoot, I prefer a frame with a wide gap of a little over 4" at the outside corners, which allows me to pretty much float the frame just below the target at 10-15m.

Not positive, but I suspect this is why people especially starting out seem to gravitate towards slingshots like the scout. That wide fork gap helps in aiming since its closer in relation to the target - whether you're consciously aiming or subconsciously aiming and shooting "instinctive". I know it's why I prefer wide gap frames like the pocket predator ranger.


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## Alfred E.M. (Jul 5, 2014)

*I aim when side shooting, but don't have an anchor that touches my face - rather a release point in space at the intersection of a drop down line from my shooting eye and the edge of my stacked bands out to the fork tip.*

*The pouch is gripped untwisted, a little to the front and side of the mouth corner, but back near the limit of my peripheral vision, until the band edge (sight line) intersects the drop line. It's very briefly floating on auto pilot while it squares, aligns, and self adjusts to intersect before release, but I don't consciously think about up or down positioning of the anchor point. *

*Maybe bc I don't have an archery background, this evolved into what works for me on all my frames, unless I'm doing full instinctual and the release is more from the chest area. Each frame requires a slightly different dance of course. *


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## Northerner (Nov 9, 2010)

That's another interesting part of our great hobby. There are many ways to aim a slingshot (direct ammo to target). I enjoy hearing about the many methods.

I also have a traditional archery background where I did not "face walk". My archery anchor point is still at the corner of my mouth. When I started into serious slingshot shooting I naturally went with the familiar corner of mouth anchor point. All was well for 10-15m shooting with my 4 1/4" to 4 1/2" wide forks. I was fine for a lot of years. Unfortunately I struggled with any distance much beyond 15m because of sighting and a looping trajectory. I was just checking old forum posting and noticed that it was back in May 2011 when I stretched out my anchor point to the ear lobe for more speed and longer distance shooting. I was now fine at 20m. My passion for long distance shooting grew so I had to find a system that would work for 10m and also allow the same frame to work well out to 40, 50 and even 75 yards. That's when my frame widths started decreasing and eventually ended up at 3" to 3 3/8" width. Rather than holdover or holdunder I worked out a face walking method. Ammo size dropped from .44" & .375" lead to 3/8" steel and then down to 7mm and 8mm steel, and sometimes 1/4" steel. I decreased my draw weight from 12-14 lbs down to 5-8 pounds.

I still get a smile from shooting wide forks and larger ammo at 10-15m. They make a metal can dance and tear apart quickly. All good fun!


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## Sneaky (Oct 1, 2019)

Haha Northerner that's exactly why I don't shoot small gap frames well! Unfortunately, I haven't taken the time to work out a good method for overcoming it as you have.

Hope this isn't too off topic but This thread reminds me that every so often I wonder if the "masters of the barebow" archery DVD's would be beneficial to sling shooters. They discuss lots of different aiming and anchoring methods including face walking and practice methods such as blank/blind bale, that seem like they would translate to slinging.


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## Northerner (Nov 9, 2010)

Sneaky said:


> Haha Northerner that's exactly why I don't shoot small gap frames well! Unfortunately, I haven't taken the time to work out a good method for overcoming it as you have.
> 
> Hope this isn't too off topic but This thread reminds me that every so often I wonder if the "masters of the barebow" archery DVD's would be beneficial to sling shooters. They discuss lots of different aiming and anchoring methods including face walking and practice methods such as blank/blind bale, that seem like they would translate to slinging.


I also have quite a few small Chinese frames with narrow fork widths. Anchoring at the corner of my mouth would require a huge gap for 10m targets. As you know, the larger gaps can get tricky to keep consistent. High anchor points allow me to aim on target,

It took me a lot of time to become comfortable with an ear anchor and aiming. I gave up on aiming many times before the concept became comfortable. I tried crawling on my bowstring (& aiming with arrow tip) but find it too awkward so I'm sticking with "instinctive" and mouth anchor for now.

It's been a lot of years since I last watched Masters of the Barebow but the information can be applied to slingshots as well. It's a very similar sport.


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## Cathal (Apr 19, 2020)

SJAaz said:


> Northener...
> If I remember my art classes, the top of the ear (most often) is level to the corner of the eye. The ear lobe (mostly) is level with the corner of the mouth.
> Except for my first girl friend whose mouth corners hung down like a mastiff, but it wasn't to bad because her mustache hung down and covered them up.


You're a "GAS"man SJAaz........on my knees laughing.....


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## robbo (Jun 8, 2019)

i didnt understand with narrow forks why i couldnt hit a barn door, untill i found a gamekepper john video that went through it all.different anchor points for frame widths, ill stick to my 100mm gap give or take a few mill.at least i can anchor to the corner of my mouth and thats what i like.


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## BushpotChef (Oct 7, 2017)

This is news to me lol 

Sent from my LM-X210APM using Tapatalk


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## BushpotChef (Oct 7, 2017)

This now highlights why Im capable of hunting accuracy with my PFS, but I can pop aspirin at 12m with my huge fork width PP SERE on a good day.

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## SJAaz (Apr 30, 2019)

BushpotChef said:


> This now highlights why Im capable of hunting accuracy with my PFS, but I can pop aspirin at 12m with my huge fork width PP SERE on a good day.
> 
> Sent from my LM-X210APM using Tapatalk


yep.. Back a long time ago when you and cj5 were teaching me to shoot frameless. you guys said "pinch fingers your together for long shots and spread them apart for short ones"... Now you understand why you gave me that advice. :blink:


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## BushpotChef (Oct 7, 2017)

Lmao dont you love it when you give advice that even you don't understand? I knew it worked I just wasnt totally sure why, frankly I dont ask too many questions when something works I'm usually not a fan of the answer haha

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