# Sent Marbles Flying Today ; - )



## wll (Oct 4, 2014)

Went to my usual area and although on the lookout for pest birds, I shot just about anything that looked like it needed shooting ... there were tree stumps, rocks on hillsides, knots on trees, trees (no cans) .... you name it and I shot it .... and I was shooting pretty well ;- ) Shot marbles about 99% of the time today as they are easy to follow, I only shot a couple of 3/8" steel and those were against some heavy green foliage, it was easy to pick up the steel against that background !

Very impressed with the speed that my 5/8" marble ammo arrived at its intended target, as most targets were in the 25 to 40 yard area (usual hunting distance where I live). Ground shots seem to be the most difficult for me and I must practice those a little bit more.

It sure is fun watching your ammo fly out toward your intended target, I hope tomorrow morning brings a few critters ...that would be nice ;- )

wll

BTW: I still have three un-opened tomato cans sitting on the front floorboard from 8 months ago, I'll get enough interest to shoot them one of these days.... I don't know what it is, but I'm just not a can shooting kind of guy.


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## SonoftheRepublic (Jul 3, 2011)

A while back, I shot a steel soup can (filled with water) from 8 yards and got penetration with a marble.

Maybe try the *******-test with your rig and those tomato cans and see what happens?


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## wll (Oct 4, 2014)

SonoftheRepublic said:


> A while back, I shot a steel soup can (filled with water) from 8 yards and got penetration with a marble.
> 
> Maybe try the *******-test with your rig and those tomato cans and see what happens?


Ya, I need to, maybe tomorrow I'll give it a shot.

Will have to shoot from 25yds as nothing is ever closer. I don't think a 3/8" steel will go into one side of that can, it is very thick. At 25 yds the 3/8" steel has about 6 fpe when it starts out at 280fps

wll


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## SonoftheRepublic (Jul 3, 2011)

Yep, 3/8's steel moving at top speed will have the best chance for penetration, especially if you can hit it straight on and not to either side . . . but at 25 yards . . . well it will be interesting what results you find anyway.


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## Ms.Reed (Feb 16, 2015)

What type of setup are you working with to get good speed from marbles? Curious because I have a lot to burn through.


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## leon13 (Oct 4, 2012)

Ms.Reed said:


> What type of setup are you working with to get good speed from marbles? Curious because I have a lot to burn through.


Hi if you search on the forum there are a few posts about band/ammo calculation  work't for me 
well now I just plinker with 1cm strait cuts 23cm long 
Cheers


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## wll (Oct 4, 2014)

Ms.Reed said:


> What type of setup are you working with to get good speed from marbles? Curious because I have a lot to burn through.


I'm sending 5/8" marbles in the 260 to 280 fps range depending on tubes used and temperature.

I'm using looped tubes (1842 or 1745 or 3/16"od x 3/64W) All tubes are shot with a elongation factor of at least 525% ... sometimes up to 550%

Static length is 7" and draw is 36+ (when I say the static is 7" I mean it is just under 7" .... I use a ruler and try to get it in that area as best as I can, but I never go over 7"

Here is a pic of one of mine with 3/8" steel and 5/8" marbles, this one is using looped 1745 tubes through the Gypsy Tie, I now use a Larks Head ... but you get the idea. As you probably know 7/16" steel weighs just about the same as 5/8" marbles (84gr vs 86gr) but greatly out performs it down range ballistics wise. 7/16" is a great size steel ball ;- )

If you pull to the wall using 5/8" marbles, you have yourself some darn good hunting ammo ....there are tons and tons of folks that use this ammo for all sorts of game and have tremendous success with marbles.

I personally love shooting marbles, one of my favorite ammo types and marbles are always with me. As for me, the biggest thing i have shot with marbles are some very fat starlings .... from about 25ish yards and they were in Starling heaven not only before they hit the ground, but the moment they were hit ... they did a total collapse and went down back first to the ground without a twitch !!

If all you had were marbles and were set up good, you could do some serious damage if you did your part and hit 'em in the head and keep you shots under 20yds

wll


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## wll (Oct 4, 2014)

leon13 said:


> Ms.Reed said:
> 
> 
> > What type of setup are you working with to get good speed from marbles? Curious because I have a lot to burn through.
> ...


Yes, there is so much good info it is very easy to overlook it ;- )

wll


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## Ms.Reed (Feb 16, 2015)

Thanks, guys!! Love all the info and appreciate it greatly


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## wll (Oct 4, 2014)

SonoftheRepublic said:


> Yep, 3/8's steel moving at top speed will have the best chance for penetration, especially if you can hit it straight on and not to either side . . . but at 25 yards . . . well it will be interesting what results you find anyway.


Well set the full tomato can at 25yds and took three shots, all very close but no hits .... I decided not to waste any more ammo.

I really have a thing about shooting cans, I do remember shooting at one of these cans some months back possibly, and that was the first time in many, many years. I can send ammo over a chronograph and loose it, I don't mind, I can shoot at knots in trees, I don't mind, I can shoot rocks on a hillside, I don't mind .... I see a can and I ignore it, or if I do shoot it, I get annoyed.

I remember hitting a can a while back and thinking to myself ... "Whoop tee Do", who cares !

I very much think it is I like to shoot at different ranges/angles and types of targets, standing and shooting at an inanimate object is way over my patience level, I got to have variance.

Just shows you how folks are so different.

wll

BTW: Had five shots at a Starling today at 34yds and I wish I would have had more, the stalk and the hunt are my thing.


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## SonoftheRepublic (Jul 3, 2011)

Hey, no worries wll,

Glad you were able to get out and shoot in all the heat. I'm sure it was a scorcher there in Lancaster today! Am looking forward to Fall weather!

And yeah, I like the stalk and the hunt as well.


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## Ole Man Dan (Dec 18, 2013)

I've got a couple thousand marbles, so I shoot em a lot, but for cans and most small game I prefer Hex Nuts. Cuts on contact.

I keep finding quantities of marbles at Estate Sales, and I keep buying them.

I got a good buy on pounds of Hex Nuts, so I have lots of them.


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## Ibojoe (Mar 13, 2016)

Since decorators have started filling vases with marbles, I find they are bout the cheapest ammo out there. Bout a dollar a pound at the Walmart. Also hard to loose if you go out at night with a flashlight, they light up like a reflector! As you can tell I'm into cheep, but they also pack a pretty good wollup.


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