# Pinch pouch vs pinch ammo



## Lisa (Jul 22, 2020)

The other day i met with devils son in law, Jake and we visited a bit. He showed me how to pinch the leather pouch in a more standard style than what i was doing. I was pinching the ammo itself, at the north and South Pole, so to speak. Now i've found a couple skinny threads about this style which pointed me to a video on the Dankung website.
I am an absolute beginner, but i already am having a hard time to break myself of pinching the ammo instead of the leather. Can anyone tell me pros and cons of this style? Do i need to break away from this? 
I only want to plink, not go hunting. I am far more accurate pinching the ammo. When i pinch the pouch, the ammo goes winging away somewhere. I have watched videos and looked at pictures on these forums to make sure i am pinching the leather properly, but it just isn't working for me.
I'm pretty happy pinching the ammo. My fingertips are not sore, less clumsy, quicker to set a new pellet, more accurate, blah blah blah. Overall, far easier for me. But, if there is a safety issue, i would consider trying to change my pinch method. I say consider, because i swear, i say to myself, pinch the leather, pinch the leather. When i glance at the pouch as i set up for my shot, there i am again, pinching the ammo!
Thanks for your input, 
Lisa


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## Sean Khan (Mar 27, 2020)

Pinching the ammo depends on how wide your pouch is compared to the size of your ammo. For example, this is the only way to shoot from those very small Chinese pouches.... there isn't much pouch to grab on to.

Then again, I use very wide pouches... rock chuckers... and I often grab the ammo anyway. Like so:

https://slingshotforum.com/topic/125180-i-cant-shot-because-the-pouch-is-very-slippy-to-me-what-can-i-do/page-2#entry1431226

It's a habit some of us develop from school when we hunted our chums with rubberbands and paper "wasps" or "pellets". One kid almost lost an eye so I can tell you for sure, it's accurate.



> if there is a safety issue


None. Just make sure the pouch is wider than the ammo (generally speaking).


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## SLINGDUDE (Aug 15, 2018)

If it ain't broke...


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## BushpotChef (Oct 7, 2017)

Ammo pouch for plinking & speed
Pouch pinch for precision & consistency

My $0.02, have a blast! 

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## SonoftheRepublic (Jul 3, 2011)

Pinching the pouch works best for me when shooting for accuracy.

I will try to explain something that I do which I believe might help . . . As I draw back, I allow my 'pinch' on the pouch to relax ever-so-slightly . . kind of finding a 'sweet spot' whereby, when my release happens, it becomes a much more smooth and uncompromised event, thereby insuring greater accuracy.

Just my two cents.


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## Island made (Aug 14, 2019)

Here one to confuse you.....I put my thumb In front of the "ball" and my index finger on top of the ball. When I release I just relax my index finger. The ball then rides over the pad of my thump creating a "speed bump" effect clearing my face and frame of the shot.

But if what your doing is working keep at it. The only risk of pinching just the ball is if your hands are wet or cold or you lose concentration for a min you can lose hold during your draw and get a sore hand out of it.


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## Sean Khan (Mar 27, 2020)

Pinching the ball isn't just pinching the ball. My fingers are also supporting/pulling the inside of the pouch.. the pouch is in contact at all times.. I have to feel it.

It's more secure than just pinching the pouch from the outside. At the moment of release the sides of the pouch are guided by the fingers.

Hard to explain but it's a little more than just holding the ball by the fingers.



> The ball then rides over the pad of my thump


I have no idea how you are doing that. Doesn't happen to me.. or maybe it's so fast I haven't noticed.... . In my case it goes like a North Korean rocket.


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## MathisSlingshot (Jun 24, 2020)

Who hits is right  I didn't even know, that you can pinch just the Ammo  but if you want to learn the leather pinching method, a precision pouch might help. Those are from GZK. Because of the holes you still have a good feeling for the Ammo, and the Ball always alines the same way  recently bought them for target shooting


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## KawKan (May 11, 2013)

I like to try most things that come along related to slingshots, so I have tried pinching the ball. It works great for me with marbles (5/8) and homemade clay ammo of about the same size.

I don't know if I could manage shooting .177 bbs that way though!


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## jazz (May 15, 2012)

Hi Lisa,

There is, I believe, another meaning of pinch-pouch, and I wrote about it some years ago:

https://slingshotforum.com/topic/20903-pinch-pouch/

Later I found that I was not the only one...

cheers,

jazz


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## Lisa (Jul 22, 2020)

Thank you for all the comments and ideas.
My issue is not hand strength, it's just I seem most comfortable pinching the ammo for some reason. I am going to force myself to do some sessions pinching the pouch rather than the ammo to make Sure I truly prefer one over the other. I'm not giving pouch hold a real chance, I admit that.
I am glad to hear there is no real safety issue and it's not necessarily a bad habit, just a different hold.
Lisa

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## BushpotChef (Oct 7, 2017)

Lisa said:


> Thank you for all the comments and ideas.
> My issue is not hand strength, it's just I seem most comfortable pinching the ammo for some reason. I am going to force myself to do some sessions pinching the pouch rather than the ammo to make Sure I truly prefer one over the other. I'm not giving pouch hold a real chance, I admit that.
> I am glad to hear there is no real safety issue and it's not necessarily a bad habit, just a different hold.
> Lisa
> ...


Check out 'Dgui OPFS' on YouTube. King of speed shooting instinctive shooting and aerial shots (regularly picks quarters out of the air). He always grips the ammo instead of the pouch, just so you know not only is it not dangerous - it can be bloody effective lol!

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## OldGuy (Jul 20, 2020)

Shooting TTF, brace grip, 3/8" ammo, Warrior Apache pouch. . Tried the "ammo" pinch for a change of pace and curiosity. Fast loading is fine if you hit the target. I was missing and inconsistent with the misses. Also another 1st. Experienced a hand slap. More of a thumb slap. Back to pouch pinch. Maybe with a smaller pouch the ammo pinch would be ok. Guessing the excessive leather on the pouch was causing an inconsistent release. Any suggestions for a lower profile pouch similar in construction to the laminated kangaroo leather Warrior Apache pouch? Maybe time to modify an Apache for ammo pinch?


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## KawKan (May 11, 2013)

OldGuy said:


> Shooting TTF, brace grip, 3/8" ammo, Warrior Apache pouch. . Tried the "ammo" pinch for a change of pace and curiosity. Fast loading is fine if you hit the target. I was missing and inconsistent with the misses. Also another 1st. Experienced a hand slap. More of a thumb slap. Back to pouch pinch. Maybe with a smaller pouch the ammo pinch would be ok. Guessing the excessive leather on the pouch was causing an inconsistent release. Any suggestions for a lower profile pouch similar in construction to the laminated kangaroo leather Warrior Apache pouch? Maybe time to modify an Apache for ammo pinch?


Heck yeah!

Break out the scissors and have at it!


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## vince4242 (Jan 11, 2016)

Thanks for bringing this issue up Lisa I was always under the assumption that you're supposed to pinch the ammo not the pouch it's better? So to clarify your pinching in front of the ammo holding the pouch? Or are you pinching the pouch and the ammo at the same time kind of the back of the hold is on the ammo and the front of the hold is on the pouch?
Just a little Clarity of the actual pouch pinch technique would be awesome.

Cheers


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## Wingshooter (Dec 24, 2009)

I am shooting a starship with the light bands and small pouch. The pouch is 1/2 wide. I shoot 5/8 marbles from this rig holding the ammo. It works very well.


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## vince4242 (Jan 11, 2016)

Oh am I seeing this right, when you say hold the ammo you're saying the pouch is so thin that you can hold the ammo on the sides and the pouch goes around your hand as opposed to holding the ammo through the pouch. So for me I have a pouch that goes completely around the ammo and I hold the ammo through the pouch upon release. Does this mean that I'm holding the pouch in this discussion.

Cheers


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## Lisa (Jul 22, 2020)

This is basically what's do. It might be a little bit off, because I took the pictures myself. But I pinch the ammo just a little forward of the North and South poles with my middle finger and thumb. I try to open both fingers at the same time so I don't get a speed bump of the ammo having to go up and over my thumb. Middle finger works better than pointer finger, the pinch is more aligned, if that makes any sense. Pointer finger would be at an angle.
I am a complete beginner, so I'm not advising anyone to do anything like me. But for me, it's more comfy and far less frustrating than holding the pouch.
Lisa






























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## vince4242 (Jan 11, 2016)

Wow Lisa I have never seen that hold before... to be honest after about three months of shooting with a specific Anchor Point and rotation of my wrist I changed the whole thing up and my shooting increased and got much better and more consistent afterwards. It did take time but it felt more comfortable then the first 3 months. I guess this is a journey and do what feels right for you now and in a couple months you may find you want more consistency and you'll put more energy into the pinching of the pouch... or you'll get your current pinching the ammo down solid and you won't need to change anyting only time will tell.

Cheers


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## Wingshooter (Dec 24, 2009)

Lisa said:


> This is basically what's do. It might be a little bit off, because I took the pictures myself. But I pinch the ammo just a little forward of the North and South poles with my middle finger and thumb. I try to open both fingers at the same time so I don't get a speed bump of the ammo having to go up and over my thumb. Middle finger works better than pointer finger, the pinch is more aligned, if that makes any sense. Pointer finger would be at an angle.
> I am a complete beginner, so I'm not advising anyone to do anything like me. But for me, it's more comfy and far less frustrating than holding the pouch.
> Lisa
> 
> ...


The only thing I would recommend is to get one of the 1/2 pouch's it will cover almost all the marble and give you a little more clearance so you would have less chance of fouling the shot by touching the pouch. You will change the way you hold as you progress but there is nothing wrong with what your doing if it is comfortable. Good luck.


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## StringSlap (Mar 2, 2019)

GAME CHANGER!

I tried the pinch ammo hold early on in my slingshot adventures. Was not working well for me, so stuck with the traditional pouch hold. Got to the point where I am shooting pretty well, but still some consistency issues. I recently got a large supply of HTH and GZK micro fiber pouches that I love and have been using exclusively. After reading this thread (Thanks for starting it Lisa!) it dawned on me that they are probably the perfect size to give the pinch ammo try again. So I broke out the 1/2" clay and 5/8" marbles. Results are awesome! Super clean release and accuracy took a huge leap forward. Tonight I absolutely obliterated a couple of cans with hardly a miss. I love the way 1/4 steel zips through cans, but there is something just sooooo satisfying about the ball peen hammer smack down of marbles! Using single 2040, 1842 and looped 1632, all with 6" active length. I am sold!!


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