# Why do my trumark bands break so easily?



## Plinkster (Apr 25, 2015)

I'm new to the world of slingshots. (And this forum.) I've been using a Barnett Diablo, and now a Barnett Cobra, to teach the deer in our backyard to stay the hell away from our dog, for about a year. Now I'm wanting to get more serious about learning to use the thing, so I've set up a frame on which to hang splatter-shot targets, with a fabric backstop so I can retrieve the 3/8 balls I'm shooting. I can put about nine balls out of ten on a ten-inch target from 50 feet out. Very satisfying so far.

But... I'm going through Trumark regular pull and heavy pull bands like nobody's business. I get about 200 to 300 shots out of a regular pull band (yellow) and have given up on the heavy pull bands after blowing out two in a row with less than 50 shots each. What am I doing wrong?

Dan.

PS: the deer training has been remarkably successful. I shoot half-inch marbles at the deer. (I live in a very liberal town so I don't want to use anything that could risk drawing blood, etc, in case the neighbors go berserk.) They don't like getting pinged by the marbles, especially if I can land one on their neck, and they learn pretty quick to stay the hell away. But every few months there's a new batch of fawns, and as soon as they get a few months old they start attacking the dog, and it's back to square one. (The truth is, of course, this is one of the highlights of my rather suburban life. The dog enjoys it too.)


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## Cjw (Nov 1, 2012)

Could be a sharp edge on the fork. The other thing is you don't know how long the bands were hanging on the display at the store in clear packaging with uv light beating down on them.


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## treefork (Feb 1, 2010)

First thing I see is that 1/2 inch marbles are WAY to light for both band sets . First disclaimer . I am NOT endorsing or suggesting the use of heavier ammo for the purpose of shooting deer . I am saying heavier ammo will give you more band life with the existing bands for target purposes . Make sure your fork prongs are very smooth and rounded . Remember you can also make and tie flat bands to those forks .

Oh and Welcome to the forum .


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## wll (Oct 4, 2014)

I agree with Treefork, 1/2 marbles are waaaay to light for those tubes. I would use for your purpose 3/4" jawbreakers. They weigh in at ~86 grs, where 1/2" marbles are in the 43gr range. The have a larger surface area, so they will sting like heck but won't do any permanent damage. After the deer are shot the other animals will probably eat the shot jawbreakers ;- )

The next thing I would do is attach the tubes using a gypsy tie, your tube life will extend 5 fold I'm sure. There are lots of examples of this on this forum including many, many by me.

wll


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## Plinkster (Apr 25, 2015)

Thanks for the responses. I'll definitely work on smoothing the fields, and will research the gypsy tie. How does the weight of the ammo affect the life of the bands? Does it have to do with how fast the bands snap when released? Also, if I want to shoot steel balls, is 3/8 heavy enough, because it seems like the problem has gotten worse since I started shooting the balls instead of the marbles.


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## Plinkster (Apr 25, 2015)

Forks, not fields.


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## wll (Oct 4, 2014)

Prof. Dan said:


> Thanks for the responses. I'll definitely work on smoothing the fields, and will research the gypsy tie. How does the weight of the ammo affect the life of the bands? Does it have to do with how fast the bands snap when released? Also, if I want to shoot steel balls, is 3/8 heavy enough, because it seems like the problem has gotten worse since I started shooting the balls instead of the marbles.


Steel balls with a small surface area can easily penetrate the skin, cause infection and death ... don't do it. Some in the country of northern CA. years past have eliminated mountain lion that way .... !

Tubes snap with light ammo because the tubes speed is increased and they smash and want to go through the angled fork section, If you have heavier ammo the tubes are slowed down and the force of hitting the forks is much less. You have a tube angle that is trying to rip the tube every time you shoot.

wll


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## Plinkster (Apr 25, 2015)

Roger on the steel balls. That was my intuition, so I'm glad I've not been using them to "zing" the deer. Only for target practice. The explanation about ammo weight makes perfect sense, and now I see why a perfectly smooth fork end matters, since the tube is whipping against the fork ends every time it flies forward. I'm looking forward to trying some heavier ammo to see how it feels and how it shoots. Thanks for the awesome help.


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