# Would this trigger system work safely?



## Hank420 (Mar 2, 2014)

Hey there, fellow slingshooters!

I'm going to build my very first slinghot rifle and just came up with a trigger system that I really like. But first things first.

I'm going to use three slats made of plywood, which will be 0.78in strong, the trigger system will be "hidden" in the middle section.

As you can see, I want to lock the nut with a bolt (marked with "1", sitting on a compression spring), which will be supported by another bolt, socketed in the middle plywood layer so it could withstand the pressure.

I forgot to draw it in, but the triggers and the "1" bolts nose are supposed to hide in the plywoods nose, sitting between both the trigger system parts.

All the darker parts are supposed to be stainless steel. The brighter parts are plywood.

Now, here's my trigger system. You should get what I'm up to. If not, please ask!









I'm going to use the silver thera band tubes, the strongest. Maybe up to four of them.

My goal is to shoot 0.78in (20mm) steel balls. I expect to get a strong, accurate shot. I also expect the trigger system to work nice and easy.

Now my questions to those who are more experienced than me:

Will this trigger system work safely?

Will stainless steel be good enough to do this job?

Thank you for reading and please excuse possible misspelling. Feel free to add any feedback you have, I'll listen carefully!

Greets,

- Hank


----------



## rockslinger (Nov 16, 2010)

How does the pouch and ball attach to the mechanism?


----------



## Hank420 (Mar 2, 2014)

The pouch is going to have a hole in the middle. I wanted to place the upper nose of the nut in that hole.

The balls will be "right" in front of the nut, hold by a magnet on the top (the gun will get a case). Let me attach a old sketch.









As you can see, It's going to get a magazine but that's another story. Also, the plywood on the right part is too thick in my first sketch. It's supposed to be a little bit thinner.


----------



## Individual (Nov 6, 2013)

Safest thing to do is to try it, check with a light banset,

I would personally cup the trigger and keep the ammo and pouch behind it, It looks like it having to move to the ball would be risky, Could fling it forwards before you want, or hop out and give a nasty rts.

Just use a rat tail file and sandpaper to make it curved.


----------



## Hank420 (Mar 2, 2014)

Individual said:


> Safest thing to do is to try it, check with a light banset,
> 
> I would personally cup the trigger and keep the ammo and pouch behind it, It looks like it having to move to the ball would be risky, Could fling it forwards before you want, or hop out and give a nasty rts.
> 
> Just use a rat tail file and sandpaper to make it curved.


Hehe, yeah I thought "try and error" will be a part of this project.

What exactly do you mean with "rts"? Sorry, I'm rather new to this "scene".

I'll keep your thoughts in mind, thanks for that!


----------



## Sunchierefram (Nov 16, 2013)

Hank420 said:


> Individual said:
> 
> 
> > Safest thing to do is to try it, check with a light banset,
> ...


Return to sender shot. It's when the ball gets caught in the pouch or bands and comes back to you. Not exactly something you want to happen.


----------



## Individual (Nov 6, 2013)

You'd also need to configure and base a lot of the build around a single ammo, Depending on the scale of the slingshot, if it was a little hand pistol, 5/8 would be nice.


----------



## Hank420 (Mar 2, 2014)

Sunchierefram said:


> Hank420 said:
> 
> 
> > Individual said:
> ...


Ah, I see. Well, I thought this problem would be wiped since I wanted to build a case to cover the complete gun. The ball will be literally led through this case.

Safety is very high on my priority list!



Individual said:


> You'd also need to configure and base a lot of the build around a single ammo, Depending on the scale of the slingshot, if it was a little hand pistol, 5/8 would be nice.


It's going to be like 51.18in (120cm) long.

I'd like to clarify this:

The ball will be led through the future case on the top.

Could there still be a danger of those rts shots, like because of the brute force? Should I draw another sketch to show my concept of the case?


----------



## Individual (Nov 6, 2013)

Like a barrel?

How do you plan on drawing the rubber?
Would it be similar to a spring powered bb gun and a cocking motion?


----------



## Hank420 (Mar 2, 2014)

Just the interesting parts of the barrel. 

There will be a gap on the whole length of the upside of the case. Beginning from like 1.5in behind the nut. You'll have to use a hook to catch the pouch in it's middle hole, draw it back through the cases gap, and place it on the nuts nose.

Inside the case, plywood "sticks", filed in form to lead the ball.

You'll cock it just like a crossbow. With a hook to help you hold the bowstring (tube).


----------



## Bill Hays (Aug 9, 2010)

Actually that trigger mechanism as shown will not work at all.

There's to many things wrong with it to mention offhand and right now... I'll just draw out a corrected version in a little bit... not right now.


----------



## Hank420 (Mar 2, 2014)

Thanky for the time! I'm curious on your opinion!

I thought it'd do pretty well.


----------



## Charles (Aug 26, 2010)

The trigger mechanism you have drawn looks very much like an old crossbow mechanism. In that case, the bow string was held behind the nut (the rotating part in your diagram). The nut was slotted so the bolt could be nocked onto the string. But I think this will not work well for a slingshot crossbow. I would suggest the side-to-side pincher mechanism that Joerg Srpaave has used frequently would be better. It will work with lead, steel, stones, etc.

I built one with a clamshell type pouch, rather than the standard type pouch. The clamshell held the ammo firmly until the bands were released. A loop attached to the pouch was just looped over a notch. The trigger simply pressed the loop off the notch.

http://slingshotforum.com/topic/11523-slingshot-crossbow/?hl=%2Bcharles+%2Bcrossbow

I am sure Bill will have some interesting suggestions for alternatives.

And please do not make the mistake I made years ago when I built such a device. The power of the slingshot will not depend on the draw weight. You will probably get higher velocity by using much lighter tubes, as their retraction speed will be faster. If you need more velocity, increase the draw length rather than the draw weight.

Best of luck with your project. Keep us posted on your progress.

Cheers ..... Charles


----------



## Hank420 (Mar 2, 2014)

Thanks for your condolence!

I really like that clamshell style pouch! I've seen it in one of Jörg Spraves videos and wanted to use it for a shotgun-like pellet spread effect. Also, very nice pieces you've build back then. 

I'll keep the draw lenght tip in mind, thank you very much!

Regarding the trigger system...

Yeah, I kinda discarded that idea now. Just liked it that much because it looked so nice and smooth on the paper. Hehe.

But I'm still curious on Bills sketches! The more mistakes and solutions you get to see, the more you learn.

I'm currently looking for different trigger systems and I might adapt this one.












Charles said:


> Best of luck with your project. Keep us posted on your progress.


Thank you! And I will!


----------



## Bill Hays (Aug 9, 2010)

I suggest going even more simple...


----------



## Hank420 (Mar 2, 2014)

Hehe, as I thought. I should have mentioned that the sketch isn't 100% accurate. And I forgot to draw something in, that's why the shelf is in the way and that little edge over the trigger exists.

Wouldn't the compression spring be the return spring when releasing the trigger?

I still kind of think that it could work...

But I like the simplicity of your suggestion! I think that one will do fine for my first project. Maybe I get to test my idea of a trigger system after this one. I'll keep you guys updated whit my project if you wish and thank you for your help/suggestions!


----------



## Bill Hays (Aug 9, 2010)

Certainly the compression spring can act as the trigger spring as well... but in your original the trigger spring would function as an over travel limiter as well... In my simpler diagram you may not need a trigger spring at all either, so long as the bottom part of the housing abutts up against the top of the trigger which would in turn prevent forward trigger travel.

Anyway, there's lots and lots of trigger designs out there... but to be honest with you it's really hard to beat this one:






Of course, so long as you have a stable handhold at the rear... you may not even want or need a trigger at all:


----------



## oldmiser (Jan 22, 2014)

Now that is really cleaver ldea so simple seems like a lot of fun could be had with either one of those shooters

AKAOldmiser


----------



## rockslinger (Nov 16, 2010)

Here's Hrawks design, works pretty well.

http://slingshotforum.com/topic/13306-slingshot-gun-with-plans/?hl=%2Btrigger+%2Bmechanism

Scroll down to trigger mechanism.


----------

