# specifically for some of our long shooting vets



## BCLuxor (Aug 24, 2010)

Ok guys at some point this week I have come to realise something is a miss , I have been spending more time making and browsing this forum than I have shooting my creations... this in combination with my bad ammo has left me wounding some relatively easy targets. Over the weekend I plan on finally tidying my workshop, removing all the junk , set my range back up and collect all the bbs I have just left discarded on the floor... so anyway I have 10ft clear shooting space which I know is a little short ( I feel like I'm on the target) with a old bedsheet over a rope to catch the shots. I will be shooting the "official" target one of the ssf put up a while back as I want to see improvement. my question is if I only shoot at this range at the same target will this still improve my shooting at later distances 30-70 ft say or will I only hone in at 10ft .... thanks


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## shooter452 (Nov 6, 2010)

You just need to make sure your target is small enough to challenge you. Like a water bottle top or something. If your target is too large you could still be hitting center with slightly "off" shots at that range. If your target is very small you will still see (and correct) inconsistant shooting or form that will translate to better shooting at longer range. Bottom line....any shooting is better than no shooting but the best use of your time will be to make your close target very small if improving your shooting is your goal.


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## NaturalFork (Jan 21, 2010)

becoming accurate at that distance will help with long distance shots. However 10 feet is extremely close. You would have to have a needlepoint as a target.


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## BCLuxor (Aug 24, 2010)

Yes I know I'm close but I don't like being outset when my neighbors are and thats most the time lol ... I'm going to be shooting for the bull on the ssf target its about 1cm diameter at 10ft I think for the mean time this will help..


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## THWACK! (Nov 25, 2010)

gone said:


> Ok guys at some point this week I have come to realise something is a miss , I have been spending more time making and browsing this forum than I have shooting my creations... this in combination with my bad ammo has left me wounding some relatively easy targets. Over the weekend I plan on finally tidying my workshop, removing all the junk , set my range back up and collect all the bbs I have just left discarded on the floor... so anyway I have 10ft clear shooting space which I know is a little short ( I feel like I'm on the target) with a old bedsheet over a rope to catch the shots. I will be shooting the "official" target one of the ssf put up a while back as I want to see improvement. my question is if I only shoot at this range at the same target will this still improve my shooting at later distances 30-70 ft say or will I only hone in at 10ft .... thanks


I originally thought that the topic "...long shooting vets", had something to do with tall ex-soldiers.
But I decided to read it anyway.

You're shooting so close now that the projectile is shooting very flat (little or no trajectory). But as you increase the distance between you and the target, you'll have to contend with and compensate for trajectory. It is of note that the heavier the projectile, the flatter the trajectory.


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## Charles (Aug 26, 2010)

THWACK! said:


> You're shooting so close now that the projectile is shooting very flat (little or no trajectory). But as you increase the distance between you and the target, you'll have to contend with and compensate for trajectory. It is of note that the heavier the projectile, the flatter the trajectory.


I think THWACK mis-spoke. A heavier projectile will move more slowly, and so will have a greater arc. A lighter projectile will move more quickly, and so have a flatter arc. A 3/8 inch steel ball will have a flatter trajectory than a 3/8 inch lead ball; and a 3/8 inch lead ball will have a flatter trajectory than a .44 caliber lead ball.

Cheers .... Charles


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## NightKnight (Dec 16, 2009)

Assuming that they are moving at the same speed, a projectlile with greater mass will have a flatter arc due to inertia. It will also hold it's speed longer because the same inertia effect will cause it to resist the air resistance longer, and it will be less effected by drafts so it will be more accurate as well.


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## THWACK! (Nov 25, 2010)

NightKnight said:


> Assuming that they are moving at the same speed, a projectlile with greater mass will have a flatter arc due to inertia. It will also hold it's speed longer because the same inertia effect will cause it to resist the air resistance longer, and it will be less effected by drafts so it will be more accurate as well.


"Greater mass" in this case = greater density = greater weight= my theory re: the lead projectile, correct NightKNight?


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## NightKnight (Dec 16, 2009)

That is correct.

As per the origonal question, here are some calculations for you and some pictures to help you visualize.

http://www.handloads.com/calc/
Velocity: 200FPS
Weight: 230 Grain (50 cal lead)
Sighted in at: 3.5 yards
Ball Coefficient: .0755
Sight Height: 0
Muzzle Elevation: 0
Temp: 80
Altitude:
Wind: 0









So, if you get used to only shooting at 3.5 yards, when you move out to 30 yards your shot would be 40 inches low. That said, the brain is an amazing calculator. It won't take you long to adjust your shooting to match the range.

Here is a graph of how the Laser Slingshot sights:








And one showing how rifles aim.


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## Charles (Aug 26, 2010)

But since we are talking about slingshots, greater mass means lower velocity, means steeper arc. I think you will find that any given slingshot (of course assuming you are not changing bands) will propel a 3/8 inch ball faster, and with a flatter trajectory, than a 3/8 inch lead ball; and that slingshot will propel a 3/8 inch lead ball faster, and with a flatter trajectory, than a .44 caliber lead ball. I have never yet seen a hand held slingshot that will with the same set of bands propel 3/8 inch steel at the same velocity as 3/8 inch lead ball, nor propel 3/8 lead ball at the same velocity as .44 caliber lead ball.

I think it will be less confusing to a newcomer to just admit to them that their slingshot will have a flatter trajectory with lighter ammo.

Cheers ... Charles


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## dgui (Jan 12, 2010)

I'm not what you would call a veteran shooter and don't know how much longer I have to shoot but I like shooting cans the best, like a bean can but also shoot coins now and then, don't want a challenge I just want to have fun.


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## THWACK! (Nov 25, 2010)

dgui said:


> I'm not what you would call a veteran shooter and don't know how much longer I have to shoot but I like shooting cans the best, like a bean can but also shoot coins now and then, don't want a challenge I just want to have fun.


Man can shoot.


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## bullseyeben! (Apr 24, 2011)

I sometimes find it hard adjusting back to closer distance... all wknd was shooting quite well at 70ft, moved back to 33ft, and well it took me a few shots to start hitting consecutively, not the up and down, but was landing slightly right...


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## lightgeoduck (Apr 3, 2011)

if 10ft is all you got than 10ft is all you got, so shoot away. as far as a 1cm target, that's fine but if you are hitting it most of the time you should change things up to give you a challenge. The way it will benefit, as it did for me, is you can concentrate on your form. Another suggestion is to have multiple targets in different positions, so you can give yourself a different aiming perspective at such a short distance.

With that being said, you are going to have to increase your distance eventually and not too far from now, because even though you are shooting at a smaller target it is still much different shooting at a farther distance @ a bigger target.

LGD


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## slingshot_sniper (Feb 20, 2011)

The most important thing is you have 10 feet,this will tidy up things like pouch release and the such like.
And once you have nailed the finer things consistently i.e same motion over and over moving further back should be a breeze,start at 10 feet move back a little at a time....slowly slowly catcha monkey


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## Daniel J (Dec 15, 2010)

dgui said:


> I'm not what you would call a veteran shooter and don't know how much longer I have to shoot but I like shooting cans the best, like a bean can but also shoot coins now and then, don't want a challenge I just want to have fun.


same here.


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## THWACK! (Nov 25, 2010)

dgui said:


> I'm not what you would call a veteran shooter and don't know how much longer I have to shoot but I like shooting cans the best, like a bean can but also shoot coins now and then, don't want a challenge I just want to have fun.


I think us can recyclers should be recognized by the Green folks as making a great contribution to the cause.

As a matter of fact, I think we should be recognized by religious institutions for our contributions in making the cans Holey.

...but that's just me...


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