# Absolute beginner, how long until I get decent?



## Tripper (Oct 7, 2014)

As a woodcarver, I decided to make a few TTF's from a persimmon log. Ordered 3 theraband pouch/band setups to get rolling. After about a week of maybe shooting 20-30 shots a day, some days I can't shoot nearly as good as the previous.

While lurking, I noticed a post that stated to give a new SS 6 weeks before deciding if it's right for the shooter. Is this roughly how long it takes to "get the hang of it"?

Started out at 10M and have reduced to about 6-7M, shooting at my upturned recycling bin with a can strung up (towel backstop).

Even moving in, little improvement. My GF shot for one day (the first) and we both seemed to hit about the same %, she hasn't shot since. I thought that after watching vid's and researching the fundamentals, I would get better quickly. Not really happening, but still experimenting with aiming vs quick instinctive shots. No real difference, but some days each style produces better results.

I enjoy shooting, so that's all that REALLY matters, but still, I want to see more accuracy. Using 1/4 and 5/16th" BB with single tapered TBG. I know it's not going to happen overnight, but how much practice should I expect until I can see a noticeable improvement?

Pretty handy with air rifles (not that it means anything), but the YouTube SS vid's make it look so easy. I guess i'm just looking for some encouragement.

Sometimes I just "know" in the instant before release i'm going to ping it. Sometimes I feel everything is right, but miss all around 10+ shots in a row. Anyone ever refuse to stop until they hit their mark? Anyone stay up till 2 AM before it finally happens?

Glad I found this forum and love the vids from YT! I wish I could blame my progress on equipment, but since I made it (and both of my TTF's *feel* perfect), that's would be an even bigger poke in the eye.

Maybe I should just chill for a few days and then pick it back up?


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## ghost0311/8541 (Jan 6, 2013)

Give you a tip stop aiming right now and just look at your target find a small spot and look at it draw and shoot that's how I shoot most of the time let your hands and eyes work together the trick is to do the same thing ever time then you will see how to aim.


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## HMIB (Jul 30, 2014)

I know how you feel. I started with a paper target to see where I was hitting, moved on to a soda can and last week started using a plastic golf ball which I am hitting 10% to 15% of the time out of 30 shots twice a day. I am about three months into it, maybe I am slow but this is an individual sport and everyone learns and improves at their own pace. Have fun and enjoy the experience and accuracy will come. BTW I found using a smaller target dramatically improved my accuracy.

Felix


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## Tentacle Toast (Jan 17, 2013)

Gains may not appear significant at first, but I guarantee you're improving. Are you "tweaking" your pouch? Give it about a half turn prior to launch. A lot of begginers don't do this, but start getting real good once they do.

Good luck, & welcome aboard!


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## Dalethor (Sep 23, 2014)

My 2 cents on this is to stop worrying so much about hitting your target, and see rather if the majority of your shots go in the same general spot, maybe about a 4 inch area of your backstop. If that is the case, you have the basics down pretty well, and can then work on your accuracy which will come with time and practice. If your shots all seem to be randomly going every which way in an inconsistent manner, you might need to look a bit more closely at your release techniques. Might try to turn your hand over so your thumb is on the bottom, fingers on the top so you can more easily keep your thumb from curling over the pouch. But anyway, bottom line is keep at it. As long as you're enjoying your experience, the rest will come with time and practice.

I should have read the other responses first basically repeated what was already said. Anyway, don't give up, this is like any other shooting sport. I'm brand new at this as well, but the fundamentals to shooting are pretty much universal, comes down to consistently doing the same things each time the same way. Good luck to you, and most of all keep having fun.


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## devils son in law (Sep 2, 2014)

Tripper, I've been shooting for only one month and have those days when I can hit 50% then other days I can't hit from 3 feet away. I have a few shooters and bounce back and forth between them. Maybe I need to pick just one and use it exclusively till I improve, but the urge to shoot all of them is just too appealing. Bulls eye or not it's too much fun to get too frustrated.

I'll try the advice above and try a softer target just to see if I'm consistent, but ripping that PBR can apart sure is fun!!


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## flippinfool (Aug 22, 2014)

My uncle told me one time, in regards to archery, "Get consistent then get accurate". I guess that could apply to slingshots too.


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## Greavous (Sep 29, 2013)

When I teach a person to shoot I stress getting the fork frame square with the bands. How the frame is held has everything to do with where that ball hits. That and how I pinch the ball in the pouch. It took me a week or so before I got to where I could hit some percentage of the time. Once I focused on the basics and got them to be a natural part of my shooting form I hit most all the time.

Also, Ive noticed that new shooters tend to want to adjust their sighting first when its band/frame alignment causing the ball to impact in a place other than intended. Fix your form and you wont have to adjust your aim every time you shoot. An example of this is how you draw. To be consistent your bands need to be stretched the same amount each time. That part is easy enough. Now, where that hand which holds the ball in the pouch is in relationship to your head can make a world of difference.

If you are shooting TTF, use the Bill Hays tip and draw a straight line down the middle of your top band with a fine tipped pen. The line will elongate as you draw and really exposes out of square issues with your draw and frame alignment.


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## NaturalFork (Jan 21, 2010)

I have been shooting for years and am still not all that good ... so ...it depends!


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## Drhanson (Jul 2, 2014)

Take all the great advise that is offered, and keep on shooting, one day it will all fall together.


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## Samurai Samoht (Apr 6, 2013)

Lots of good advice so far. Definitely check out some of Bill Hays youtube videos for his shooting instructions. When its a day that you just can't hit the target to save your life it might be a good idea to walk away for a short while and come back later. If your accuracy is suffering that badly then you don't want to reinforce any mistake in your form. After all of that... practice, practice, practice  .

You could experiment with some larger ammo and see how it affects the release. I personally found it easier to shoot 3/8" or 7/16" steel vs something smaller like 1/4", but that's just me.

Tom


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## Alfred E.M. (Jul 5, 2014)

*Patience. Maybe a couple of cliches might help - 'If it was easy, everyone would do it' and 'It's the journey, not the destination.' *


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## Charles (Aug 26, 2010)

This question comes up often. You will benefit from reading through the following thread.

http://slingshotforum.com/topic/38000-to-aim-or-not-to-aim/

As I said there, if you want to be able to consistently hit small targets, learn to aim. Learning to aim is not very difficult if you go about it systematically. Check out these videos.
















I will repeat: as of this date, no one has ever achieved any of our accuracy badges without aiming.

http://slingshotforum.com/topic/24606-pocket-predator-shooting-contest-fun-prizes-and-increased-skills/

http://slingshotforum.com/topic/20427-competition-slingshot-qualification-badge/

http://slingshotforum.com/topic/36016-bb-king-and-not-the-blues-musician/

There is no deep, dark secret. You just have to practice. The more you do it, the more second nature it becomes ... you will get better and faster, and it will come to seem intuitive. Start with large targets, close up ... perhaps a milk jug at 5 meters. Gradually increase your distance, and gradually decrease the size of your target.

Just keep shooting. Nothing succeeds like success. If you are missing a lot, check your form ... use a larger target ... move closer. When you are consistently hitting your target, move it further away and/or use a smaller target.

Cheers ... Charles


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## Lacumo (Aug 18, 2013)

+1 on the good, solid advice above. If you want to whittle it all down to one word---"Practice." Good ideas above about starting with larger targets at short distances and gradually decreasing target size and increasing distance.

Different shooters will have different opinions, but I think if you put in half an hour every other day, you'll see improvement before long. You can up the ante and practice longer and more frequently than that, but don't get burned out and lose your grip on having a good time and enjoying yourself. If you're not enjoying yourself, you might as well be hitting yourself on the head with a 2"x4"...

Above all else, always wear safety glasses and take serious, focused care to avoid thumb, finger and hand strikes. Eye injuries can be disastrously life-changing and on a lesser level, *nothing* will take the wind out of your sails, the fun out of the hobby and set you as far back as quickly as thumb, finger and hand strikes!


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## Tentacle Toast (Jan 17, 2013)

Lacumo is dead-right with the safety glasses, friend...don't take chances with the peepers. I've been shooting since I was a child, & have worn them since I've known better. This can't be stressed enough...


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## treefork (Feb 1, 2010)

Every body is different so only you can answer this given your life experience and motivation .


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## Drhanson (Jul 2, 2014)

Something that has not been mentioned, that I seem to overlook quite frequently, warm up and stretch before you start shooting, I think the older you get the more you need this, I seem to forget and for me it makes a big difference.


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## jazz (May 15, 2012)

I shoot slingshots for whole my life, over sixty years.

Still, ocasionaly I surprise myself with a trembling fork hit, nasty hand slap, shameful richochet, totaly miserable miss of the target (I mean missing the whole ammo catcher not only the cocacola can) and a beautiful new curse that I never heard from myself.

The only important thing is that you read a lot, try a lot and never give up.

Cheers,

jazz


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## Tripper (Oct 7, 2014)

Thanks guys - never expected such a great response. Today I focused on pouch placement and anchor point - got to where I could feel it on my cheek after a few shots. Also just shot 5 balls at a time. 1st 1 out of 5, 2nd round the same and 3rd 2 out of 5. Called it quits on a good note!

I've watched the vids, but as Mr Hays says "YOU can't see the problem when shooting". I think my release needs more practice - currently thumb on top, so I will experiment with the slight twist. Overall, felt better today and I speeded things up in the aiming department - draw down low, raise to target and pull straight back to initiate release (like in Bill's vid). SS (aiming) hand was a little shaky though. Might need to let the muscles rest a few days, then really focus on keeping things "square" and continue to focus on pouch placement and a consistent release...a lot to think about! I'm sure in a few weeks some of these will develop into a 2nd nature thing where I can at least do one consistently (maybe). Had a small audience so i was really happy to at least look somewhat respectable (trying to get some buds into shooting). I tried to tell them that shooting is shooting, whether a 7mm Mag or a SS and they should give it a try! Can't beat back porch shooting in the city limits in terms of cost and convenience, not to mention the pure enjoyment.

I like the bigger target idea. Maybe helps with confidence, but also like ripping the Sh*t out of a can. Maybe I'll use a 24 oz pounder next time. Since I tied my own bands, safety glasses are a must. Not that any have snapped before noticing a problem, but with no insurance, I'm not taking any chances.

SS shooting reminds me a lot of golf, when in the groove, it's an easy game. Get out of whack in one area and all falls apart and finding ones problem area can be frustrating. I learned early to stop keeping score and just enjoy the experience (still suck at golf, but if I play, I make a point to enjoy it regardless).

PS - the 1st *question* to sign up still has me baffled - "ON1 + THR3" or something like that? Tried 11+33=44; 1+3=4; ON1+THR3=ON1THR3....what am I missing? I guess I'm OCD since this bugged me all night. Thankfully the question changed after 3-4 attempts. Someone please explain this one! It's still bugging me....


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## Tag (Jun 11, 2014)

Keep us informed on your progress, I know it helps me to post my good and bad days. Someone on the forum always has some good advice.


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## Devoman (Oct 15, 2010)

Slingshots are like golf, a lifetime to master.... but never completely, still way fun to let that ball fly  . Need I say more?


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## THWACK! (Nov 25, 2010)

HMIB said:


> I know how you feel. I started with a paper target to see where I was hitting, moved on to a soda can and last week started using a plastic golf ball which I am hitting 10% to 15% of the time out of 30 shots twice a day. I am about three months into it, maybe I am slow but this is an individual sport and everyone learns and improves at their own pace. Have fun and enjoy the experience and accuracy will come. BTW I found using a smaller target dramatically improved my accuracy.
> 
> Felix


HMIB is absoutely correct - he's talking about "aim big, miss big - aim small, miss small". It's all about focus. It's hard not to hit the side of a barn, but it won't teach you anything.

Regards,

THWACK!


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