# Double your accuracy with this one weird trick



## Sherman (Oct 2, 2012)

Okay, I have no trick to offer, but I did seemingly just double my accuracy. I'm not exactly sure why. A couple days ago I banded up that new ply slingshot ("purple haze" that I posted about). For some reason it was just obvious to me how to line up the tubes on that slingshot. Within a few minutes I was totally confident of my shooting right to left and it only took a few shots to get my up/down dialed in. I've been shooting tubes (doubles and singles) for a couple months, but for some reason the line-up of the bands on this slingshot just seemed obvious in a way it never has before. Maybe it was the contrast of the purple slingshot and yellow bands (you gotta use complimentary colors -- that's the secret! Ha).

Anyway, I am serious that this literally feel into place within minutes and my accuracy pretty much doubled. What I mean is that I was hitting about 30-40% on a can at 10 meters (for months) and suddenly I was hitting 80-90% -- several times hitting 10 or 11 in a row. I moved to a 3" leather target and hit just as accurately. Today I tried it again with the same results. Turns out I wasn't dreaming.

After a lot of hits I wasn't getting the can to break so I switched to the Torque with double 2040 and 3/8" steel and it became much more obvious how line up bands and shoot that better as well. I don't think I was as accurate as with the little bb shooter with single bands shooting 1/4" steel (hard to tell since I only shot maybe 5 or 6 shots), but I definitely jumped a lot in accuracy with the Torque as well.

Although I really can't explain most of it, I think part is simply that I've been shooting a lot (with different slingshots and band/tube sets) and I'm building muscle memory and refining my release, etc. I think I was overthinking issues with closing one eye or leaving both open. My dominant eye is opposite, so this threw me off for a while, but switching hands didn't work for me so I just started using my non-dominant eye and closing my dominant eye. Then I tried all kinds of things to sight my target, but just looking at the tubes and getting them lined up works great -- no need for other adjustments or maybe my non-dominant eye and brain are compensating now? I only tried flatbands briefly today and it seems like I got better there too, though I couldn't seem to line them up as precisely and be as confident as with the tubes (esp. single tubes).

Anyway -- about the photos. I couldn't get the can to break with 1/4" so I switched to 3/8. I got the can almost separated and decided to switch to 1/2" steel (still using the Torque). I almost never shoot this ammo. I couldn't hit the target to save my life. I must have missed the can 10 times and then I got a flier (still not sure what I did) that landed 3 feet to the right of the target. It hit the wood shed door. I took a look and it left it a nice divot (you can see it in all three photos) and I checked the wood slat and it had been totally separated from the door. That was a solid hit.

Anyone care to explain all this? How did I suddenly get far more accurate and why could I shoot 1/4" and 3/8 steel so well and then shoot 1/2" horribly?


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## NaturalFork (Jan 21, 2010)

So .... what was the trick? :iono:


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## treefork (Feb 1, 2010)

NaturalFork said:


> So .... what was the trick? :iono:


" Maybe it was the contrast of the purple slingshot and yellow bands (you gotta use complimentary colors -- that's the secret! Ha "


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## treefork (Feb 1, 2010)

" Anyone care to explain all this? How did I suddenly get far more accurate and why could I shoot 1/4" and 3/8 steel so well and then shoot 1/2" horribly? "

The Torque has a very narrow gap . Make sure with the 1/2 inch you're holding the ammo by the side and not in front of the ball . This will exaggerate the " speed bump effect " off your index finger .

Turn the pouch 90 degrees . Now the ammo will clear the forks . Spend time shooting the 1/2 inch until you remedy the problem . The 1/2 inch is exaggerating an error your making and once you figure it out you will be a better all round shooter .


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## Charles (Aug 26, 2010)

The secret is lots of practice ....

Cheers .... Charles


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## Chuck Daehler (Mar 17, 2015)

Some time ago I posted a "learning curve" graph and explanation in the General section. Essentially, a typical learning curve for about everything involves an initial spurt of ability from zero to "something". That levels off for a while then suddenly another spurt of ability happens, you are elated, but that levels off too. Then a third spurt of ability happens and levels off and often doesn't improve much if at all from that...you are now at your peak ability level. Exception, a fourth spurt of ability happens.

As Charles stated, practice causes these learning spurts to happen, patience, practice, self analysis, positive attitude. The "Oh crap, I can't get any better than this, (expletive de jour)". sort of thing only serves as a detriment to progress...you limit yourself, the slingshot is not the limit (unless the forks are too narrow for TTF or the elastic/ammo combination is funky).

Finding the sweet spot for a given ammo regarding the elastics is also a factor, an important one. The same frame can fire off fliers a lot with elastic that isn't matched to the ammo (and vice versa).

Holding the frame in place after you release is just as important as not flinching when firing a fire arm..hold that pose until the projectile hits the target, freeze in place. Flinching at release is a major cause of inconsistent hits.


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## Sherman (Oct 2, 2012)

Yep, definitely practice.

My point in that long meandering message was mostly about my surprise at jumping in accuracy so suddenly. Good for inspiring those who are feeling like they aren't getting better to keep at it and also to mix it up and try different set-ups. I know many say that using the exact same set-up is best for getting good and that may very well be true, but I definitely found mixing it was helpful (and more fun). Also, I think I would have advanced much faster (and would advance much faster) with a mentor in person. You get a lot of that support and knowledge from the slingshot forums of course, but it's not the same as having someone there to see what you need to adjust and helping you figure it out.


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## Court215 (Mar 2, 2015)

If you're shooting better don't question it, it's all you


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## Dayhiker (Mar 13, 2010)

Not everyone can help you with advice. What works for some is of no use for others. For my own part, if I followed Chuck's advice about using "self analysis" too much I'd be dead in the water. I am uncomfortable with aiming down the bands and excessive self-awareness when shooting. But others can't hit the target without reference to some part of the bands or the forktips. I found my big growth spurt when I stopped doing those things, and when I stopped paying too much attention to the minutia of my body mechanics. I just try to "know" the location of the ball in my pouch hand in relation to the target and let it go when I sense they are in line. Like when you throw a rock or a baseball. But this doesn't work for a lot of people.


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