# Bands 101



## RonanMcLlyr (Jan 12, 2022)

I'm shooting bands and have to buy my first set of bands and pouches. I'm shooting an Axiom Ocularis with 3/8" steel. My archery draw length to the corner of my lip is 27" and i draw my slingshot to my earlobe. 

I tried to find something in our forums that covered the basics like terms taper widths, thickness, band length (based on what?) and pouch size. Is there a post that I missed that talks everything bands? Taper? Lengths? Pouch size? Shooting multiples?

How do I choose what's right?

Thanks.


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## Highway41 (Dec 19, 2021)

Simple Shot has precut and tied bands that are a good starting point. As long as you're not trying to shoot butterfly. 








Standard Flat Bands (7/16") | SimpleShot Slingshot Bands


Standard Flat Bands from SimpleShot Rubber Slingshot Bands - Made with SimpleShot Premium Latex. Not just a compromise, but an entirely new formulation of latex made specifically for SimpleShot, specifically for slingshot performance! Standard Band Size = 7/16" - 18mm x 22mm - 0.7mm thick...




simple-shot.com


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## High Desert Flipper (Aug 29, 2020)

There is a wealth of info on this forum. If anything, there may be too many posts making it hard to find what you are looking for. If you search for tapers or elastic types etc. you will come up with many good threads.

Alternatively, if you provide a few details like the ammo you would like to shoot, your purpose (targets or hunting or both) and some details like your draw length you are likely to get many great suggestions for latex brand, thickness, taper, etc..


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## RonanMcLlyr (Jan 12, 2022)

High Desert Flipper said:


> There is a wealth of info on this forum. If anything, there may be too many posts making it hard to find what you are looking for. If you search for tapers or elastic types etc. you will come up with many good threads.
> 
> Alternatively, if you provide a few details like the ammo you would like to shoot, your purpose (targets or hunting or both) and some details like your draw length you are likely to get many great suggestions for latex brand, thickness, taper, etc..


Some of my questions are the terminology itself. I know what a taper is but not what the numbers associated with it is like 30/20. I see 1842 related to bands and 5mm but don't know what that means. 🤔 I'll edit my main post to include that information. Thanks!


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## High Desert Flipper (Aug 29, 2020)

RonanMcLlyr said:


> Some of my questions are the terminology itself. I know what a taper is but not what the numbers associated with it is like 30/20. I see 1842 related to bands and 5mm but don't know what that means. 🤔 I'll edit my main post to include that information. Thanks!


The numbers are the taper measurements. 30/20 would be a band that is 30mm wide at one end and 20mm wide at the other, tapering from 30mm to 20mm. Sometimes measured in metric and sometimes English like 3/4-1/2 tapers, 3/4" to 1/2" taper over the length of the band.

I believe 1842 are tubes and not flat bands. I don't really use tubes and don't get the jargon around them.


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## RonanMcLlyr (Jan 12, 2022)

High Desert Flipper said:


> The numbers are the taper measurements. 30/20 would be a band that is 30mm wide at one end and 20mm wide at the other, tapering from 30mm to 20mm. Sometimes measured in metric and sometimes English like 3/4-1/2 tapers, 3/4" to 1/2" taper over the length of the band.
> 
> I believe 1842 are tubes and not flat bands. I don't really use tubes and don't get the jargon around them.


So does the 30/20 run 30mm at the forks and 20mm at the pouch?


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## StringSlap (Mar 2, 2019)

RonanMcLlyr said:


> So does the 30/20 run 30mm at the forks and 20mm at the pouch?


Yup!


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## Whytey (Sep 26, 2021)

RonanMcLlyr said:


> So does the 30/20 run 30mm at the forks and 20mm at the pouch?


Yes
If you buy pre-cut bands with pouches to start, they will be longer than you need(SimpleShot are 10").
eg. if you decide to go with a 450% stretch..... 27 divided by 4.5 = 6" active band length(ABL) plus add 1" extra for frame and ocularis attachment..... so cut the bands at 7".
If you decide to make you own bands you will have to add an extra 1/2 -1" for the pouch tie end.

Need to add an A3 self healing cutting mat, rotary cutter and a 12" quilting ruler to your "need to get" list.


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## Valery (Jan 2, 2020)

High Desert Flipper said:


> I believe 1842 are tubes and not flat bands. I don't really use tubes and don't get the jargon around them.


That's right, they're tubes. The numbers indicate the diameters, in this case 1.8 mm is the inner diameter of the tube, and 4.2 mm is the outer diameter. It's simple.


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## High Desert Flipper (Aug 29, 2020)

Yes, wide end always at the forks.

One great feature of this is that bands usually break at the narrow end. When this is near the pouch the broken band recoils toward the fork, instead of snapping back to whap the shooter in the face.


Valery said:


> That's right, they're tubes. The numbers indicate the diameters, in this case 1.8 mm is the inner diameter of the tube, and 4.2 mm is the outer diameter. It's simple.


Thank you, that makes way too much sense and glad I know it now! Tubes were just jumbled numbers to me before.


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## olenickdesigns (Oct 2, 2021)

Valery said:


> That's right, they're tubes. The numbers indicate the diameters, in this case 1.8 mm is the inner diameter of the tube, and 4.2 mm is the outer diameter. It's simple.


lol until i found that explanation reading over time on tubes, i was so confused on those numbers as well. a little search shed some light. 



RonanMcLlyr said:


> Some of my questions are the terminology itself. I know what a taper is but not what the numbers associated with it is like 30/20. I see 1842 related to bands and 5mm but don't know what that means. 🤔 I'll edit my main post to include that information. Thanks!


i think the 5mm when related to tubes is probably the diameter of the tube itself. to make things more interesting there are both open and solid tubes. never shot them but i think ive heard 2-3mm solid tubes shoot bb's/.25" balls pretty good


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