# SS black .6 update



## StringSlap (Mar 2, 2019)

I've been shooting the snot out of SS .6, Precise .6 and GZK .62. They all perform very well and it really comes down to personal choice as far as which you feel is best, but I will say that so far the band life of the SS is by far superior to the other two. One frame with the SS already had a couple hundred shots on it before I started with the others and the Precise/GZK already failed. They still gave a few hundred shots (life's too short to count shots for band life stats!), but the SS is clearly lasting much longer. Of course the next batch could completely flip flop, but this is my experience for now.


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## High Desert Flipper (Aug 29, 2020)

I love the SS 0.6. I have had several different latex brands spread around a few slings that I have been shooting every day. Cattyshack 0.82, Precise 3rd 0.75 and 0.5, and Gong Chi 0.65 in addition to the SS 0.6. Had the 0.6 on a PP Sideshooter and the 5/16 steel just screamed out of it.

And while I love numbers like the chronograph, I wholeheartedly agree that life is way to short to count shots.

I have to say I am impressed with all of the bands, including and especially the SS 0.6. Shooting at least 5 days a week, and sometimes all 7 days in the week, all lasted at into the third week. No idea on shot count but several hundred plus for each. And had the chronograph out early and late in the cycle and all continued to perform as well at the end of the second week as they did at the start of the first. Here in the third week, they are starting to fail. Including the SS.

No disappointment though. I have to say when I am shooting every day and changing bands every other week, the lifespan of flat latex isn't really on my list of concerns.


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## Harry Knuckles (Sep 28, 2020)

StringSlap said:


> I've been shooting the snot out of SS .6, Precise .6 and GZK .62. They all perform very well and it really comes down to personal choice as far as which you feel is best, but I will say that so far the band life of the SS is by far superior to the other two. One frame with the SS already had a couple hundred shots on it before I started with the others and the Precise/GZK already failed. They still gave a few hundred shots (life's too short to count shots for band life stats!), but the SS is clearly lasting much longer. Of course the next batch could completely flip flop, but this is my experience for now.





High Desert Flipper said:


> I love the SS 0.6. I have had several different latex brands spread around a few slings that I have been shooting every day. Cattyshack 0.82, Precise 3rd 0.75 and 0.5, and Gong Chi 0.65 in addition to the SS 0.6. Had the 0.6 on a PP Sideshooter and the 5/16 steel just screamed out of it.
> 
> And while I love numbers like the chronograph, I wholeheartedly agree that life is way to short to count shots.
> 
> ...


What size ammo and draw length are you shooting? I shoot 3/8" steel with SS .5 at a 50" draw and was wondering if I should step up to 0.6.


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## StringSlap (Mar 2, 2019)

Harry Knuckles said:


> StringSlap said:
> 
> 
> > I've been shooting the snot out of SS .6, Precise .6 and GZK .62. They all perform very well and it really comes down to personal choice as far as which you feel is best, but I will say that so far the band life of the SS is by far superior to the other two. One frame with the SS already had a couple hundred shots on it before I started with the others and the Precise/GZK already failed. They still gave a few hundred shots (life's too short to count shots for band life stats!), but the SS is clearly lasting much longer. Of course the next batch could completely flip flop, but this is my experience for now.
> ...


Shooting 5/16 and 3/8, but it's a little over the top for the 5/16 so mostly 3/8. Much smoother shot and less noisy with the 3/8. About a 30" draw.


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## Ibojoe (Mar 13, 2016)

I was just thinking I got a good batch cause I can’t wear the SS out. I shoot 7/16 steel with the .50 @ 63” of draw. It handles the heavier steel with ease. I keep checking on the pouch ties cause these should have broken a long time ago. I’m glad too cause In 3 days it’s in my mail box. I’m sold.


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## Harry Knuckles (Sep 28, 2020)

Ibojoe said:


> I was just thinking I got a good batch cause I can't wear the SS out. I shoot 7/16 steel with the .50 @ 63" of draw. It handles the heavier steel with ease. I keep checking on the pouch ties cause these should have broken a long time ago. I'm glad too cause In 3 days it's in my mail box. I'm sold.


How do you tie your pouch? It could just be me but I've noticed if I tie TTF style (still shooting OTT) my bands last a lot longer and don't tear at the pouch. Anyone else notice this?


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## High Desert Flipper (Aug 29, 2020)

Harry Knuckles said:


> StringSlap said:
> 
> 
> > I've been shooting the snot out of SS .6, Precise .6 and GZK .62. They all perform very well and it really comes down to personal choice as far as which you feel is best, but I will say that so far the band life of the SS is by far superior to the other two. One frame with the SS already had a couple hundred shots on it before I started with the others and the Precise/GZK already failed. They still gave a few hundred shots (life's too short to count shots for band life stats!), but the SS is clearly lasting much longer. Of course the next batch could completely flip flop, but this is my experience for now.
> ...


I have no idea what to do with a 50" draw, I draw ~29" to my ear or cheek depending on the frame. For this last round of bands SS 0.6 24-16 tapers at ~500% stretch ratio was giving me ~265 fps with 5/16 steel and ~230 fps with 3/8" steel.

I have a lot of admiration for those that can shoot butterfly well, something I am planning on trying to learn after I get accurate enough with short draw to do well at 20-25 yards. I get the longer power stroke of the longer draw conceptually but don't have much idea what the actual numbers are. Being curious about this, I am planning on putting together a sling rifle with adjustable length to test the effect of longer draw lengths / power strokes on velocity. Something like using the same elastic at the same elongation ratio but different draw lengths to see just how much difference the longer draw makes.

But going back to your question, I imagine your longer draw adds quite a bit and that the SS 0.5 must be zipping the balls out really well when pulled back 50".


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## High Desert Flipper (Aug 29, 2020)

Harry Knuckles said:


> Ibojoe said:
> 
> 
> > I was just thinking I got a good batch cause I can't wear the SS out. I shoot 7/16 steel with the .50 @ 63" of draw. It handles the heavier steel with ease. I keep checking on the pouch ties cause these should have broken a long time ago. I'm glad too cause In 3 days it's in my mail box. I'm sold.
> ...


I tie my pouches TTF using trying tape. I took most of my cues on pouch tying from Bill Hays' excellent summary and videos at https://pocketpredator.com/faq.html.I regularly get ~2 weeks of daily shooting out of a band set. I used to tie the same way using waxed button thread and constrictor knots. Life of those bands was also good but I think it has gotten better since switching to the tying tape.

I usually shoot several slingshots each day so my daily shot count per band set is probably not very high. Maybe anywhere from 20-50 shots per band set per day? And I rarely shoot "every" day of the week but usually get out at least 5 days and sometimes all 7.

Someday I will really have to count shot life on my band sets, I really have no idea. I am certain it is well north of 200 but it could really be over 500 or maybe even higher, just something I am haven't tracked and really don't even have a good gut feeling estimate for. One thing I can say is I get both good life and good velocity so I don't think I am sacrificing performance to gain life by under stretching the bands. For SS elastic I am right around 500% elongation.

But I do like a little variety and usually shoot both light and heavy setups nearly every session, sometimes doing light and heavy with two different frames even (Taurus and Scorpion). This constant variation is probably not great for developing accuracy but I enjoy it. It is pretty cool to hit with both light and setups all in the same session! On great days when I have enough time, I will feed all four of them a can and go home feeling great!

And all of my bands do fail. It would be nice if it were at months but I'm happy with well over a week and usually over two on average. When mine fail ~90% fail at the pouch by tearing at the band side of where they are tied to the pouch. The rest, especially the thinner elastics, occasionally fail by getting holes in the middle of the bands, usually toward the thin end of the tapers- maybe these are thin areas in the elastic sheet? Thankfully I spot most of these and retire the band set before it fails in a spot where I get a face slap. I don't always notice the tears near the pouch but have not yet been slapped in the face when a band set fails at the pouch tie while I am shooting.

FWIW, I also shoot TTF, and trust Bill Hays' conclusion that band tying style really doesn't matter, i.e. same accuracy whether OTT or TTF tied bands are used with OTT or TTF frame mounting. All just personal preference I think and I have gotten into a groove where I like tying TTF bands.


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## Harry Knuckles (Sep 28, 2020)

High Desert Flipper said:


> Harry Knuckles said:
> 
> 
> > Ibojoe said:
> ...


Thank you for the detailed response. A lot of great info for me here.

I agree that I haven't seen any accuracy improvement/degradation through tying TTF or OTT but I have noticed band life improvements. I have a small jar of 3/8" when totally full to the top is 250 balls. I pull from this jar until it's empty and then unload my catch box. This is the way I track my shooting count. The TTF tied bands will consistently last for 2 jars or more (500+ shots) but the OTT tied bands have been only making 1 jar or 1 1/2 jars.

I figure if TTF tying doesn't hurt my accuracy and improves band life then why not use it.

I'm cutting my bands at 3/4" to 5/8" taper 11 1/2" active band length, so I not maxing out to full 500% to increase band life. But this cut still allows me to puncture a soup can and leave a sizable dent on the opposite side. I wish I had a chronograph to test the true FPS :hmm:


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## High Desert Flipper (Aug 29, 2020)

Inte



Harry Knuckles said:


> High Desert Flipper said:
> 
> 
> > Harry Knuckles said:
> ...


A great way to count shots! Unfortunately I don't shoot at home so is more difficult as I empty my catchbox out and stick it back in the van every day.

Also very interesting to hear the different band life from different pouch tying methods- that hadn't crossed my mind.

The chronograph is a lot of fun. But it can also be a big distraction. Real life things like tin cans are also great measures returning tangible "data" vs hard numbers. Whatever number I get out of the chrono it is going through a soup can that makes my day. When hanging in the box the 3/8" usually penetrates a soup can, the 5/16" less often but does so on solid hits with my setups. When the can is filled with water the 3/8" usually gets through both sides and makes me smile when I look at entry and exit holes.


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## StringSlap (Mar 2, 2019)

Guess I'll be trying out TTF tying now!


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## StringSlap (Mar 2, 2019)

OK so tying TTF is TTF (Totally Too Fidgety)! I have no issues with accuracy tied OTT so why muddy the waters?

I started this thread touting the virtues of SS .6, but I just made a band set with the SS die cut .5 and man that stuff is pretty darn good too! A bit slower with 3/8, but so buttery smooth and really accurate. Really trying to settle on one brand and size bands. I'm so confused!


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## High Desert Flipper (Aug 29, 2020)

Getting back to your original line with the thread- the SS latex is just plain good stuff.


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