# What are the final limits of slingshot accuracy?



## Bill Hays

Lately I've been wondering... given the proper set up... Tex bands, a RayShot Super Pouch, and a slingshot that fits you just right... what ARE the actual limits to what can be done?

I know that in my case, today I lit 7 matches during practice and in the evening once it got dark and I was through making a bunch of slingshots for people... I lit another and got it on video.... hitting the match heads is now very easy and even lighting them is starting to become easier as well. Is this the limit, do you think?

Keep in mind what it entails to light a modern match with a steel ball bearing... you must so barely touch the match as the ball travels by to be successful... to much and it just knocks pieces of match head off or even breaks the stick, to little and you miss... extremely difficult. So is this the limit?






What is your best shot... post a video!


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## Hrawk

So is this the limit ?

I think not. I guestimate another 30 days or so and you will be lighting matches at 100 meters plus!


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## NaturalFork

my best shot is nowhere near that. But I did hit a can at 100 yards a few weeks back and i want to do it again on video. Excellent shooting! You are the best of the best.


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## Charles

I am amazed! No way can I ever come anywhere close to that. My limit seems to be hitting a soda can twice in a row at 10 meters!!!









As to YOUR limits ... well, who knows. I suppose distance shots come to mind. Next I suppose you could try striking that match further away.

I wonder what the subtended angle of that match head is at the distance at which you are shooting. Whatever it is, just extend that out to 20, 30, 40, or 50 meters. Then try a target that size at that distance. If you can hit a target SMALLER than that subtended angle at the requisite distance, then you are shooting better than the match head light. For example, a thumbtack at say 30 meters would appear smaller than the match head appears at 7 meters (or whatever distance you were shooting at). So if you can reliably hit a thumbtack at 30 meters, you are shooting better than the match at 7 meters. Or do as T (Tobias, Thorsten ??? I can't find the thread right now) did, and shoot at ball bearings ... hitting a .177 BB reliably at 10 or 20 meters has got to be tough.

Heck, it is all academic to me ... I can't even see that far!!! You are definitely THE MAN!

Cheers .... Charles


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## bullseyeben!

Well i did challenge you quietly ( maybe too quietly lol) to who could land a 9mm lead onto a nail or screw.. well I gave it about an hour and deemed it impossible. I blunt the end of the screw from hitting it, bent it also but couldn't thread one on! I was shooting at 45ft with 9mm lead.. if you can thread a lead ball on a wood screw bill from 45 foot plus ill send you a slingshot mate...












This attempt gave too much on impact, lost the washer too, but either way I gave up..


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## -SRS-45-

bullseyeben! said:


> Well i did challenge you quietly ( maybe too quietly lol) to who could land a 9mm lead onto a nail or screw.. well I gave it about an hour and deemed it impossible. I blunt the end of the screw from hitting it, bent it also but couldn't thread one on! I was shooting at 45ft with 9mm lead.. if you can thread a lead ball on a wood screw bill from 45 foot plus ill send you a slingshot mate...
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> This attempt gave too much on impact, lost the washer too, but either way I gave up..


Great idea bud, Bill I'd love to see this!


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## Bill Hays

I think the concept is sound... the execution is a little off. Either sharpen and narrow the screw to about a centimeter back from the tip, so that it's quite a bit thinner diameter.... or use something like a finishing nail and lightly grind a couple of reverse facing barbs onto it.
I, like you have used small lead balls on the knife blade cut shot, so I don't think the size of the lead is a problem, but the target you're using is just to big of a point on it to stick the ball.


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## Dayhiker

In answer to the title question, Bill, I think the limit has more to do with your eyesight than with your awesome control or the slingshot. Seems to me that if you can see it, you can hit it.


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## RedRubber

You're right Dayhiker, at least that's the way it looks to me from Bill's videos that I've seen. He is awesome!

RR


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## hawk2009

I cant beleive it what is so special about these strike anywhere matches I see in the description they are extra thick for longer burn and made from aspen wood, but they cost an extortionate amount of money to ship to England $1.99 to buy the matches and $29.50 for packaging what a rip off, the reason I want to try them is because swan vestas will not strike I have hit hit the head many times but they will not light just scraping the head also does not work not even a little smoke nothing.


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## hawk2009

Dayhiker said:


> In answer to the title question, Bill, I think the limit has more to do with your eyesight than with your awesome control or the slingshot. Seems to me that if you can see it, you can hit it.


My eyesight is not that good I cannot see some of the targets at 30ft so pick out a mark as a guide to where the target is that's how I hit mine as an example splitting paying cards I cannot see them but check where it is and look for a mark or a shadow behind or to the side of the target, only bad light stops me as I cannot see where the ammo is hitting.


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## Charles

The only thing that keeps me from cutting cards or striking matches is lack of skill ...









Cheers .... Charles


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## Bill Hays

Hello Hawk,
I actually did a shot a few weeks ago that is about the same as lighting a match and would probably be a good substitute, I just never uploaded it due to time constraints that day, and then forgot about it when pursuing the elusive match strikes.
Instead of splitting a lead ball on a knife or sword blade, you simply use two blades that bisect each other and shoot the center. I know it's a little easier to do than the match strike shots, but it's really impressive to most people and is a reasonably difficult stand in:






Also, in the video 3 of the balloons either popped or went down immediately... the fourth was deflated by the time I got to the box to get my swords.... so the shot worked, but not as quickly as anticipated, which is probably why I temporarily forgot about it.


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## Knoll




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## RedRubber

That's Incredible! Wow!

RR


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## Charles

Yet another amazing stunt! You could put together a few of these demonstrations and tour country fairs!!!

Cheers ...... Charles


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## Bill Hays

That's what I'm talking about, right there... cutting a lead ball in half on a blade is really fairly easy, if you can hit a card's edge not necessarily cut the card but just hit it, you can cut a ball in two. So cutting a card is actually much harder to do than halving a ball. But for some reason it's not as impressive to many people when a card gets cut.

Shooting two blades is a lot more difficult than doing one... but it is still easier to do than lighting a match.... not a whole lot easier but easier none the less. Yet for some reason the two blade shot got an "oooo and ah" from the Wife and the the match lights get a "ho hum".

BTW, you can tell if someone fakes the two blade shot by if all the balloons all explode with loud pop... remember there's only little quarters and shards of a ball hitting the balloons right up near the thicker blow up stem area, which almost always results in a more gradual deflation. Which is why I temporarily forgot about and didn't post this shot in the first place... to me it just wasn't visually appealling enough because of the deflation instead of loud bangs.


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## Knoll

Not sure 'bout the *country* fairs ... in U.S., those are the presidential primaries. But surely the county ones.


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## Megadippen

Well Bill i think its more because you have done the card cut so many times and when you do a new thing even if its easier ppl gets more impressed


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## Deltaboy1984

Bill is the best shot that I have seen on the web. I gotten where I can hit a soup can at 15 feet. I can only dream of lighting matchs or splitting cards.


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## Toddy

I have one for you Bill. A 12mm lead ball only just fits into a piece of 15mm copper pipe (that's 1/2" to you sir







). If you are off by just a mm or so the lead cuts on the edge of the pipe. Only the perfect shot fits with no damage to the soft lead ball.
I have tried this with over 200 shots now and have never done it without damage to the ball.
What do you think?


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## slingshot_sniper

My best shot...actually you could say lucky shot was a fly 7 feet away with a 4.5mm BB One shot out the air dead!! now this may sound easy but those blighters turn faster than a fighter plane in flight.

This kinda shot can never be captured on video due to the nature of the beast but I know in my own mind I achieved it once!....will I be able to do it again? I highly doubt it


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## Bill Hays

Toddy said:


> I have one for you Bill. A 12mm lead ball only just fits into a piece of 15mm copper pipe (that's 1/2" to you sir
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> ). If you are off by just a mm or so the lead cuts on the edge of the pipe. Only the perfect shot fits with no damage to the soft lead ball.
> I have tried this with over 200 shots now and have never done it without damage to the ball.
> What do you think?


LOL, the point was for others to post videos and pictures of their special shots, not me! Striking a match is much more difficult because you have to be accurate to within fractions of a millimeter.
Anyway, I'll do this shot for you Toddy... I don't have any copper piping of the size you're talking about, but I do have some old compact discs... how about shooting through the hole of the compact disc without touching the sides? If you hit the edge it will be apparent because it will damage the disc. Most people attempt this shot using a .22 caliber rifle (an example can be seen on the show "Topshot" from the history channel), so you have a small projectile shooting through a whole that is a little over twice as large... that's considered a real "topshot" type of deal. What I'll do instead is, instead of using .22 caliber, I'll use .44 caliber and shoot through the CD hole using a slingshot instead of a rifle, from roughly 50% further away than the rifle shooters did.
Does that sound reasonable?

Oh, and I'll cover the hole on the CD with a sticker so it can easily be seen that the hole was punched through... good enough?


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## slingshot_sniper

Bill you have nothing to prove







but I like this CD idea I have lots of scrap ones to practice with,thanks for the idea


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## Toddy

No, I agree you have nothing to prove to me either. I know you can make the shot. I'd just like to see it I'd be lucky to hit the disc!


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## pop shot

Do It, Bill!


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## Knoll

You betcha he'll do it. Looking forward to the vid!


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## M.J

Toddy said:


> No, I agree you have nothing to prove to me either. I know you can make the shot. I'd just like to see it I'd be lucky to hit the disc!


That would be one blowed-up CD if I tried it!


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## Bill Hays

MJ... I thought you wanted to do this one!
Seriously if you guys really want me to, I'll give it a go. I'll order some blank CDs... my Wife threw all my old cds and stuff away, so it'll be a week or so before I can get to it.


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## Hrawk

Bill Hays said:


> MJ... I thought you wanted to do this one!
> Seriously if you guys really want me to, I'll give it a go. I'll order some blank CDs... my Wife threw all my old cds and stuff away, so it'll be a week or so before I can get to it.


I find if I ask at my local newsagent, they always have heaps they throw away from the covers of old PC magazines.


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## catasling

WHOAAAA


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## Knoll

:applause:


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## Bill Hays

It's a good shot anytime you can shoot through the hole of a CD... but really the challenge wasn't to just put a bb or some tiny whatever through it... the challenge was to put put a .44 caliber or larger ball through it without touching the edge. That is still yet to be done. The blank CDs I ordered on on the way, so I'll do the shot once they get here. Right now all I have are about 2000 DVD movies and don't feel confident that I can get the .44 cal ball through on the first try... and don't want to mess up a $20 movie trying it!

Since John and his posse are interested in slingshots and actually do want to know more, and because of natural inquisitiveness... they of course do monitor this forum (the big dawg's forum) to get ideas for what to do next... so I imagine we'll see the .44 through the hole before my CDs come in.


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## Charles

No doubt about it, GKJ is a very good shot!

Cheers ........ Charles


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## Nemesis

catasling said:


> WHOAAAA


That is a complete fake. I will pay $100 to the first person who can shoot a 9.5mm steel ball and get it through a cd hole and then cause that little sound and motion on a soda can bottom placed behind it. The largest ammo it could have been is a spitball fired from a straw at 50 fps to get that little of movement. It is possible the shot barely grazed the holding tape at the top above the cd and thats it. The wind from GKJ walking past the can bottom moved it almost as much as the ammo hitting it did, a completely phony video. Now I know why the shot calls for a sticker to be placed over the hole and not something else.


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## pop shot

Bill Hays said:


> It's a good shot anytime you can shoot through the hole of a CD... but really the challenge wasn't to just put a bb or some tiny whatever through it... the challenge was to put put a .44 caliber or larger ball through it without touching the edge. That is still yet to be done. The blank CDs I ordered on on the way, so I'll do the shot once they get here. Right now all I have are about 2000 DVD movies and don't feel confident that I can get the .44 cal ball through on the first try... and don't want to mess up a $20 movie trying it!
> 
> Since John and his posse are interested in slingshots and actually do want to know more, and because of natural inquisitiveness... they of course do monitor this forum (the big dawg's forum) to get ideas for what to do next... so I imagine we'll see the .44 through the hole before my CDs come in.


You're a classy guy, taking that fake eye poke so well. John, if you're reading this, which i'm sure you are, have some class and do it for real. edit- try for real


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## Bill Hays

I rewatched the video and I really hate to say it, but you might be right on this one... I didn't notice that the ammo used was supposed to have been 3/8" steel. With the very slight reaction to the impact I just thought he was shooting a bb, a little piece of shot, or a pellet at a very high speed.
The way the video's title appears above I simply missed the whole 9.5mm steel claim.

I've shot literally thousands of shots with 3/8" steel at pop cans and no matter how fast or slow... shooting at the thicker portion of a can like that, especially as light as it is with being cut down.... you will get a lot more action than what was shown. He may have accidently shot the tape at the top and thought that since there was a little motion on the can that he did hit it.... probably an honest mistake.

You're also right in that, that is the reason a sticker or something has to be placed over the hole, so you can definitely tell when the shot goes through it. I don't know how you could make it so that the ammo size is proven from there though.... that's where the value of a Man's word comes into play I guess. If John's going to claim this shot was done with 3/8" steel and that's all the motion and sound that came from the thick can bottom being hit full on with 3/8" steel... then maybe his word does have to be brought into question?


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## Rayshot

I agree GKJ is a terrific shot.

I don't care who did the shot. Tape over the hole, behind the cd at least would make it more believable. I believe GKJ can do it. Would still like some tape.


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## Rayshot

For your information. When you hit a cd with ammo going about 190fps it makes a tremendous mess. At least the one I shot. And if it has a painted label.....Forget it! Even more tiny pieces all around the crash site.

You are formally forewarned.


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## slingshot_sniper

Rays right what a mess they make I gave up after the first hit CD anyway I don't get it I've seen Bill and dgui shoot through a washer thrown to the wind,so someone please tell me what's so freaking special about roping the hole in a CD!!!!


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## Hrawk

slingshot_sniper said:


> someone please tell me what's so freaking special about roping the hole in a CD!!!!


It was a suggestion for making a fun video.

And that's what is should be, fun.


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## slingshot_sniper

Hrawk said:


> someone please tell me what's so freaking special about roping the hole in a CD!!!!


It was a suggestion for making a fun video.

And that's what is should be, fun.
[/quote]

Ah now I see but like Ray has said it's no fun cleaning shards from a broken CD









But you're right all these challenges should be harmless fun and not anything else


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## catasling

Bill Hays said:


> I rewatched the video and I really hate to say it, but you might be right on this one... I didn't notice that the ammo used was supposed to have been 3/8" steel. With the very slight reaction to the impact I just thought he was shooting a bb, a little piece of shot, or a pellet at a very high speed.
> The way the video's title appears above I simply missed the whole 9.5mm steel claim.
> 
> I've shot literally thousands of shots with 3/8" steel at pop cans and no matter how fast or slow... shooting at the thicker portion of a can like that, especially as light as it is with being cut down.... you will get a lot more action than what was shown. He may have accidently shot the tape at the top and thought that since there was a little motion on the can that he did hit it.... probably an honest mistake.
> 
> You're also right in that, that is the reason a sticker or something has to be placed over the hole, so you can definitely tell when the shot goes through it. I don't know how you could make it so that the ammo size is proven from there though.... that's where the value of a Man's word comes into play I guess. If John's going to claim this shot was done with 3/8" steel and that's all the motion and sound that came from the thick can bottom being hit full on with 3/8" steel... then maybe his word does have to be brought into question?


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## catasling

pop shot said:


> It's a good shot anytime you can shoot through the hole of a CD... but really the challenge wasn't to just put a bb or some tiny whatever through it... the challenge was to put put a .44 caliber or larger ball through it without touching the edge. That is still yet to be done. The blank CDs I ordered on on the way, so I'll do the shot once they get here. Right now all I have are about 2000 DVD movies and don't feel confident that I can get the .44 cal ball through on the first try... and don't want to mess up a $20 movie trying it!
> 
> Since John and his posse are interested in slingshots and actually do want to know more, and because of natural inquisitiveness... they of course do monitor this forum (the big dawg's forum) to get ideas for what to do next... so I imagine we'll see the .44 through the hole before my CDs come in.


You're a classy guy, taking that fake eye poke so well. John, if you're reading this, which i'm sure you are, have some class and do it for real. edit- try for real
[/quote]








look at the post above yours popshot


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## catasling

Nemesis said:


> WHOAAAA


That is a complete fake. I will pay $100 to the first person who can shoot a 9.5mm steel ball and get it through a cd hole and then cause that little sound and motion on a soda can bottom placed behind it. The largest ammo it could have been is a spitball fired from a straw at 50 fps to get that little of movement. It is possible the shot barely grazed the holding tape at the top above the cd and thats it. The wind from GKJ walking past the can bottom moved it almost as much as the ammo hitting it did, a completely phony video. Now I know why the shot calls for a sticker to be placed over the hole and not something else.
[/quote][media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DE2Wy1Tr6mE

If you contact John Webb you will get his paypal address to put your $100 into ,money where your mouth is time,i believe it is known as


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## slingshot_sniper

Oh come on the ammo used may have been the new WHISPER brand 3/8th steel reported as being extra quite low noise impact,don't go looking for them though they're not in the shops yet and are very rare,expensive too

And please understand I'm just having a little fun here


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## Bill Hays

Well I for one knew he could do it, cutting cards and stuff like that has just got to tougher and I know he can do that... I was just a little disappointed that he chose to turn in that first video as proof... as it definitely couldn't have been 3/8" steel and hit a tape reinforced can bottom and caused that little of action.
If he wants off the hook for trying to pull the wool over our eyes he should "do the shot again" as he says with the sticker in place and the same can piece hung behind.... camera at the same angle as the first time.
If he can replicate the very small movement exhibited by the can bottom... well I'm a known member, always use my real name and stand by what I say, I'll pay Nemesis' $100 for him/her. Because it's impossible and John knows it... that's why there was no can piece in the second video.

As SlingshotSniper said above.... shooting through the hole of a thrown washer is tougher... but that's not the point of this particular shot. Toddy had mentioned that he would like to see a 12 mm lead ball shot through a 15 mm copper pipe without damage to the ball... that's a 3 mm total clearance. Since we're not on the metric system for pipe sizes here, I mentioned how about a .44 cal ball (approx. 11 mm) through the hole of a CD (approx 14 mm), as that would be about the same... but that lighting a match is many times harder because you're dealing with sub-millimeter tolerances.
Toddy then came back later and basically said I'm right and I thought that was pretty well the end of it... and of course MJ and others thought it'd be a fun challenge... so I dropped it and thought it'd be fun for them to try so I didn't want to jump in there and spoil all the fun.

Anyway, I'm dropping it as I'm already sick of the subject. I truly dislike cheaters and this shot is tainted with that stench now. Personally I can do every shot or challenge in front of people just the same as shown on video and don't have to change my entire shooting style to try and do what I do like John did.... I've been teaching kids and adults Martial Arts for almost 30 years now and if you're a phony it comes out real quick... as it looks like it did with John. I'll do a different challenge and use the CDs for their intended purpose.


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## Charles

I think there is no doubt at all the GKJ is a great shot. I certainly wish I could shoot as well as he does. I did not doubt that he could do this one.

I hope we can all leave behind quibbling over whether the first video was "real". John put a 3/8 inch steel ball through the hole in a CD from 10 meters; I do not think there could be much dispute about that.

Now, if you see a video of ME shooting a 3/8 inch steel ball through the hole in a CD, you can probably justifiably say that I faked it!!!

Cheers ...... Charles


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## pop shot

catasling said:


> It's a good shot anytime you can shoot through the hole of a CD... but really the challenge wasn't to just put a bb or some tiny whatever through it... the challenge was to put put a .44 caliber or larger ball through it without touching the edge. That is still yet to be done. The blank CDs I ordered on on the way, so I'll do the shot once they get here. Right now all I have are about 2000 DVD movies and don't feel confident that I can get the .44 cal ball through on the first try... and don't want to mess up a $20 movie trying it!
> 
> Since John and his posse are interested in slingshots and actually do want to know more, and because of natural inquisitiveness... they of course do monitor this forum (the big dawg's forum) to get ideas for what to do next... so I imagine we'll see the .44 through the hole before my CDs come in.


You're a classy guy, taking that fake eye poke so well. John, if you're reading this, which i'm sure you are, have some class and do it for real. edit- try for real
[/quote]








look at the post above yours popshot
[/quote]
please read the posts that you quote in your argument.

11 mm/.44 cal through cd hole (1/2")


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## Sharpshooter99100

Charles said:


> I think there is no doubt at all the GKJ is a great shot. I certainly wish I could shoot as well as he does. I did not doubt that he could do this one.
> 
> I hope we can all leave behind quibbling over whether the first video was "real". John put a 3/8 inch steel ball through the hole in a CD from 10 meters; I do not think there could be much dispute about that.
> 
> Now, if you see a video of ME shooting a 3/8 inch steel ball through the hole in a CD, you can probably justifiably say that I faked it!!!
> 
> Cheers ...... Charles


Charles,

If i saw a video of you do the cd trick i would believe it as i've the utmost faith in your slingshot ability


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