# Ideal percentage band stretch for maximum power



## K2MAN (Apr 29, 2017)

I'm a newbie shooting double TBG flat bands 35/25 mm tapered, 8.5 inch band length tie to tie, my draw stretches the bands to 29 inches, or 340%. I'm hunting and want maximum power with best accuracy. Would there be any benefit to shortening the band's to get a higher percentage stretch? Is there an ideal stretch %?

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## honorary pie (Feb 12, 2015)

firstly, those are monster bands, I hope ya got some big ammo, but 500 is uaully the accepted max, some will draw more, but in my experience 500 is adequate with tbg before it tries to pull from the fork... 35-25 wont last very long no matter how ya draw them.


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## treefork (Feb 1, 2010)

That is a lot of latex . I hope you plan on using 5/8 steel or 1/2 inch lead at the very least . By cutting the bands to 6 inches active band for your 29 inch draw length will give a 5 to 1 ratio . (Stretch to usable band length) . This will maximize the latex speed of retraction .


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## honorary pie (Feb 12, 2015)

even 1/2 lead will fly like bullets outta those bands, if a human can aim them.... wheres @truthornothing to knock down some folklore..


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## Henry the Hermit (Jun 2, 2010)

For absolute maximum speed/power, stretch them until they bottom out, about 650%. If you can stretch those bands that far, you are a better man than me. 

Is K2MAN an amateur radio call sign? - HP1HFS/KZ5AJ


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## K2MAN (Apr 29, 2017)

Thanks everyone. I started with bands that came on the slingshot from Bill Hays. I bounced 9.5mm steel balls off several iguanas ???? and figured out I needed stronger bands. I bought the bands tied to a pouch off ebay. They were triple bands! After putting my shoulder back in the socket, I removed one band. They still seem pretty stout. It is hard to keep a good hold on the pouch and I'm concerned that my release suffers. I haven't had a chance to shoot it except at short range over a chrono. I'm getting 180 fps with 9.5mm steel balls. Seems slow to me.

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## Dr J (Apr 22, 2013)

The call signs for Cayman is ZF1. Mine is zf1ma.

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## K2MAN (Apr 29, 2017)

Not a ham. K2 man is short for K2panman, my name in the world of steel drums, the musical instruments of the Caribbean.

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## Henry the Hermit (Jun 2, 2010)

K2MAN said:


> Thanks everyone. I started with bands that came on the slingshot from Bill Hays. I bounced 9.5mm steel balls off several iguanas and figured out I needed stronger bands. I bought the bands tied to a pouch off ebay. They were triple bands! After putting my shoulder back in the socket, I removed one band. They still seem pretty stout. It is hard to keep a good hold on the pouch and I'm concerned that my release suffers. I haven't had a chance to shoot it except at short range over a chrono. I'm getting 180 fps with 9.5mm steel balls. Seems slow to me.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


For hunting, particularly Iguana, you're going to need heavier ammo. At any rate, go back to the original bands, stretch to about 550% and you should see well over 200 fps. For a better understanding of what is needed to get power/speed, check out the following threads.

http://slingshotforum.com/topic/16188-effective-hunting-setups/

http://slingshotforum.com/topic/19722-speed-freaks-ssf-3Report00-club/

http://slingshotforum.com/topic/21108-power-rangers/


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## Henry the Hermit (Jun 2, 2010)

Dr J said:


> The call signs for Cayman is ZF1. Mine is zf1ma.
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


Tnx, I should have paid attention to his location.


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## Chesapeake Inuit (Jul 14, 2016)

Henry the Hermit said:


> For absolute maximum speed/power, stretch them until they bottom out, about 650%. If you can stretch those bands that far, you are a better man than me.
> 
> Is K2MAN an amateur radio call sign? - HP1HFS/KZ5AJ


K2MAN is a guy in Maine that ran afoul of the F CC... Huge fines. Not sure if he is still allowed to use it. Bit of a nutter IMHO.


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## Chesapeake Inuit (Jul 14, 2016)

I am talking about the call sign of K2MAN not the K2MAN on this forum just to make it clearer. No disrespect intended to the latter.


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## Henry the Hermit (Jun 2, 2010)

Chesapeake Inuit said:


> Henry the Hermit said:
> 
> 
> > For absolute maximum speed/power, stretch them until they bottom out, about 650%. If you can stretch those bands that far, you are a better man than me.
> ...


I got back into Ham radio after a 30 year layoff 2 years ago. There are a lot more nutters than there used to be.


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## K2MAN (Apr 29, 2017)

Thanks for not confusing me with the nut in Maine. I've never lived in Maine, but I got married there once!

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## Chesapeake Inuit (Jul 14, 2016)

K2MAN said:


> Thanks for not confusing me with the nut in Maine. I've never lived in Maine, but I got married there once!
> Sent from my SM-T670 using Tapatalk


Now that I think about it the call was K1MAN. It was a few years back. 
Sorry for the confusion.


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