# Wrist Brace v.s. Traditional Designs



## Hisownself

All, I've been shooting slingshot for about 35 years, but I'm brand new to this forum (or any forum for that matter). I stumbled on to it this morning and have had a fantastic time viewing everyone's awesome slingshot designs, etc. I never knew there was so much innovation and style out there! So now I'm interested to get into my workshop and try some designs and experiment.

What immediately puzzles me is the fact that it seems everyone shoots flat bands with a tradiational flat style slingshot (not really sure the proper term). My first one 40 years ago was a natural with inner tube rubber and I didn't like that at all. Maybe because my wrists were weak. Then I got the Wristrocket as a present and loved it: to this day. I shot thousands and thousands of stones, marbles, lead balls, etc. over the years. However, after reading this forum, I'm wondering if I missed something all those years by not trying the other styles????

So can you tell me why the overwhelming support for the non-wrist braced slingshots? Is it because they shoot better, or they fit in a pocket better (the one annoying thing about the wristrocket is that it's bulky), or something else?

Regards,
Hisownself (Dave)


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## Ethan

well what I like about naturals and boardcuts over the commercial wrist braced counterparts is:
how pocketable they are
so many designs
so many different finishes
so many different materials
DIY
I personal like flatbands for the extra power they can give you over the equivalent tubes but I can't say that they shoot better accuracy wise.

You can easily make a wrist brace type device for traditional slingshots by drilling a hole through it near the bottom and threading some cord in and tying it into a loop that that goes over your wrist. so when you draw the bands out the bottom of that catapult raises up but the cord around your wrist prevents it from moving. I don't think I've explained it very well sorry.


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## A+ Slingshots

Hello Dave,

Welcome to the forum!! Glad to have you here!!








In answer to your questions, for me it is first about a pocketability issue. I find I am most likely to have one when I need or want one if it is small.

Second, I have found that with a high forefinger and thumb grip and what I call "southern flip" style I can shoot light weight target bands up to my 35# double tapered Ultra Power bands with relative ease.

Third, I do feel that my shooting is somewhat better and certainly more fluid and natural with an unbraced slingshot. However, with all that said, I still have, enjoy shooting and know that "wrist bracers" certainly have a place in slingshooting for me. With practice I believe you can get good with any slingshot but the "unbraced" became so underestimated when "braced" became the craze that many still can't believe what you can do with a "simple fork" and how great they can be!!

There is also the (IMHO silly) added aspect that "wrist bracers" are illegal in some states and countries that has also added to the increased popularity of the humble "board-cut".

I guess my point is that I think everyone should be able to enjoy every kind of slingshot if you can, but for those who can't, you shouldn't really feel you're missing out at all!!!


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## Northerner

I shot a TruMark FS-1 for many years. Then I picked up a Daisy P-51 and shot it for while. Once I stumbled upon the SlingShot Forum, I put the plastic away and got addicted to the boardcuts. I never found the wrist braces to be comfortable. They force you into one position and for me the angles never felt right.

*Boardcuts:*
- cheap to make
- add a new dimension to the hobby
- can be made to custom fit your hand
- attractive designs and wood types
- pocket carry is possible

*Flatbands:*
- fast 
- light weight to draw
- cheap to make
- more convenient to install than tubes on posts
- lay flat when stored rather than sticking out of the frame

Cheers,
Northerner


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## Taco

Same here, Dave: I shot forever before finally (inevitably) finding this forum. Better late than never, huh? I also shot a wrist-braced slingshot well into my 20s until one day when I broke the handle and had to wrap tape around the Y and just use it as it was. It was an epiphany! (That and my dad pulling out a natural fork strung with bands made from safety goggle straps and ROYALLY outshooting me.)

Yeah, there are a lot of other things out there. Shoot 'em all, Dave! You'll find a lot of knowledge here and no end of help.


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## Tex-Shooter

Blue Skeen, Ivan Glen, Saunders Archery and I were largely responsible for the return of the flat band made slingshots. I contacted Saunders in 2000 and they paid my way to visit them. There slingshots at that time were tube powered. I took a slingshot with flat bands installed on it that had the same stretch ratio and pull weight as there tube power slingshot of a similar design. Theirs shot 155 FPS over their Chrony and mine shot 240 FPS over the Chrony. They designed a new flat band slingshot (the Wrist Rocket Pro) and put it on the market. They presently have 4 Flat band slingshots on the market. If all other factors are equal, flat bands will out perform tubes with less unused energy. Modern day latex flats can produce more power with less pull weight so that most can shoot properly banded slingshots comfortably with out a wrist brace. Some still like a wrist brace (I being one) even on the lighter pull slingshots. There are also smaller tubes available that will out shoot the traditional larger tubes. I say traditional because we tested the smaller tubes in 1999and found that they would out shoot the larger tubes; in fact Marksman had an economy slingshot with small tubes long before that. It would shoot standard sizes of shot faster than there premium slingshot over the Chrony. I think that today, because Saunders took the lead, there are many fine custom slingshot makers out there. There are also some greatly over priced extruded manufactured slingshots on the market. I will let you all be the judge of what you want to shoot. Am I opinionated - "You Bet" - As a Texan would say! - Tex


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## jskeen

I will add one small fact that I believe may have been overlooked, and that is that many if not most of these designs are smaller than they may look and are intended to be held either with the thumb and index finger up on the forks supporting them, rather than the traditional grip with the whole hand wrapped around the handle below the forks. This simple change in size and grip makes a flat slingshot much more manageable, accurate and pleasant to shoot than the old school grip, which puts a lot of torque on the shooters wrist, as it tries to hold the frame vertical against the pull of the bands.


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## NaturalFork

I shoot both wrist braced and non wrist braced models. I like the feel of finger bracing and making my own slingshot is a plus. However for extreme accuracy I find the flat band wrist braced Saunders to be second to none. Flats are much easier to pull and typically shoot faster than tubes (although small diameter tubes are pretty good too.)


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## Hisownself

Thanks for all the replies! I'm inspired to start experimenting with different designs and setups. This site has so much great information.... Where to start????

Thanks all! -Dave


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## adeptus_minor

Hisownself said:


> This site has so much great information.... Where to start????


I don't know about you, but personally I'm thinking I need to buddy up with someone local who has a decent woodworking setup.








If you already have one, you have a leg up on a lot of us beginners.


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## Alex Jacob

My first "serious" catapult was a Milbro with 1/4 inch square rubber. I never liked that grip cos it was too thin to hold with a hammer grip and I hadn't the strength in my thumb to use the thumb-pad. So I got a Black Widow with wrist brace. Most necessary, that, cos the bands were well above the wrist. Problem was, I was shooting with a bit of a flip and would bang my wrist with the brace every now and then. I went back (right back) to low tree forks and that worked better but the real change came fairly recently when I started shooting Dankung style catties and have ended up with a grip like Tex in his avatar. Very easy on the holding wrist, nice and accurate because the bands are so close to the hand and a little 120x70x11mm, 34g fork can handle any bands I care to use.

Flats and thin tubes are both very good. I found the square rubber really slow and the thick Barnett tubes not much faster.


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## August West

What really surprised me when I went away from commercial wrist braced and tubes was the speed difference. Alex mentioned it but for the most part the commercial slingshots and tubes are molasses slow. I am shooting a dankung fox with Henry's tapered bands and there is no comparing it to the big stiff yellow daisy bands, the trumark tapers fall behind as well not to mention I can make my own for a fraction of the cost. Chris


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## Jesus Freak

A+ Slingshots said:


> Hello Dave,
> 
> Welcome to the forum!! Glad to have you here!!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In answer to your questions, for me it is first about a pocketability issue. I find I am most likely to have one when I need or want one if it is small.
> 
> Second, I have found that with a high forefinger and thumb grip and what I call "southern flip" style I can shoot light weight target bands up to my 35# double tapered Ultra Power bands with relative ease.
> 
> Third, I do feel that my shooting is somewhat better and certainly more fluid and natural with an unbraced slingshot. However, with all that said, I still have, enjoy shooting and know that "wrist bracers" certainly have a place in slingshooting for me. With practice I believe you can get good with any slingshot but the "unbraced" became so underestimated when "braced" became the craze that many still can't believe what you can do with a "simple fork" and how great they can be!!
> 
> There is also the (IMHO silly) added aspect that "wrist bracers" are illegal in some states and countries that has also added to the increased popularity of the humble "board-cut".
> 
> I guess my point is that I think everyone should be able to enjoy every kind of slingshot if you can, but for those who can't, you shouldn't really feel you're missing out at all!!!


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## Incomudro

I just got here myself as well - maybe a month ago.
My story is much like yours; I've pretty much always owned a slingshot and with the exception of my Scopeshot slingshot - I have always owned wrist brace slingshots: The original Wrist Rocket, the Wrist Sling, a Falcon II, a folding Barnett...

I stumbled on this site looking to acquire bands for my old Scopeshot, and became intrigued by all these great looking traditional style slingshots.
I love the amazing variety, all the different takes on design, and the idea that they are all hand made by some great people.
This whole community for that matter is so supportive and helpful - a great site to hang around.

Try some of the slingshots by the vendors you see posted here.
I've ordered one from Fireant, (Roger) one from Flippinout, (Nathan) and one from A+ (Perry)
They all shoot great! (Well my A+ hasn't arrived yet but I know it will)
You'll be surprised at the way they lock into your grip and become an extension of your arm.
They're not held in a "hammer grip" where the wrist rotates.

It's a whole new world over here - take a look around - you'll like what you see!


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## TGPB

I have a partially disabled hand and can not hold a standard slingshot. I am pretty much stuck using one with a wrist brace. I am actively looking for something that I can hold and and enjoy shooting again.


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## lightgeoduck

TGPB said:


> I have a partially disabled hand and can not hold a standard slingshot. I am pretty much stuck using one with a wrist brace. I am actively looking for something that I can hold and and enjoy shooting again.


If it is a gripping issue that you have, maybe try a standard slingshot that has a lanyard.. if you can get your finger or two around the slingshot, there is no need for a tight grip.. also you dont need a band set with a heavy draw (like most wrist braced come with) to get the ammo flying...

LGD


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## TGPB

My two bottom fingers offer no grip so when I pull back (with a standard slingshot) I don't have the strength to prevent the slingshot from twisting back out of my hand. The leverage against my arm with a wrist support style prevents this.


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## Hisownself

Lightgeoduck mentions light bands and I agree. I have a lot of fun shooting BB's with a flat board cut slingshot. I use a single set of light flat bands and a leather pouch so thin it's almost tissue paper. I can hit a can at 30 yards 9 out of 10 times with a tiny BB. Loads of fun and easy on your wrists.

I also made a hunting catty that shoots 50cal lead balls but that thing is nowhere near as fun as my BB shooter!


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## lightgeoduck

TGPB said:


> My two bottom fingers offer no grip so when I pull back (with a standard slingshot) I don't have the strength to prevent the slingshot from twisting back out of my hand. The leverage against my arm with a wrist support style prevents this.


Here, I feel more comfortable expressing my thoughts via video rather than text... if you cant see it here, the link to my channel is in my signature block






Just hoping to open up the possibilities for more options in the sport... if you feel you need a wrist brace, you know better than I, no worries,, slinging ammo and dispatching cans is what is important 

LGD


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## TGPB

WOW! A video is worth a thousand words sometimes. Thanks for taking the time to do this video. This shared knowlege opens the doors to a much larger selection for me.

*Thanks!* :bowdown:


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## Northerner

Hi Hisownself,

You might want to contact Roger (Wingshooter) to ask a few questions about his "SRS" and "Recurve Hunter" frames. These frames transfer a lot of the pressure to the web of the hand, rather than the fingers.

http://www.footbridge.org/index.html

I have one of Rroger's older Longbow frames and it's one of my best shooters.

Cheers,

Todd


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## PorkChopSling

I love that I learn something new everytime I'm here. What everyone else said, thanks for asking the question, and I look forward to seeing what come of it all :thumbsup:


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## lightgeoduck

TGPB said:


> WOW! A video is worth a thousand words sometimes. Thanks for taking the time to do this video. This shared knowlege opens the doors to a much larger selection for me.
> 
> *Thanks!* :bowdown:


I'm glad it helped out

LGD


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## bigron

i like them all


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## Adirondack Kyle

Aside from all the great points that everyone has made, pretty much any flat band or Chinese tubes set up
will be easier on the wrist, those commercial tubes with the wrist brace might look like it would help preserve your wrist, but in reality they put much more strain on the hand, wrist, and forearms. My brother broke his thumb a few weeks back, it still isn't right but i set him up with 1/2 straight cut thera ,and he says he can shoot

I keep a Saunders sr7 on hand just to show people that heavy draw doesn't always mean more power.
I learned what i know about sling shots here on the forum.
everyone is super helpful and will always go out of their way to answer a question or put in their two cents.
We are lucky to be able to trade info with future legends of the sport.
No disrespect to Saunders, in my opinion they make the best quality wire frame commercial sling shots.
They are also the only commercial brand that sells a flat band set up.( thanks to our own Tex Herriman.). 
Sorry to ramble on, but i believe that this is one of the only sports that we can actually communicate with the best in the business on a 
daily basis .


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