# Starting point for bands and tubes?



## jmd (Feb 13, 2014)

Hi all,

I recently started getting into slingshots and I'm having a bit of trouble figuring out where to start when making my own bandsets. I know how to make bandsets (I've made dankung style full loops, pseudo-tapered tubes, and straight/tapered flatbands), but I'm just not sure how to match band dimensions with ammo. I'd really like to avoid buying a chronometer which would obviously make this job easier.

I'm looking for good starting points for both tubes and bands, given the ammo type I'll likely be using, and the materials I have on hand. I have dankung 1842 and theraband gold to work with.

Given these materials, what various setups would you suggest for a 28" to 30" draw:


target shooting with 1/2" marbles and/or 3/8" steel
hunting with 1/2" steel or maybe .44 lead (roughly the same mass?)

based on the fact that I'd like to minimize hand-slap for the lighter target shooting, and kill humanely with the heavier ammo when hunting game no larger than a squirrel?

I've spent a long time reading through this forum and others, including the effective hunting setups thread, but there just seems to be so much variability in answers! I tried a marble-shooting setup based on the online theraband gold calculator I'm sure everyone has seen, but it seems really heavy for the relatively light ammo. Am I over-thinking the whole thing?!

Thanks


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## S.S. sLinGeR (Oct 17, 2013)

A good starting point for looped tubes would be about 6.5 inch active length. 2040 for 3/8 target. 1745/1842 for target/ hunting/50 cal. Try starting with 2040s at 28 inch. Cut in half and tie. you should see some nice speeds too. 

Sense you only have 1842 now, cut it at 31 inches and do the same as above. For the Thera band Try 1/2 to 3/4 straights to start. They will last and you will get decent speed for target shooting.

And don't over think it. Rubber is cheep. Have fun,cut it up and experiment. Sometime its fun to waste alil rubber


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## jmd (Feb 13, 2014)

Thanks.

Does anyone have any suggestions for hunting with theraband gold? I think the gamekeeper hunting bands are doubled 20x15mm tapers, but I'm not too sure which ammo they're meant for. I guess I could start with that and see how it works.


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## oldstevie (Dec 7, 2013)

just finnished some chrono tests on steel and lead ammo roughly the same as you are using .[ using tbg]

the best was 30mm tapered to 10mm but not far behind was 20mm tapered to 15mm.

i would start with the 20/15 and work out the best length for your own particular draw.

the 30/10 bands don,t last as long and are a heavier draw.

as mentioned above half the fun is experimenting with different bands,

i was surprised with some of my results, for example double 25/20 bands are not as good as 20/15

also 25/20 bands are better single rather than double,

bear in mind these results are for my slingshot with my ammo and shooting style.

before i got my chrono i used the old method of seeing how many layers of cardbord ammo would pass through which is fine if you are using the same size ammo ,

hope this helps

good luck


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