# Excited to get back into slingshots, but I need some advice!



## dougtrio (Apr 2, 2013)

When I was much younger, I had a small collection of slingshots and would shoot all the time, it was one of my favorite things to do. As time went on, I did it less and less until I eventually stopped entirely.

For whatever reason, I've recently gotten a wild hair up my ass and decided to take it back up.

So I go to the store and grab a random slingshot off the shelf (It was a Daisy Powerline) and take it home.

The problem here is that I'm a pretty big guy. I'm 6'6'' I have an arm-span to match (they're actually disproportionately long, oddly enough), so doing a full draw of this slingshot makes me feel like I'm putting too much tension on the band, and I'm afraid it's not going to last long. The handle is also a bit too small for my hand.

So I'd like to know if there are any slingshots out there that are better suited to my gorilla arms. I'll be lurking around in the different parts of this forum to learn what I can before making another purchase, I was just wondering if any of you have any suggestions, or experience with something like this in the past.

Thanks in advance!


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## treefork (Feb 1, 2010)

Welcome to the forum big guy! What you need are flat bands cut between 9 to 10 inches. Make them yourself or buy them. Thera band gold or a natural latex of .03 inches. A large slingshot like the Hathcock Target Sniper from http://pocketpredator.com {at $35} would fit your hand nice. Bands are available in vendors section but making them your self will save you tons of money and you will have a custom fit and power. All you need is a rotory cutter and mat. You can buy nice pouches for $.50/pc. or make them. You can also make a great slingshot from a tree branch. Spend some time reading all the posts in the forum. Practicly everything has been discussed. Good luck and have fun.


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## FWV2 (Mar 10, 2013)

Welcome to the SSF. Dougtrio!! Hey I had the same size problem! I pretty much did what treefork has suggested to the letter!

The target sniper fits my big hands very well! http://pocketpredator.com and shoots very well! got it just to get to shooting again

Now with all the help from other members I'm Making my own slingshots and making my own pouches and bands.

no more wondering when the the store bought tubes were goig to fail and get slapped in the face!!

Good luck and have some fun with it!

Fwv2.


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## Tex-Shooter (Dec 17, 2009)

What did you shoot before? A natural fork cost nothing but a little time and will shoot great. The LB2000 bands that I sell are made for a 38 inch draw length and will draw quite a bit longer than that. If you don't care that a slingshot is a little large, a Saunders Hawk or Falcon II are fine flat band slingshots for under $25. -- Tex


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## August West (Jan 21, 2012)

OH man be happy that you have that draw once you get your bands sorted you can make some real power. I have t-rex arms so have to work to get some decent power and by power I am talking real power, mass AND speed.

You have already gotten some very good advice but I will throw a couple of cents in the hat as well. I think in order for you to pursue this hobby you are going to have to make your own bands, either tubes or flats.The difference in price between roll your owns and ready mades is pretty drastic. Also it is really nice to be able to fix and work on your equipment and make or repair anything that could possibly happen instead of being dependent on someone else. Even if I can't get any type of band material as long as I can buy office bands, not my favorite but they work, I'll be slinging.

Dankung makes some of their slingshots "for western hands" I actually have one of the american fox models and will say that it is huge, much to big for me. But honestly I am a natural sorta guy and my first recommendation would be to buy what you need to make your bands. Then go cut a few forks till you get one that fits your hand and style. That is the whole beauty of slingshots, they are free and yes they do grow on trees. LOL

Oh and yes, I can be traded out of that American Fox.


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## Berkshire bred (Mar 4, 2012)

i would suggest that you buy a pro diablo and cut yourself some bands that match your own draw and style


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## August West (Jan 21, 2012)

BB,
You have suggested that in several threads, what do you like about the pro diablo, for sure not trying to start anything just wondering.


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## tnflipper52 (Jan 26, 2012)

Hi there Doug. The guys all have excellent suggestions. A + slingshots has one model, a ps-3 made for large mitted guys. Bunny Buster has a Bigfoot hunter that is large also. Any of the vendors here can fix you up, they are all friendly fold and willing to help out. Have fun making your selection.


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## PorkChopSling (Jan 17, 2013)

Just wanted to add that last time I was on BunnyBusters site he had a Bigfoot on sale for $25 and they come with good gum rubber bands


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## cjs (Jun 15, 2013)

Reading the original post, it sounds exactly like the situation I am in...

I would like to flip the forks around swap out for a Thera-Band band set (I already have a box of Gold at home). I am going to try the 9"-10" lengths, but what width would I need to go with for 1/4" ammo (Powerline stuff from a major chain store)? I have tried the search function (that is how I found this post), but I am coming up empty on anything that has a recommended starting point for width/taper of band sets for a certain size/weight of ammo?

A lot of what I am reading is, "use what works for you." This is fine, but there has to be a more likely starting point; 1 band vs 3 bands vs shape of pocket vs etc vs etc...

Any help or links to posts I have missed are more than appreciated.

Thank you!

-Chris


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## LostMarbles (May 31, 2013)

Welcome Dougtrio, everyone already has good advice on models and bands. With a long draw cutting your own bands would work great as picking a natural fork from a tree and shooting it. The stock 10.5" bands on the Scout from flippingout would work too, but the Scout would probably be a bit small for your hands?

The band info might help you and cjs? Jorge's band cutting calculator is a good start, but you won't know what power level and band life level you want until you try some. Link: http://www.slingshotchannel.com/band_calc.html

For bands and 3/8" ammo this band/thread done by All Buns Glazing is a good start. http://slingshotforum.com/topic/24506-20mm-15mm-tapers-95mm-steel/

For dougtrio you would want to adjust the total length to your draw to maintain around 400% stretch factor for good speed/power and band longevity. Not sure on his draw length but mine is 31"-32" and at 7" total each side I like them. So it your draw is 40" dougtrio, start at 10" band length.

For cjs you could even use smaller bands width wise for the 1/4" ammo. Maybe try 16mm at the forks tapering to 11mm at pouch? If you just wanted to buy some check out Simpleshot DIY bands http://www.simple-shot.com/collections/accessories-bands-pouches/products/pre-cut-bands

There 14.29mm x 11.11mm in .030 latex or theraband gold should work well?

I really like their 0.30 latex in 1.25" x .75" for 3/8" ammo or the .75" x .5" in .040 thick latex for the same but they tear quicker at the pouch it seems and would be overkill for 1/4" steel balls.

Basically from what I've gathered you want to work under 600% total draw stretch from static length (ex 5" static for 30" draw) and at this high stretch factor band life is much lower than say 300% (10" static for 30" draw). 300% is an easy draw and long band life but less speed and power. 400% to 500% seems to be a favorite for many for good speed and power along with long band life. This is what the band calculator above will help you figure out.

Good luck and have fun!


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## cjs (Jun 15, 2013)

Wow! Thank you for the info Lost Marbles! I am going to have to go out and buy a rotary cutter tonight... and maybe order one of the slingshots listed above.

Thank you again!
-Chris


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## LostMarbles (May 31, 2013)

cjs said:


> Wow! Thank you for the info Lost Marbles! I am going to have to go out and buy a rotary cutter tonight... and maybe order one of the slingshots listed above.
> 
> Thank you again!
> -Chris


Oh yeah, welcome to you too cjs, left that out earlier.

Take my advice with a grain of salt so to speak as I'm a newbie myself but have just started cutting my own bands and been having fun trying stuff out. The wife and I love our Scout's from SimpleShot but also love shooting our naturals we cut and sanded ourselves. I'm more accurate with one of my naturals as any believe it or not so don't discount a 'Y' stick! If you haven't read it yet, you can even dry a fresh live cut fork in the microwave to shorten drying time! 45 seconds, then cool down completely or smoke and fire. :devil: Mine have cooled down in around an hour usually. There's a thread on it somewhere.

Might want to go to 3/8" steel balls too. Powerline 3/8" is available with the 1/4" around here. Reason being is that band life can suffer if you shoot to light of ammo I've read. So if you don't impart most of the energy in the bands into the ammo it has a negative effect on band life. You basically want to impart all the stored energy in the bands draw into the ammo. So heavier ammo does this easier.

Hobby Lobby sells the Fiskar rotary cutter and has a coupon usually for 40% off 1 item. This one is good till June 22nd. http://www.hobbylobby.com/weekly/coupon.cfm

Where I got mine and it works well.

Good luck and have fun x2!


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## cjs (Jun 15, 2013)

Just reading what you have had experience with and what you perfer is very helpful. I have been shooing in the living room, off the porch, in the woods, everytime I get a second.

Is a pouch a pouch or are there better pouches for certain shooting styles? Or just a preference thing?


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## LostMarbles (May 31, 2013)

cjs said:


> Is a pouch a pouch or are there better pouches for certain shooting styles? Or just a preference thing?


I imagine it's preference. I don't think you could dislike these: SuperShot premium or super (more stiff) pouches and SimpleShot's plain black ones or E-shot's. May be more that the more experienced guys know about? Plus you can just cut your own from leather. As for use, the lighter ones shot ammo faster than a larger heavier one but I'm not sure how much a difference in speed there is.

For shooting larger ammo the preformed pouches on Tex's LA2000 or LB2000 band sets are nice (sold separately too) and probably what I'd use for hunting this fall. Good thing for practice is 1/2" steel balls as it weighs and flies the same as .44cal lead balls I've read.


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## cjs (Jun 15, 2013)

I have started purchasing more gear. Ordered a Hathcock Sniper and pouches from Bill Hays. I will be ordering various pouches from others as well, just to see what I like best. I should have enough stuff on the way to keep me busy for a while. Even ordered 1,250 steel balls from Enco, Woohoo!


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