# A proud day in my slingshot career



## brucered (Dec 30, 2015)

My first official can hit, using a G10 FlatCat, 1/4" steel ammo at 10y.










Normally I just shoot at plastic bottles, yogurt containers or whatever we have in the recycle bin. But today I decided to hang a can that was laying around. After a few misses, I figured out the aiming and plunk it.

Pling! What a joy to hear ringing through the air, as I stood in the snow with a grin from ear to ear. The icing on the cake, was when it spun around and got hung up on the hanging rail.

After that, I was nailing it on a regular to semi-regular basis. No through shots on this soup can and the bands are still fitted to the length they were sent.










What a happy day.


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## Gunnar (Dec 30, 2013)

Nice job man


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## honorary pie (Feb 12, 2015)

Awesome dude.. ! I wouldn't expect many punch throughs with 1/4 though...not with appropriate bands anyway.. keep at 'er!!


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## Tag (Jun 11, 2014)

Awesome!!!! It's always a good feeling when all your practicing pays off.


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## Peter Recuas (Mar 6, 2014)

Thats a great feeling, keep going!


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## MakeSlingshots (Jul 16, 2015)

Nice


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## csquared (Jan 4, 2016)

That is a great sound to hear. I saw a thread on here, "what is your favorite target". Many replied cans because of the sound they make when you nail them.


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## Volp (Aug 25, 2014)

O yes!!!!

Volp


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## Tremoside (Jul 17, 2013)

Be prepared for the total addiction! Thanks for sharing the progress


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## brucered (Dec 30, 2015)

Volp said:


> O yes!!!!
> 
> Volp


It's going to be +2 here today, so I'll be out shooting again. If I hit the can 3 x in a row....I'm going to attempt the Volp Heel Click.


Tremoside said:


> Be prepared for the total addiction! Thanks for sharing the progress


I'm already addicted. Absolutely loving everything about it. From shooting, to being outside, to building and carving.

I'm glad I found it now, so I can get out young kids involved in it early.


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## Byudzai (Aug 31, 2013)

Bruce you may want to shorten up those tubes for snowy days -- tubes do tend to underperform in the cold. Might want to try thicker tubing as well; lemme see if I have some I can send you. If not, simple shot stocks it.

Or grab a paperclip and try this method with 17" strips of TBG:


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## brucered (Dec 30, 2015)

Thanks Alex @Byudzai

You had actually included a thicker set of tubes in my parcel, so I'll PM you with a pic to see if those are more suitable for cool weather.

I'm really enjoying your slingshot and can't wait to get out again after work. I'll definitely be trying that method with TBG soon.


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## Rip-van-Winkelholz (May 7, 2015)

Happy "pling" mate!

I know so good what You mean. First i had a target of carton in my catchbox, then a coin...!



Rip


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## csquared (Jan 4, 2016)

I think one thing that has gone unmentioned here, the catch box, is very nice!


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## brucered (Dec 30, 2015)

csquared said:


> I think one thing that has gone unmentioned here, the catch box, is very nice!


It's just an old box I had laying around the shop. Started to build something years ago, got distracted and used it as a shelf until I discovered slingshots.

Thicker tubes put on, easy peasy and took all of 20 sec. First shot from 10y....Pling!


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## Tremoside (Jul 17, 2013)

Seems to be as an ultimate catchbox  You have snow over there we have devastating rain. Nothing can stop some slingshot fun


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## LVO (Sep 25, 2011)

you are now an addict!!

Welcome to the club!


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## Chuck Daehler (Mar 17, 2015)

Nice (very nice) slingshot you bought from Matt and I like your catch box!

If you put a board at the bottom across the opening to help catch roll outs and bounce outs you'll save some ammo, as well as put the can back about 2 inches from the cloth instead of right up front..bounce outs could be reduced. Also if it was mine I'd position the cloth about 6 inches from the back so the target is as far back from the opening as possible, that would also reduce bounce outs some. Leaving the top open of course is good for light entry, if no bounce outs occur through the top. Draping a white cloth over the top would let light enter but deflect bounce outs as well.

Of course this Spring you can just bring a magnet and find all the lost ammo on the ground, tumble it or soak in rust remover over nght to remove any rust and yer set.

That first can hit was pretty impressive, 1/4 inch ammo was really flying out of that Cat! Looks like double 1cm or 1 half inch bands..great for under 10mm steel. That is a steel can also. Nice shot...hit it dead center high.

Yeah, cans are great sounding, I also use paint can lids and bottoms (cut out with a can opener). Coffee can lids would also work fine...punch a hole and hang it.

For very very long life targets I cut 3 inch and 4 inch disks for 15 meters, with a small 1 inch x 1 inch wide tab on top out truck inner tubes (thicker than car innertubes) and hang those so they twirl when hit. Hang them from the tab. They are almost indestructible and deliver a nice animal sounding "Thwack" when hit. I cut out a rabbit silhouette which I haven't posted yet, simulates a real live target...also a squirrel silhouette....both hung by two cords from the cross bar of the catch box.


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## brucered (Dec 30, 2015)

Yeah I plan on modifying the placement of the towel and hanging target holder. Just used the existing portion as if was never meant t be used for this.

It's still to cold to bring my tools out and move boards around, but soon.

This is the one I plan on making when I have the time or something similar. That way the kids have multiple targets to hit and will be happy to hear some targets get knocked over or Pling.


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## grappo73 (Dec 15, 2015)

Great new toy!!!


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## Flatband (Dec 18, 2009)

Good on you Bruce Red! You are now hopelessly addicted to the never ending battle of the denting of all cans. A truly fun addiction! Nice set-up BTW!


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## NaturalFork (Jan 21, 2010)

Awesome post. Keep it up man!


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## brucered (Dec 30, 2015)

honorary pie said:


> Awesome dude.. ! I wouldn't expect many punch throughs with 1/4 though...not with appropriate bands anyway.. keep at 'er!!


This is probably from a few hits, but I was quite happy to see this after my first shot today with my natural, TBG 7/8 and 1/4" ammo.

I ended up taking about 2" off these bands after my first round of shooting. I'm really enjoying this little handle, fited nicely in my hand.











NaturalFork said:


> Awesome post. Keep it up man!


Thanks guys. I vowed to attempt a heel click if I hit it three times in a row. I managed to get two hits a few times. My last 2 shots from my ammo clip both hit and was going to call it a day after that round. But I went to the catchbox to retrieve the ammo and then fired off one more shot....missed.

I'll be attempting it soon, very soon. But it was too cold to stay out today without gloves.


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## brucered (Dec 30, 2015)

I was out again today and vowed to go 3 for 3. Pulled out my "BoyShot" with 7/8" TBG, 1/4" ammo, 10y. Pling! Pling! Pling!

No video of the shooting (haven't figured out a safe way to do that yet), but I was able to record this.






In case anyone is wondering, all that white stuff on the ground is snow, the giant spoon like object on the fence is a snow shovel and that yellow machine in the background is a "snow blower". Welcome to Winnipeg. :banghead:


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## honorary pie (Feb 12, 2015)

hahaha, but can you rub your tummy and pat your head.?? All the cool kids are doin' it...


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## brucered (Dec 30, 2015)

And today was a proud day in Toby's slingshot career.

His first can hit, from 7m, using 1/4 steel, 5/8" TBG on a Trumark.

After a high five and me yelling "PLING" we went up for a pic while it was still swaying. "It's a very satisfying sound" he proclaimed.


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## Viper010 (Apr 21, 2012)

Ha! Nice!! ????????????


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## jockotobling (Feb 7, 2016)

Congratulations on stellar shooting with a very nice looking SS.


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## honorary pie (Feb 12, 2015)

Look out! Kids get better faster, and usually stay better.


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## brucered (Dec 30, 2015)

honorary pie said:


> Look out! Kids get better faster, and usually stay better.


You don't have to tell me. They pick up stuff fast and get good real fast too.

We took up darts a few weeks ago and they'll be kicking my butt in a few months.


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## CanH8r (Dec 3, 2013)

Haha... The saga begins! Kill that can dead!!


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## brucered (Dec 30, 2015)

CanH8r said:


> Haha... The saga begins! Kill that can dead!!


We almost killed it on the weekend but it survived. It is a thick can from tomatoes or something but has plenty of rips and tears in it.

After this one, we are going to try a few aluminum ones that should easier to rip apart.


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## quarterinmynose (Jan 21, 2012)

congratulations. Oh man are you guys gonna love the aluminium ones! The crunch!


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## Chuck Daehler (Mar 17, 2015)

Man, that IS a very nice catch box. Kids shooting slingshots? Aye, there's the rub! (Macbeth)

I can imagine you and your family all shooting together...that's being a real dad.

I like the job done on your steps and stone masonry too... yer a man of class and style! It shows.

When I shoot cans, it's always steel ones. Al dies too quickly. I like paint can lids too but my all time fav is truck inner tube disks of varying diameters hung so they twirl around a few times and the "thud" emanates the impact noise of animal hunting (although I quit hunting). I also make inner tube silhouettes of birds and rabbits hung from the cross bar, am gonna hang a squirrel one up I hope this week... an outdoor wood kitchen project rained out today and a few times last week...ordinarily I'm working on that, no time to shoot much, take the laptop outside to take a break with...back pain from crouching welding etc. a lot lately, forces me to stand up and give my aching back a rest and of course be a forum rodent.

Just a hint on the wire frame arm brace, you might detach the brace andslip a piece of foam pipe insulation over the existing foam pad to increase the comfort factor a bit...and reinstall it, mine digs into my radius bone too much without it (but your son is a toughy it appears!).


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## brucered (Dec 30, 2015)

Chuck Daehler said:


> I like the job done on your steps and stone masonry too... yer a man of class and style! It shows.


That fancy catchbox a page back on the fancy steps isn't mine, but the catchbox will be this year. My grass is never that green either


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## Chuck Daehler (Mar 17, 2015)

Tobias, this is for you sonny.... Gotta commend you on your slingshot interest and expertise! You are so lucky to have a great dad like you do. I see you use eye protection...believe me, and take it from a one eye'd guy, your vision is super important to protect...but you know that...and Murphy's Law... "If it -can- happen it will happen".

Get on with shooting, slingshots and everything. Give your good daddy a big hug too.

Ah shucks brucered, here I was thinking the steps and box were yours. You busted my bubble. So you are just like the rest of us, eh? LOL (geez I hope not - at least in my case!)


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## BAT (Feb 26, 2015)

Cans are the best targets!! Congrats to both of you!

An indeed, a very satisfying sount it is........

Cheers!


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## Chuck Daehler (Mar 17, 2015)

Trumark mods, fork and brace.

The ammo stash is handy, some say it rattles too much and scares off game. I think that's more theory than fact, a human crunching around the underbrush with a poot or two and an "ahem" or "achooo" or so, makes more racket than ammo rattling in a slingshot handle.

Note I tied the cuff. That may seem redundant (well it is) but the unique rubber tubing I can get here in bananaland is a tad too large to be snug enough to hold the band..it did work but the band edged every so slowly out so I tied it off. I think just tieing would preclude using the cuff altogether. If I could bet tighter tubes, cuffing would rule...so simple and fast. I was thinking of wrapping the fork end with some electrical tape to thicken it so the cuff WOULD work, after I did the tie. When I need to change the bands, I'll try it.

Bands in this case are Aliance Sterlings. I prefer TBG actually but bought a couple boxes of Aliance to give them a try. They are OK but seem to not deliver quite the accuracy of the TBG ones. I don't know why, possibly because the Aliance are thicker rubber and contract sort of in a random pattern rather than a "same each time" pattern. Bands don't contract straight, they wrinkle and bunch up per a vid Joerg made. If they are thicker my idea (no slo mo vids to prove it on my part), is they wrinkle and bunch up in a random pattern rather than more of the same way each shot. But Aliance are fine bands, no cutting, just trim to length.

I bent the forks inward 1cm each side so at 15 meters, my preferred shooting range, the fork would not hide the target with my banding and ammo combo.


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