# Homemade Sight



## M.J (Nov 1, 2010)

I, like many of you, have been looking at the Spanish-style tournament slingshots posted by Alfshooter. One unusual feature of them is the sighting system they use. That got me to wondering if a workable sight could be adopted to a western style, sideways-held slingshot.
I came up with this:




Like I said in the vid- everything else has to be working before a sight will do you any good. The main thing this is showing me so far is the importance of release technique. If the release is good and the sight is where it needs to be then it's bullseye time. If the release is not so good (as is often the case when it's 35 degrees out like in the vid) the shots go astray.
Is this sight method the perfect solution? Proably not. It's good for these bands (1842s) this ammo (7/16" steel) at this distance (10m in the vid but once it warms up in to the 50s or above it will work out to 25yds). Most importantly it's set up for _this_ shooter. I probably couldn't put a site on your slingshot and have it work for you.
But you could! Go ahead, what else are you doing?


----------



## Sean (Nov 17, 2011)

Thanks for posting the video. Nice idea with the zap strap. I'll have a go with one soon. Good shooting btw.


----------



## Northerner (Nov 9, 2010)

Nice video MJ. You're right on about the shooter's style needing to be consistent for sights to work. Velocity must be consistent (draw length), anchor point must be consistent (rear sight), and the release must be consistent.

With lower velocity slingshots, the tip of the fork can often be used for aiming. With high velocity, the fork must hang below the target and that's where the sight idea reduces gap estimation and might work a bit better.

Cheers,
Northerner


----------



## Knoll (Nov 10, 2011)

You're always thinking. Thanks for the idea!


----------



## M.J (Nov 1, 2010)

Northerner said:


> With lower velocity slingshots, the tip of the fork can often be used for aiming. With high velocity, the fork must hang below the target and that's where the sight idea reduces gap estimation and might work a bit better.
> 
> Cheers,
> Northerner


Fork width has alot to do with that, too. The SPS is a fairly narrow slingshot. I have others with wider gaps that can be sighted more effectively but none of them shoot as well


----------



## Scrambler84 (Dec 8, 2011)

Great Shooting and your Video is very Good and just clear... With what you are doing in your discription.


----------



## RedRubber (Nov 8, 2011)

Thats a first class video!


----------



## rubberpower (Aug 16, 2011)

Unique sight. You nailed it when you talked about the release. That is the one area that I spend the most time in practice. I wish there was a magic bullet for the perfect release. Too bad release aids are not allowed. Maybe there should be a class for them.


----------



## M.J (Nov 1, 2010)

rubberpower said:


> Unique sight. You nailed it when you talked about the release. That is the one area that I spend the most time in practice. I wish there was a magic bullet for the perfect release. Too bad release aids are not allowed. Maybe there should be a class for them.


I've thought about that. Even if you were to use a release you'd have to hold it in exactally the same place every time.
It's always something with slingshooting!


----------



## Imperial (Feb 9, 2011)

theres also muscle memory involved . everyone has a different release and anchor point . if you dont know how to use the sights on your slingshot (or any weapon for that matter) of choice, then youll never be a good shot . people need to know thier slingshots and thier own limits .


----------



## rubberpower (Aug 16, 2011)

M_J said:


> Unique sight. You nailed it when you talked about the release. That is the one area that I spend the most time in practice. I wish there was a magic bullet for the perfect release. Too bad release aids are not allowed. Maybe there should be a class for them.


I've thought about that. Even if you were to use a release you'd have to hold it in exactally the same place every time.
It's always something with slingshooting!
[/quote]Your right, it always something. I do know this, I have had the sight dead on at time of release and missed due to a bad release. What I am playing with now is a shooting glove and it does seem to help. The pouch seems to slide off the glove smoother than skin. The biggest improvement has been to switch to shooting with the pouch between my first and second finger.


----------



## NaturalFork (Jan 21, 2010)

This is awesome! .. I really like the idea of a sight. I am also the same way, if I aim forever it doesnt work as well as lining up the sight and letting it rip. Great video. Thanks for posting.


----------



## M.J (Nov 1, 2010)

Still playing around with this. It doesn't work for ground level shooting. Infact, anything other than chest-high target shooting has you looking around or over the sight.
But...
After taking the sight off yesterday (because my fevered brain had to move on to something else) I couldn't duplicate the accuracy I was getting on the targets.
Too bad I can't have two SPSs...


----------



## pop shot (Sep 29, 2011)

M_J said:


> Still playing around with this. It doesn't work for ground level shooting. Infact, anything other than chest-high target shooting has you looking around or over the sight.
> But...
> After taking the sight off yesterday (because my fevered brain had to move on to something else) I couldn't duplicate the accuracy I was getting on the targets.
> Too bad I can't have two SPSs...


she doesn't have to know, MJ


----------



## lightgeoduck (Apr 3, 2011)

I have been off the net for a bit, and came across this.. excellent idea M_J, I can definitely see how this could work for some.

I also noticed in a later post you made in this thread, about working chest high, but not lower (as far as for you). Now this is just a suggestion, and not sure if this is what you do anyway, but try drawing as you would for a chest high target, then move your entire upper portion of your body to aim lower. ie fork hand, ancher hand, arm, and head. this should provide you the same reference point on your sight, rather than just moving the fork down to the target.

Either way, good job, and as always excellent video.

LGD


----------



## M.J (Nov 1, 2010)

lightgeoduck said:


> I have been off the net for a bit, and came across this.. excellent idea M_J, I can definitely see how this could work for some.
> 
> I also noticed in a later post you made in this thread, about working chest high, but not lower (as far as for you). Now this is just a suggestion, and not sure if this is what you do anyway, but try drawing as you would for a chest high target, then move your entire upper portion of your body to aim lower. ie fork hand, ancher hand, arm, and head. this should provide you the same reference point on your sight, rather than just moving the fork down to the target.
> 
> ...


I see what you mean, LGD. Good suggestion!That way the perspective doesn't change. I'll give it a shot.


----------



## Henry the Hermit (Jun 2, 2010)

M_J said:


> I have been off the net for a bit, and came across this.. excellent idea M_J, I can definitely see how this could work for some. I also noticed in a later post you made in this thread, about working chest high, but not lower (as far as for you). Now this is just a suggestion, and not sure if this is what you do anyway, but try drawing as you would for a chest high target, then move your entire upper portion of your body to aim lower. ie fork hand, ancher hand, arm, and head. this should provide you the same reference point on your sight, rather than just moving the fork down to the target. Either way, good job, and as always excellent video. LGD


 I see what you mean, LGD. Good suggestion!That way the perspective doesn't change. I'll give it a shot. [/quote]

Nice vid, good idea.

Remember when you shoot on a downward angle, the apparent flight of the projectile will be straighter; i.e. less drop because you are working with gravity instead of compensating for it.


----------



## nutthrower (Dec 18, 2011)

lightgeoduck, your right on with that, same goes in archery - they say when moving, be it, from side to side OR up and down to always move from your waist, I know from watching my killer channel as my wife calls it , actually the Sportsman channel it says that tree stand shooters should pull straight out in front chest high with thier bows then lower the body from the waist to make there hit on target, this gets you that proper alinment your use to when shooting on the ground ..... made since to me anyway, hopefully it made since here


----------



## M.J (Nov 1, 2010)

I just tried this, LGD, and it felt weird but worked great! I think with a little practice this method will really help my performance in the 3D course at the ECST.
You are a gentleman and a scholor!


----------



## lightgeoduck (Apr 3, 2011)

M_J said:


> I just tried this, LGD, and it felt weird but worked great! I think with a little practice this method will really help my performance in the 3D course at the ECST.
> You are a gentleman and a scholor!


That's great to hear that I was of assistance. It takes a little while to get use to, especially if you normally don't do that. In time, as with anything, it will become more natural. I have improved alot by doing this, my only issue is I shoot different slingshots different ways, so it takes me a bit to find my "center". I have to do a few sessions of chest high targets when shooting a new slingshot before I can even think about roaming around for targets.

Hopefully if the stars align correctly, we will be shooting side-by-side at the ECST.

LGD


----------



## M.J (Nov 1, 2010)

Update: I'm a believer!
I've started shooting more indoors since it's 15 degrees with a 15mph wind today. Using the sighted SPS, 2040 tubes and 3/8" steel ammo my shot grouping has improved markedly. I used to scatter shots all over a paper target because I wasn't able to focus like I could on a can. Results are much better now. With 3.5 months 'till the ECST I'm all of a sudden feeling very confident about the paper target portion. As soon as it warms up (like to...freezing) I'll check out this band/ammo combo at 25 yards.
As a happy coincidence I didn't have to change the sight when I changed bands/ammo. Both 3/8"/2040 and 7/16"/1842 shoot dead-flat at 10m
Here's my latest entry in the slingshotleague.com contest. No perfect score yet but a solid effort. I did shoot a perfect round in the 5m shoot yesterday:


----------

