# Bands, 5/16"/8mm steel, indoors, short draw: thin/wide or thick/narrow?



## mike160304 (Aug 10, 2018)

Firstly, I have read here that GZK rubber needs longer draw, for a given thickness and draw weight, than TBG or Precise Gen 3, so if I want short draw, to my cheekbone, I should avoid GZK?

Is this correct, please?

Secondly, for indoors target shooting, short draw, 5/16"/8mm steel, I have read that 0.5mm TBG or 0.5mm Precise Gen 3 is recommended. Does it matter much which?

(I am only going to stretch the rubber up to 4x, for longer life)

Thirdly, instead of using 0.5mm, does it matter much if I use e.g. 0.7mm Precise Gen 3 and cut it narrower? Because the 0.7mm, single or double, would then also suit all my heavy ammo catapults up to about 12 grammes ammo?

Does any of this make sense? Just trying not to buy too many different types of expensive rubber.

Any comments would be much appreciated.

Mike


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## oldmiser (Jan 22, 2014)

I would say if you want to shoot light 8mm 4 gramme .. plus use for shot heavy ammo..as well......I would seclect 0.70 Red Percise...

For light ammo make a tapper cut 17mm wide (fork end) 9mm(pouch end) x 200mm long for your anchor ir the cheek..

For heavey ammo make a tapper cut 25mm wide(fork end) 12mm (pouch end) 200mm long...

be sure to allow a extra 10 mm's for both the fork & pouch tie's..

or you could have two set up...one flat bands other tube's......being the flat bands for the lighter ammo..and the tube's for heavy ammo.....

just my opinion ..this should work out ok......

akaOldmiser


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## Grandpa Grumpy (Apr 21, 2013)

If you are looking for inexpensive bands for indoor shooting try office bands. #64 and #84 are plenty long enough for a shorter draw when you cut the loops.


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## KawKan (May 11, 2013)

No need to avoid the GZK. It's max performance may be at about 600 percent stretch, but it works fine at 400 percent.

Guidelines for length, width and taper for all latex products are just guidelines. With experience they can all be adjusted to to fit our individual preferences.

Start out with .5mm or .7mm latex as you prefer. Either can be cut to suit light or heavy ammo.

Have fun shooting!


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## mike160304 (Aug 10, 2018)

Oldmiser, Grumpy Grandpa and KawKan -

Thanks very much for your comments.

I was going into a more detailed treatise here but through poor navigation I have lost the text twice and shall have to do the detail another time.

I have ordered Precise 3rd Generation, 0.7mm, which is orange-yellow in 3rd Generation, better than red for me.

I have also ordered a "Ruler Trimmer with Cutter" from The Works (UK) for £5. Here is a video of it at work:






Nick Hegarty, who made this video (and is supplying my Precise rubber) recommended the Ruler Trimmer as being much, much safer than a rotary cutter.

I chose this rubber because I want max power from min rubber with 4x stretch and min draw, ending at my cheekbone. If you get my drift.

Thanks again,

Mike


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## mike160304 (Aug 10, 2018)

oldmiser said:


> I would say if you want to shoot light 8mm 4 gramme .. plus use for shot heavy ammo..as well......I would seclect 0.70 Red Percise...
> 
> For light ammo make a tapper cut 17mm wide (fork end) 9mm(pouch end) x 200mm long for your anchor ir the cheek..
> 
> ...


Thank you for all the useful detail, I have noted it all carefully.

Mike


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## mike160304 (Aug 10, 2018)

Grandpa Grumpy said:


> If you are looking for inexpensive bands for indoor shooting try office bands. #64 and #84 are plenty long enough for a shorter draw when you cut the loops.


Interesting reply, I have some good new 6" x 6mm thick rubber office bands here, I shall definitely try that on a small frame

I fancy making a skeletal, tiny, Altoids Tin size slingshot, maybe even TTF, for an experiment, with these office bands, shooting BBs, or it might even manage 8mm/5/16" steel balls?

Thanks,

Mike


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## mike160304 (Aug 10, 2018)

KawKan said:


> No need to avoid the GZK. It's max performance may be at about 600 percent stretch, but it works fine at 400 percent.
> 
> Guidelines for length, width and taper for all latex products are just guidelines. With experience they can all be adjusted to to fit our individual preferences.
> 
> ...


Thanks, but as I said in my post above, about the Precise 0.7mm 3rd Generation:

"I chose this rubber because I want max power from min rubber with 4x stretch and min draw, ending at my cheekbone."

Also because my supplier, Nick Hegarty in Leeds UK, is very helpful and a valuable new contact.

But I know nothing, I am just trying to read the runes, here on the Forum.

But just in these last 3 months, anything I think I know has come from the combination of trying to make catapults and getting involved in the Forum, and it is all really challenging and enjoyable.

I have moved on from making things like I made in 1955 into making things that shoot better today.

Taking on this new reality has included completely redefining my Victorian 1860 into the Victorian 2018, currently suspended as "dangerous" until her next rebuild with slightly more fork gap and a lot less rubber!

Mike


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