# Shooting Competitions



## moongalba (Sep 2, 2013)

Dear friends,

I can refer you to you as friends as I have has so many letters from you. May I ask what is the shortest distance used in Shooting competitions and then the next longest? I ask this so that I can use these distances when practicing in the small garden area I have at my disposal which is about 9 feet. My final question is, should I concentrate on using one or two slingshots rather than say six or seven.

My respect to you all

Robert aka Moongalba


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## GrayWolf (May 14, 2012)

Hi Robert, nice to meet you.

Contests can range in distance from as short as 7 meters to as much as 20 and even 30 meters. If 9 feet is what you have, then by all means, take advantage of it and keep shooting. Short distance is great for getting the basics down and practicing on your form. Start with a larger target and progressively get smaller as you get better. The smaller target will help increase your focus for when you start moving back in distance.

As far as the number of slingshots....I may not be the right one for this. I have a decent collection of close to 80 frames. I shoot 10% of them 90% of the time. The main thing is to have fun. If adding a new frame adds to your fun, then do it!! If you are just trying to get better, then stick to a small number for now and add later. Some styles take longer to improve, like the pickle forks (but they are a blast to shoot). You just have to find out what works for you.

There are some great shooters in Australia...maybe one or two is close by. Shooting with someone is always a good thing.

Todd


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## Aussie Allan In Thailand (Jan 28, 2013)

Hi Again Robert,

Your 9 feet is barely 3 meters, and of course this does not even give ammo/shot the time to rise much at all when it comes to ballistics.

Therefore at that shot range you are never going to get any "feel" for what can happen to shot of any weight, say 8 to 10, much less 15 grams or heavier.

When it comes to the ammo/shot reaching the height of your fork tip, IF you shoot with the forks turned horizontally as many of us do, or as it called the "gangster style of shooting.

If you can assemble a portable large enough catch box, and of course it is NOT dangerous to anyone or animals.

I am sure there may be a park or reserve somewhere nearby that you may practice at longer ranges out to maybe 10 meters.

I trust this maybe of assistance, after you gain at least some proficiency at 9 feet.

Cheers Allan


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## moongalba (Sep 2, 2013)

Thank you Allan for the advice.

I know that the distance allowed me is pretty useless and I have decided to settle the matter by getting up early and going over to he playing fields to set myself up with a respectable distance to shoot to. It is 4am now as I could not sleep. I shall finish watering the garden to give the sun chance to poke its head above the horizon, then off I shall go to the field just around the corner. I shall take two or three Slingshot's with me to practice with at about twenty paces. I shall be taking an old discarded fridge cardboard box, draw a circle drawn on the side as a target and to box to act as a catch box, so unless I miss the darn thing altogether I should not loose any marbles. I will let you know how I get on.

Robert.


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## jazz (May 15, 2012)

hi moongalba and all,

one of the rules I learned here and which I later confirmed many times in practice is that slingshots and SS shooting have too many variables for a normal human being to control; therefore, when practicing try to stick to one style, one draw, bands, frame, ammo, distance etc. and play with it to see how it works; later you can change something but you should analyse it and compare to the previous results etc. I used to have pencil and paper with me and I used to put record basice equipmen, distance and results in order to compare them and draw some conclusions.

for example, if you want to see how shooting at 20 meters feels and differs from shooting at 10 meters then do so but DO NOT change anything else except the distance; that is, do not try in the same time another shooting stile, other frame, stronger or weaker bands, different ammo etc. The distance in itself is an important variable and in slingshots even more important than with rifles or even archery - here the drop of ammo at 10 meters is in centimeters and at 20, 30, 50.. meters is in kilometers...

then, when you get the feeling and some consistent results with one approach you can introduce new variable and so on.

thinking about this brings me to how scientists/researches do their research when dealing with many variables; say, an agricultural institute tests new plant and in doing so it has to take into account many variables in the same time such as humidity, temperature... and who knows what and as far as I know from Statistics the only way they can cope with it and make some sense is careful expderimental design, enough measeurements etc. and a lot of calculation later back in the lab.

they can do so, they are scientists; we are only ss shooters and most of us can usualy cope with one variable at a time, especialy when we still do not have lot of experience.

but, there is the thrill also - you do not just go around and shoot but you carefully prepare your shooting session, what you want to test, to achieve, and how you are going to record and anylise, compare the data, draw concluaions etc. - truly an added value to the pure joy of shooting!

hope this helps,

jazz


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## moongalba (Sep 2, 2013)

jazz said:


> hi moongalba and all,
> 
> one of the rules I learned here and which I later confirmed many times in practice is that slingshots and SS shooting have too many variables for a normal human being to control; therefore, when practicing try to stick to one style, one draw, bands, frame, ammo, distance etc. and play with it to see how it works; later you can change something but you should analyse it and compare to the previous results etc. I used to have pencil and paper with me and I used to put record basice equipmen, distance and results in order to compare them and draw some conclusions.
> 
> ...


Jass,

Thank you so very much for the information. As a new boy on the block and to the use of the slingshot I found your information to be sound. I went out this morning to the playing field as I do not have enough distance in my garden to get anything but a distance of five yards. This as you know is not suitable to give one the ability to test one's skills. Your suggestion to use just one slingshot and to make no alterations to your pull or aiming at whatever distance was sound advice although I did all of this before reading your mail.

I started off at 10 yards using the same configuration as at 5 yards. I found that I have to make some slight adjustments but managed to hit the target. I then tried shooting at 20 then 25 yards. Again some adjustments had to be made but I hit the target a couple of times. I found altering the slingshot much more successful than trying to alter the position of the pouch. Any way I drove back home like a pig wallowing in muck.

I have never used bands, mainly because I have to get them from overseas which makes it expensive. Though tubes last longer I think that they may have their limitations regarding pull. But then who am I to make judgement on such matters.

Some advice would be most welcome my friend.

Regards to you Jass

Robert


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## moongalba (Sep 2, 2013)

moongalba said:


> Thank you Allan for the advice.
> 
> I know that the distance allowed me is pretty useless and I have decided to settle the matter by getting up early and going over to he playing fields to set myself up with a respectable distance to shoot to. It is 4am now as I could not sleep. I shall finish watering the garden to give the sun chance to poke its head above the horizon, then off I shall go to the field just around the corner. I shall take two or three Slingshot's with me to practice with at about twenty paces. I shall be taking an old discarded fridge cardboard box, draw a circle drawn on the side as a target and to box to act as a catch box, so unless I miss the darn thing altogether I should not loose any marbles. I will let you know how I get on.
> 
> Robert.


Well Allan I am back from my experimenting with distances. I have found that with the tubing that I am using 10 yards gives me the better results after using three slingshots. Though I did go crazy and went back to 25 meters just to see if I could hit even the back stop. I found that my marbles had minds of their own and went this way and that until I adjusted my slingshot, afterwards I managed to hit my intended target a half meter square with a cross marked on it. It was a satisfying couple of hours but I am not sure if tubes are the best to use at 25 yards. Anyway I set out and achieved what I intended to do and now find that there is a future for me in the world of slingshots.

My regards

Robert


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## Aussie Allan In Thailand (Jan 28, 2013)

Hi Robert,

Regarding Theraband Gold (TBG), check ebay.

As I buy mine FROM Australia believe it or not.

So it is not a go overseas thing, and it is not expensive, and you do NOT have to go the expensive route and buy a cutting mat, and rotary cutter if you do have the money.

I will of get these things in time; but in the interim, I just carefully put masking tape on both sides of the sheet TBG, then with a biro and steel ruler measure and mark my bands taper, then using a stanley knife the break away sections type, and the steel ruler, I then cut very carefully again, my bands on a tiled floor.

My taper as you know is 22 mm to 16 mm over 7 inches from fork tie to pouch tie; but I mark and cut 26 mm to 18 mm over 9 in inches; then tie the pouch first using a bit but not alot of pushed through the pouch.

Then from this I mark 7 inches with a biro, then tie the fork end, this always leaves a fair bit left over after I TBG strip tie the bands to the forks, BUT it gives me a genuine 22 mm to 16 mm band set 7 inches long; which when stretched to my my 45 inches it a genuine 550%.

So it is no big deal which some make it out to be. Sorry for the very long sentence above.

Also you WILL find the TBG, particularly if you use double bands, alot faster than the tubes; this may take a bit of getting used to and throw you shooting off a little at first. BUT it will be worth it in the end.

Also to achieve the same ballistics, you DO need to stretch the tubes a min of around 15 to 20% further to get the same feet per second as the TBG.

Although with triple TBG I do go to 560/565% to get the identical ballistics as double .04 latex, which is proved fast available. Given I am a fairly strong oldish guy.

Again I hope this may help you and your shooting

Cheers Allan


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## Aussie Allan In Thailand (Jan 28, 2013)

Robert,

I most strongly urge you to watch if you have not already, 3 videos.

Firstly, on youtube a Mr. Bill Hays How To Shot A Slingshot & Accurately Video the link is 



 .

Absolutely great. The video went in the post.

Also, and you will find them in the videos section of the forum, both of Charles videos regarding the hold of the slingshot and the pouch; and how this effects the both the comfort of your wrist, and the release of your shot.

These I am totally confident will be of great assistance to you in improving greatly both your shooting skill and accuracy.

Next to myself or someone else with years of experience standing beside you, these are the next best ways to help.

Cheers Allan


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## Aussie Allan In Thailand (Jan 28, 2013)

The links and hopefully the videos also for Charles two videos Robert titled How To Avoid Fork & Hand Hits, but alot more information to assist you mate.

Part one first.

http://slingshotforum.com/videos/view-32-how-to-avoid-fork-and-hand-hits-part-1/

Then part two.

http://slingshotforum.com/videos/view-31-how-to-avoid-fork-and-hand-hits-part-2/

Cheers Allan


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## moongalba (Sep 2, 2013)

Thanks buddy.

Will look at them now.

Robert


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