# Best Band and Ammo Combo



## Felicko (Jan 23, 2011)

What do you think is the best band and ammo combo. You can even add which slingshot you use this combo with. Also specify for what, like no hand slap, power, accuracy, etc.


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## John-Boy (Oct 15, 2010)

This is gonna differ from person to person, but heres my fav setups:

1. Single TB gold, cut 23cm, tapered 2cm to 1.5cm at pouch. (small pouch) 6-7mm steel (target shooting)

2. Double TB black, cut 28cm, tapered 2.5cm to 2cm at pouch. (small pouch) 8mm steel (target shooting)

3. Single TB gold + single TB black, both cut 23cm, tapered 2.25cm to 2cm at pouch. (medium pouch) 9-12mm steel (small feathered game)

4. Double TB gold, cut 22cm, tapered 3cm to 2.5 at pouch. (large pouch) 12-15mm steel, .44 .50 lead (small game)

5. Triple TB black, cut 28cm, tapered 3cm to 2cm at pouch. (medium pouch) .44 lead (small game)

Small pouch: 5.5cm x 1.75cm
Medium: 6cm x 2cm
Large: 7.5cm x 2.25cm

John-boy


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## BaneofSmallGame (Sep 22, 2010)

Well, this is a vary vague, yet sort of justified question for those new to slingshots. I think we need a few more specifics though...

What are your priorities, because with all slingshots there is compromises...You cannot always have MAX speed and power and have long band life. And long band life usually doesn't mean the most speed and power. And these generalizations all correspond back to the type of ammo you are using. Some bands just do better with heavier ammo to avoid hand slaps, wild shots etc.

A few questions, I could take 30 minutes to sit down and type to explain some things to you, but I don't plan on doing that so help us out a bit here....









What are you going to use your slingshot for?

Do you have a budget for buying bands and then buying the ammo, or scrounging it somehow that does best with your band configuration, because you said best?

Do you have a preferred draw weight, light. medium, heavy....more specific actual poundage, etc. ?

How long do you want your bands to last for?

Will you sacrifice longevity for a little more speed?

These are ALL generalization, there are really no borders like I have basically drawn up if you have the right mindset, skills, ingenuity, and materials. There are slingshot enthusiasts who have broken these barriers in the compromise between speed and longevity...but it is a little harder for the average newbie to the hobby.

Answer us a few questions so we have a better idea of what you are looking for and then you'll get some great advice.

I use slingshots for minimum coffee can destroying and mainly hunting. There fore I like power with very heavy ammo for devastation while compromising for longevity. I want bands that will last through practice sessions and a long hunt with no worries. 
At this point that job falls on a few band sets. 
- My trusty chains that are cheap and easy to construct and they last pretty well and when they brake the change is easy. 
- Round solid latex cordage which lasts forever and is cold resistant and capable of hurling my stone ammo (free!) 
- Heavy double tubes from Frogman, hefty draw yet is the fastest out of all of these hunting options. And they will likely reach the thousands in shot count with ease.
- Finally, the hollow forever tubes that have a nice smooth draw with some heft but fire lead very well and were recorded to last around 2000 shots

As you can see I value durability and the ability to shoot my stone ammo which is unlimited and free.

Hope that helped a bit, good luck, maybe when I have some more time I can elaborate further and cover more bases, but other members will do that for me I'm sure.

Cheers - John


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## styks (Nov 28, 2010)

This is interesting to me as I'm just learning so seeing what folks shooting setups are with differing ammo weights and sizes
will save me wasting my roll of TB Gold.







.. I've already wasted some experimenting.

I've just replaced the bands on my King Cat and feel I've overdone it somewhat!
I'm shooting 8mm BB and have fitted doubled TB Gold 235mm, 25mm at forks 15mm at pouch.
I can pull and shoot comfortably but I think it's just overkill for 8mm BB's??

Sorry not intending to HiJack, but just thought it's a good thread to ask what might be the optimum for speed
shooting 8mm BB's?? ......... I think I'm well into "Law of diminishing returns" with my current band setup. ............. Yes it's fast but probably only marginally faster than the optimum which 
may only require single bands?

I would like to be able to take small game birds with my King Cat as well as target shoot/practice if at all poss, I think 8mm will do it ok at short range if I get it setup
for max efficiency.


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## Felicko (Jan 23, 2011)

BaneofSmallGame said:


> Well, this is a vary vague, yet sort of justified question for those new to slingshots. I think we need a few more specifics though...
> 
> What are your priorities, because with all slingshots there is compromises...You cannot always have MAX speed and power and have long band life. And long band life usually doesn't mean the most speed and power. And these generalizations all correspond back to the type of ammo you are using. Some bands just do better with heavier ammo to avoid hand slaps, wild shots etc.
> 
> ...


I am sorry if I wasn't precise but this thread was mainly to see what other people prefer and why. This was not mainly to help me choose bands but see what people generally like. I'm sorry but by best I meant your favourite band + ammo combo and why. But I mainly want a very accurate setup with a mediocre speed and low power. I don't mind hand slap but I want the bands to last a long time.


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## dragonmaster (Dec 24, 2009)

I've become fond of rubber bands 105's 107's chained 32's and 64's. I shoot 3/8 steel and rocks all though I do like shooting with tubs of any type. I'm kind of a fly by the seat of your pants kind of guy and will shoot with what ever I have banded up at the time. I have no real prefferance to the combo as long as I can get my ammo to make contact with the target.Even if I were hunting it's all about fun for me.


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## stelug (Feb 6, 2010)

i think yours set is still switable with 8 mm bb. single theraband do not reach e real destructive pouwer in my experience, only when doubled TB become a killer. obviously someone could observe that a large Tb band could act as a double but is my opinion that this stuff is too thik to be foldable. doubled chinese tubes or doubled Tb tubes are very effective too in my experience.


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## Felicko (Jan 23, 2011)

Anyone use tubes?


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## Henry the Hermit (Jun 2, 2010)

Felicko said:


> Anyone use tubes?


I use tubes where appropriate, for example on my bent-rods. Theraband Red seems to me to be the best compromise between speed and ease of draw. Here's my tackle box special below.


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## Northerner (Nov 9, 2010)

*1/16" gum rubber* ( 1/2" straight cut x 9 1/2") - Shoots 3/8" steel at 174 fps at my 29-30" draw. I like this band for plinking. It's good for when you want a narrow band.

*1/16" gum rubber* (3/4" x 1/2" x 9 1/4") - Noticeably harder to pull than 1/2" straight cut. I don't have any velocity data handy but it does a bit better than the 1/2" straight cut. At the moment I prefer the milder 1/2" strips.

*Theraband-Gold* single bands (1 1/16" x 3/4" x 9 1/4") - Shoots 3/8" steel at 168 fps and 5/16" steel at 180 fps. My example has a big pouch for 1/2" marbles but it still shoots good with smaller steel ammo. This cut is very easy to draw and lasts a long time. I like it for indoor shooting and 10-12m plinking outdoors.

*Theraband-Gold* single bands (3/4" x 1/2" x 9") - Shoots 5/16" steel at 187 fps. My narrow "BB Shooter" example has a very small/light pouch that contributes to the velocity. I don't think it would do as well with a larger pouch.

*Theraband Gold* single bands (3/4" straight cut x 8") - 186 fps with 3/8" steel at 30" draw. This is a nice cut. It's a bit harder to pull than the 1 1/16"x3/4"x9 1/4" but gives more power. I like it.

*Theraband Gold* single bands (3/8" steel and 3/8" lead)
1 1/8" x 3/4" x 8" = 206 fps with steel and 195 fps with lead
1" X 5/8" X 8 1/2" = 190 fps with steel and 180 fps with lead
3/4" x 1/2" x 7 1/2" = 185 fps with steel and 170 fps with lead

*.050" Latex* (1" x 3/4" x 8 3/4") - Very fast. Shoots 3/8" steel at 203 fps, 3/8" lead at 191 fps, and .44" lead at 171 fps.

*.**050" Latex **(*5/8" x 1/2" x 8") = 198 fps with 3/8" steel and 184 fps with 3/8" lead. This seems like a nice cut but I only have the one set of bands. I need to explore the .050" latex a bit more.

Cheers,
Northerner


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## BaneofSmallGame (Sep 22, 2010)

> Anyone use tubes?


As I told you above, yes I completely prefer tubes and other long lasting band options over flatbands, yes flats have the capability to last just as long as any other bandset but the solids, chains, and tubes trump them most times.

For hunting I rotate between:

- My trusty *chained rubberbands* that are cheap and easy to construct and they last pretty well and when they brake the change is easy.

- *Round solid latex cordage* which lasts forever (capable of 1000s of shots) and is cold resistant and capable of hurling my stone ammo (free!)

- *Heavy double tubes from Frogman*, hefty draw yet is the fastest out of all of these hunting options. And they will likely reach the thousands in shot count with ease.

- Finally, the* hollow forever tubes* (from Dayhiker, via Jmplsnt) that have a nice smooth draw with some heft but fire lead very well and were recorded to last around 2000 shots

For hunting and practicing to build up to the hunt using those bandsets I use heavy stones, large hex nuts, .44 lead, .50 lead, and .65 lead conical sabots.....I'm open to other options but that is what I have...

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For target shooting I mainly use:

-* Short length 107 rubberbands*, surprising power with marbles and medium steel and they can go for a few hundred shots with ease and require no work at all

- Any form of *Chinese tubing*, preferably *1842 or 1745*, in all different configurations, probably my most accurate bands with impressive speed and good life

- I'm going to give 1/16 gum rubber a try next as it is said to last very well and it is relatively cheap...

As to target ammo I prefer 1/2" and 5/8" marbles because they are cheap, stones, and 5/16", 3/8", 7/16", and 1/2" if I ever have them on hand.

There you go!!









In this respect I am very similar to Dragon Master when it comes to going with the flow and using what you have on hand.... this is all fun for me!

Cheers - John


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## jmplsnt (Jan 1, 2010)

Excellent post everyone. I see a lot of very viable options and quite a few that I have used in the past.

My go-to set is a high quality #32 red clay platinum crepe chain (not looped) in a 4x4x4 configuration. I also use a Mexican-inspired ersatz pouch that is much larger than those used by the majority of shooters. Using this rig I can fire marbles, stones to decent size, and self-cast .44 and.50 leaf round balls with great force to 30+ yards. A lot of people don't like my size of pouch but I can shoot anything I feel like through my antler gypsy fork and all ammo types with absolutely zero hand slap.

I have no kills on red chains but some on similar strength chains using identical pouches with both marbles and lead. I recommend your perusing Nico's posts in the hunting forum for photographic documentation. They are my favorite with no reservations.


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## John-Boy (Oct 15, 2010)

BaneofSmallGame said:


> > Anyone use tubes?
> 
> 
> As I told you above, yes I completely prefer tubes and other long lasting band options over flatbands, yes flats have the capability to last just as long as any other bandset but the solids, chains, and tubes trump them most times.

















You may get a suprise John when that parcel arrives!! cough...._flatba...._cough lol


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