# New Slingshot series on Youtube



## Mike The Spike (Mar 27, 2014)

Me and my cousin were goofing around, trying to prove to a friend that didn't believe a slingshot can break a brick otherwise, and we were filming it just for kicks. We came up with the idea of starting a series on the topic of Slingshot Destruction, having a new challenge each time testing if slingshots will demolish the object in question. I have the necessary equipment to make a Hollywood movie, but this was an on-site improv with a cellphone camera.

Next episode we will pit a desktop PC against a slingshot in mythbusters fashion using various types of ammunition. After that, a dryer.

I put the video under the label of my production label where I'm making tons of web-series for ATM.

Check it out! 




The series is called The Slingshot Destruction Demolition Men


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## flipgun (Nov 14, 2012)

Ya know that is certainly an idea, but I don't like the concept of shooters being promoted as implements of destruction.

Just my :twocents:


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## Mike The Spike (Mar 27, 2014)

flipgun said:


> Ya know that is certainly an idea, but I don't like the concept of shooters being promoted as implements of destruction.
> 
> Just my :twocents:


Thanks. That's what Joerg Sprave kinda does, but he doesn't seem to realize that people want to see stuff destroyed and that's why his channel is so popular (as well as shows like MythBusters, where destruction is a staple) or he'd focus on that aspect alone. Take away the destruction and the majority of people don't want to see it anymore. I think we'd get a lot of gun nuts to put aside their AK47 and pick up a slingshot if they saw it demolish something substantial, expanding the slingshot shooting family.


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## Sunchierefram (Nov 16, 2013)

I'd watch it.


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## ruthiexxxx (Sep 15, 2012)

suibscribed and looking forward to the next one


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## NaturalFork (Jan 21, 2010)

Cool. But you need a better camera!


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## Pebble Shooter (Mar 29, 2014)

Quote" I think we'd get a lot of gun nuts to put aside their AK47 and pick up a slingshot if they saw it demolish something substantial, expanding the slingshot shooting family." <_<

I doubt that FPS Russia would give up his guns for a slingshot...nor will any other gun owners - which I fully understand.

Slingshot power is essential in terms of accuracy, range and hunting potential. However, demolishing things with slingshots is another, rather sensitive issue that could eventually draw the attention of the legislators, who may suddenly wave the feared "verboten" banner and stop the sport we so much enjoy.

If anything, promoting an image of slingshots as an instrument to demolish things will only help to turn public opinion against us. Slingshots are generally regarded as dangerous objects, and are already prohibited weapons depending on the region of the globe concerned (e.g. Australia, Denmark). We need to be careful here.

That said, some things can be demolished (tin cans, beverage cans, old wood boards, etc.) as targets also commonly used by airgun and firearm shooters, and will not draw negative attention because it's "acceptable" to most people. This is the key issue in terms of "YouTube" videos in my opinion: it's that fine line between the perception of "fun" and "dangerous".

Let me know what you think.


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## Mike The Spike (Mar 27, 2014)

Pebble Shooter said:


> Quote" I think we'd get a lot of gun nuts to put aside their AK47 and pick up a slingshot if they saw it demolish something substantial, expanding the slingshot shooting family." <_<
> 
> I doubt that FPS Russia would give up his guns for a slingshot...nor will any other gun owners - which I fully understand.
> 
> ...


What FPS Russia does is put up a fictional scripted sensationalist show backed by an arms dealer (that was recently murdered due to shady dealings btw), and I doubt seeing them change their winning format anytime soon. I don't expect anyone to give up their guns, but just put them aside sometime like me and appreciate the power and beauty of slingshots. I'm gonna be honest and say I have only one single beef with the slingshot, only one, which prevents it from taking the Nr. 1 place in the "all-round, all-purpose projectile launching invention" compartment located in my brain: Range. Sure, slingshots can have somewhat nice range pointing them straight up in the air and letting the ammo trajectory curve its way to the ground, but at the receiving end the target wouldn't even notice the difference between a piece of hail falling from the sky during a winter-storm and a steel ball, and even a half-decent BB gun could easily cover more distance. The crossbow IMO suffers from the same range problem, albeit a bit less. I don't think legislation is gonna change over some guys breaking stuff with a slingshot anymore than it did change after all the stuff Zombie Go Boom demonstrates the lethality of common objects or Joerg Sprave taking the law regarding rubber powered launchers to the max in his Germany-located show. I know you get the feeling that one official seeing Joerg blast a hole through a bullet proof vest with what is essentially a harpoon launcher would cause him to push for new legislation, but the fact of the matter is that legislative changes only occur when someone gets hurt or uses something as a weapon in an assault. Swaying away from the Sandy Hook aftermath, I'll just point out the situation in Holland where slingshots are illegal for the sole fact that squatters once attacked the police with them while forcefully being evicted, using 20mm steel nuts as ammo. A slingshot destruction show will bring more people to the sport IMO and leave laws unchanged. Unless some kid goes out and shoots his teacher or something we're safe. Then we'd be screwed.


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## Quercusuber (Nov 10, 2011)

Pebble Shooter said:


> Quote" I think we'd get a lot of gun nuts to put aside their AK47 and pick up a slingshot if they saw it demolish something substantial, expanding the slingshot shooting family." <_<
> 
> I doubt that FPS Russia would give up his guns for a slingshot...nor will any other gun owners - which I fully understand.
> 
> ...


Couldn't have said it better myself, Pebble Shooter!!!

Cheers ...Q


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## ChapmanHands (Oct 14, 2013)

I suppose the bright side is unlike firearms, if take my slingshot I can make a new one in a matter if hours, minutes if I want to go really minimal on design.


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## Sunchierefram (Nov 16, 2013)

A steel ball falling out of the sky would feel like a piece of hail? I guess it would depend on how big the steel ball is. 1/4 inch probably wouldn't do much while something like a big ole 1/2" piece of steel would probably be somewhat painful.


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## Pebble Shooter (Mar 29, 2014)

Quote: " I don't think legislation is gonna change over some guys breaking stuff with a slingshot anymore than it did change after all the stuff Zombie Go Boom demonstrates the lethality of common objects or Joerg Sprave taking the law regarding rubber powered launchers to the max in his Germany-located show."

I don't agree with your perspective. Legislators, whose primary objective will be to ensure public safety with regard to anything perceived as a weapon that could potentially injure or kill people, may indeed not respond to the (generally safely conducted) rubber-based power experiments of a Jürg Sprave displayed on "YouTube", which a huge number of people, including myself, enjoy watching. The problems from such displays of destructive force usually arise when evil-minded individuals make the weapons shown (often with the help of a detailed online tutorial...!) and use these to wantonly destroy public and/or private property, or worse, to harm or even kill people (or to shoot at domestic animals "just for fun"). Any such criminal acts will rapidly make the headlines in the local and international media, and leaving the public to decide whether an undesirable or even dangerous trend needs to be stopped before getting out of hand.

The reason why the German authorities banned wrist-braced slingshots back in the late 1980s is because some thoughtless individuals used such slingshots with steel BB ammo to shoot at the riot police during various violent demonstrations against nuclear power. For those who read German, here is an article that appeared in the well respected "Der Spiegel" magazine back in 1986:

http://www.spiegel.de/spiegel/print/d-13518805.html

This is extremely negative publicity of a kind that eventually leads to heavy-handed reactions of national or regional government authorities, along with laws that punish the majority of responsible slingshot makers and shooters among us. The wider public will not distinguish between that silent majority and the relatively small minority of thoughtless vandals and criminals who use slingshots in wrongful ways. Unfortunately, gun owners and shooters face the same hurdles in the USA and in Europe.

Slingshot videos should not set a bad example to would-be vandals and other disturbed individuals who will thrive on images of violent destruction, and who, based on the way the visual information and technical examples are shown, may be inspired to carry out anti-social acts which sooner or later turn the public eye upon us in a way we really do not need. It is bad enough as it is.

Finally, even your idea of shooting a steel BB into the sky without knowing where it's going to come down is rather dodgy, to say the least: it could well come down on someone's car, glass window, or worse, someone's head with sufficient force to cause damage or injury: a 12 mm app..50cal.) steel BB weighs around 6 to 7 grams... :angry:. There is a reason why many use safe backstops...

Making and shooting slingshots is great fun, but safety and a positive image among the public must always come first.


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## Mike The Spike (Mar 27, 2014)

Pebble Shooter said:


> Quote: " I don't think legislation is gonna change over some guys breaking stuff with a slingshot anymore than it did change after all the stuff Zombie Go Boom demonstrates the lethality of common objects or Joerg Sprave taking the law regarding rubber powered launchers to the max in his Germany-located show."
> 
> I don't agree with your perspective. Legislators, whose primary objective will be to ensure public safety with regard to anything perceived as a weapon that could potentially injure or kill people, may indeed not respond to the (generally safely conducted) rubber-based power experiments of a Jürg Sprave displayed on "YouTube", which a huge number of people, including myself, enjoy watching. The problems from such displays of destructive force usually arise when evil-minded individuals make the weapons shown (often with the help of a detailed online tutorial...!) and use these to wantonly destroy public and/or private property, or worse, to harm or even kill people (or to shoot at domestic animals "just for fun"). Any such criminal acts will rapidly make the headlines in the local and international media, and leaving the public to decide whether an undesirable or even dangerous trend needs to be stopped before getting out of hand.
> 
> ...


Well, episode 2 is out so you can judge for yourself (we attempt to destroy a desktop PC). 



 I was just out of bed at the moment of shooting (and drinking beer) so forgive the occasional mumbling and gibberish. It's quite long, 14 minutes, next one will be shorter (around the 7 minutes mark) and we're gonna do things bigger and better. I'm also doing a quick video on how to cut the threaded steel rod ammo. During the filming of this video we invented a new type of ammo: a nut with an 8mm lead ball in the hole. Quite powerful, and I guess you can use plumber's lead to fill up the hole as well.


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## ruthiexxxx (Sep 15, 2012)

That was fun! 

To be honest I wouldn't bother with anything less than 16mm ball ammo or M10 lead filled hexnuts. The 38 gramme oval fishing weight are very effective but you'll need to up your rubber somewhat.

Cutting 16mm steel rod at 45 degrees makes some pretty potent ammo...I call 'em 'lobrounds'


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## Henry the Hermit (Jun 2, 2010)

Mike The Spike said:


> A slingshot destruction show will bring more people to the sport IMO and leave laws unchanged.


I think you vastly overestimate the intelligence and public spiritedness of the average politician. If a politician believes he can gain votes by outlawing 'deadly assault slingshots' whose only purpose is to destroy things, I guarantee he will try to outlaw them. I'm also not so sure that people who are attracted to slingshots because of their destructive potential are the types we want to attract.


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## ChapmanHands (Oct 14, 2013)

Henry in Panama said:


> Mike The Spike said:
> 
> 
> > A slingshot destruction show will bring more people to the sport IMO and leave laws unchanged.
> ...


Agreed Henry. I would flip my lid for one if slingshots were made illegal. It would be hard to keep people from making them but at the same time, who wants to have an illegal hobby?


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## Lacumo (Aug 18, 2013)

Wrist-supported slingshots are already illegal in NY. We're already half way there.


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## Henry the Hermit (Jun 2, 2010)

Bear in mind that wrist supported slingshots, as most of us already know, are no more powerful or accurate than any other slingshot, but some politician decided that they were more dangerous, or at least, appeared to be, and presto! NY got another useless law.


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## ChapmanHands (Oct 14, 2013)

Yeah, if they ban all slingshots I am moving out of state, not kidding. No offense to anybody who prefers wrist rockets, but I think they are garbage, all naturals for me. Pretty sad day when a fella is an Iraq veteran and ain't trusted with a slingshot.


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