# Hunting power



## August West

There has been several posts lately about powerful hunting slingshots and the best slingshot for hunting I am not meaning to cause a debate and if one ensues I will not participate, however I believe that slingshots are small game weapons only. If anyone disagrees that is fine, if we all believed the same thing the world would be very boring.

The reason for this post is to show some of the new shooters just what a homemade rig is capable of with out trying to pull a Mack truck back. I am NOT saying this is the best or the only combo that will work, just an example of the terminal effectiveness of what I like to use.

In another thread I posted a picture of a rabbit that I shot with .5" lead balls from 27 yds with a latex/TBG mixed band set, a very easy pulling, pleasant to shoot combo, here is what it did. I hope I do not offend anyone with the graphic nature of these pics, however this is hunting and hunting is rather graphic.









Entrance









Offside









Ball almost all the way through


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## bullseyeben!

Wow good shooting mate, I would think it was lights out pretty quickly. .
What band dimensions in that rig?
Cheers and enjoy


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## August West

My old standby, 20mm to 15mm, I cut the bands 8.5" but once everything is tied up they measure about 7" from the fork to the pouch and I pull about 34". There is absolutely zero reason why I used one latex and one TBG except curiosity, but it is a good shooting combo.


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## Aussie Allan In Thailand

Yes good shooting.

Myself I always go for overkill, just in case point of impact, is an inch or so off point of aim.

I tend to use on small game 20 or 25 gram cylindrical lead homemade shot, and it tends to end the life really quick with a .04 doubled latex, with a 10 inch relaxed length, to a 45 to 50 inch drawn length, and very fast FPS, and ft/lbs.

You will have to await the videos to find out exactly just the exact specifics; and on that point, I am lazy in Thailand getting the vids made.

All the range measurements, and most of the ammo measurements vids are done, just not the shooting vids.

And my homemade ammo goes up in 5 gram increments from 15 to 40 gram; so expect some new records set in the ft/lbs Power ranges, or at least something for others to strive for: at 55 years old, what more can an old guy do besides set objectives for the youngsters.

Cheers Allan


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## Jeff Lazerface

Wrap him in bacon, onions and tinfoil 275° 45-60 minutes and plop him on some rice, I dont think you should eat rabbit brains, my granny said "Some animals you just dont eat the brains."


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## August West

Jeff,

That one is long gone, if I remember it was slow simmered in chicken stock and when well done big ole fluffy dumplings were added.


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## August West

Allan,

I look forward to the vids, I am really interested in your homemade ammo.


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## Aussie Allan In Thailand

Hey there, It is no secret, another forum member sent me a chart of drill sizes and depths for various ammor (lead weight.

I'd be happy to share it with you by PM; and melting lead and making your own ammo, takes a kitchen gas top burner, or camp gas burner, a soup ladle suitably adapted via straight screwdriver and hammer to have a pouring lip, a second burner to preheat the ladle to almost cherry red, so molten lead tire weights do not cool too quickly and can be poured.

I will send you a PM with the pic attached or copied and pasted okay.

Cheers Aussie Allan


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## August West

Thanks, I got the PM but with no pic.


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## Jeff Lazerface

I eat lead and poop out bullets.


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## Aussie Allan In Thailand

mass And lead slugs home made ammo table




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Aussie Allan In Thailand


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Jun 8, 2013


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3






Here it is guys, your guide to homemade cylindrical ammo of all weights.

Cheers Aussie Allan Note this is NOT mine, but was sent to me by another forum member so any thanks go to him and other who contributed.


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## August West

Nice! Thanks


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## Charles

I did a tutorial about making cylindrical hunting ammo:

http://slingshotforum.com/topic/13778-cast-hunting-ammo-with-simple-wooden-mold/

I find the cylindrical slugs to be as accurate as round ball at slingshot velocities and ranges, even though they tumble in flight. Personally I think they are more effective for hunting than round ball, since they always strike with an edge. My favorite size is 3/8 inch diameter and 1/2 inch long ... they come in about 140 grains.

Cheers .... Charles


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## SuperMonkeySlinger

Nice set up A.W. , and good Info Charles.
I dont really want Penetration when it comes to slingshots.. And thats basically why i hunt with stones. Stones Do penetrate Birds most of the time though.. I Absolutely HATE using small, and or light ammo.. I love my ammo to really pack a punch. With the right bands light/small ammo can be very powerful, but its just not my thing..

SMS


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## Aussie Allan In Thailand

Oh, and I am no metallurgist, but i add about 25% of the new non lead fishing sinkers which are heavy, but actually have a lower melting point than lead and are a bit lighter.

But they do give your mold a nice shiny almost chrome finnish.

In any event I have adjusted the depth by just a little to achieve the desired weights, or near enough for me anyway.

Cheers Aussie Allan


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## August West

SuperMonkeySlinger said:


> Nice set up A.W. , and good Info Charles.
> I dont really want Penetration when it comes to slingshots.. And thats basically why i hunt with stones. Stones Do penetrate Birds most of the time though.. I Absolutely HATE using small, and or light ammo.. I love my ammo to really pack a punch. With the right bands light/small ammo can be very powerful, but its just not my thing..
> 
> SMS


I do not try for penetration either and I really would not call 1/2" lead "small, and or light ammo". LOL

There has to be some sort of compromise as to weight and trajectory. No one will argue that the larger and heavier the projectile the more energy, however if it has the trajectory of a mortar it is going to be very hard to hunt with at anything but the very closest ranges.


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## Aussie Allan In Thailand

I can say 20 gram plus ammo with my old set up of single TBG bands, and a 36 inch draw, hitting with around 60 ft/lbs of energy: rarely penetrated, but almost always instantly killed the small "game" I am forced to shoot around here, whether with head shots, or neck shots, and occasionally with upper chest shot, which I think the sheer shock stopped the heart.

What that "game" may be, is a story that we shall not go into as I am certain it will set off certain people in the forum; but here they are a real pest of huge numbers, which the locals poison. Furthermore, I have been tasked by the landlords to do this, on our private road estate, which is no public thoroughfare.

Oh and the pic I added to my gallery, and is now loaded up in this topic,; as far as my 35 and 40 gram ammo, I simply extrapolated fairly accurately from the chart.

Cheer Allan


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## Tex-Shooter

!/2 inch cut off pieces of tire weights is what I use. There are deadly! -- Tex


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## Aussie Allan In Thailand

Hey Tex, What do they weigh, and are you saying 1/2 inch pieces; or tire weights cut in half; and weights in grams if you could.

Although I can convert oz. or grains.

Cheers Allan Leigh


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## SuperMonkeySlinger

August West said:


> SuperMonkeySlinger said:
> 
> 
> 
> Nice set up A.W. , and good Info Charles.
> I dont really want Penetration when it comes to slingshots.. And thats basically why i hunt with stones. Stones Do penetrate Birds most of the time though.. I Absolutely HATE using small, and or light ammo.. I love my ammo to really pack a punch. With the right bands light/small ammo can be very powerful, but its just not my thing..
> 
> SMS
> 
> 
> 
> I do not try for penetration either and I really would not call 1/2" lead "small, and or light ammo". LOL
> 
> There has to be some sort of compromise as to weight and trajectory. No one will argue that the larger and heavier the projectile the more energy, however if it has the trajectory of a mortar it is going to be very hard to hunt with at anything but the very closest ranges.
Click to expand...

 Hey A.W.,
Haha, your right that is Not small or "Light" ammo. I was just giving my thoughts about using that kind of ammo for hunting for just general shooting.

SMS


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## Jeff Lazerface

a 1/2 inch of wheel weights is 1/2x1/2x1/4 square, i guess about same weight as 10.5-11.5mm lead


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## Aussie Allan In Thailand

Thanks

Allan


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## SonoftheRepublic

". . . The reason for this post is to show some of the new shooters just what a homemade rig is capable of with out trying to pull a Mack truck back. I am NOT saying this is the best or the only combo that will work, just an example of the terminal effectiveness of what I like to use.

In another thread I posted a picture of a rabbit that I shot with .5" lead balls from 27 yds with a latex/TBG mixed band set, a very easy pulling, pleasant to shoot combo, here is what it did . . ."

Very nice representation of a practical hunting rig and the potential results. Especially liked your comment: ". . .what a homemade rig is capable of without trying to pull a Mack Truck back". LOL!


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## AK Rick

The "I gotta have more power" debates are universal too hunting. Unfortunately many step into the woods because they have something too prove, not because they care about being hunters.


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## Charles

Certainly in my opinion, a very heavy pull is a no-no on a hunting slingshot. You need to have something with which you are very accurate. In general, most folks find that as the draw weight goes up, their accuracy goes down. But of course the bands have to be heavy enough to propel decent sized ammo at a reasonable speed. As in most things, the middle way seems to be best.

Cheers .... Charles


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## Dayhiker

What about 3/8" pieces cut off a 1/2" dia. length of rebar? Seems pretty hard-hitting to me at ten - fifteen yards, flung with 1" to 3/4" tapered TBG x 8.5" long , @ 36" pull. Don't know if it would take a squizzer out unless it was a head shot (they're pretty tough), but I think it would be quite effective for the rabbits.

I think I'd use .040 latex on the squirrels though.


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## Aussie Allan In Thailand

Hey Dayhiker, I am getting doubled .04 latex from Nathan at Simple Shots, so how do you find the draw strength required.

Nathans Nitro is doubled, 10.5 inches long, and I am hoping for a 45 to 50 inch draw; or will that require like a 70 lbs of force.

I can easily draw 45 lbs, and 50 at a pinch without too long to aim at that amount of strength, much less lead a moving target.

So can you please enlighten me, by PM if you wish ?

Cheers Aussie Allan Alias Allan Leigh In Thailand


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## SuperMonkeySlinger

Charles said:


> Certainly in my opinion, a very heavy pull is a no-no on a hunting slingshot. You need to have something with which you are very accurate. In general, most folks find that as the draw weight goes up, their accuracy goes down. But of course the bands have to be heavy enough to propel decent sized ammo at a reasonable speed. As in most things, the middle way seems to be best.
> 
> Cheers .... Charles


 I could NOT agree with you more, Charles!! Its rare for me to use thereband, But Single Theraband Gold Cut about 1 inch wide at 10-12 inches long is the perfect draw weight for hunting, for me anyway. But if we were talking Bows, That would be a Different Story.

SMS


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## Jeff Lazerface

I feel i can kill anything under 45lbs with my hunting rig. doubled 3/8x7/8x 9 3/4 tbg with 9.7mm lead ammo. Im 260fps I could hit 300 np if i tried. Its effortless to shoot my rig.


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## Imperial

Jeff Lazerface said:


> I feel i can kill anything under 45lbs with my hunting rig. doubled 3/8x7/8x 9 3/4 tbg with 9.7mm lead ammo. Im 260fps I could hit 300 np if i tried. Its effortless to shoot my rig.


  the only thing ive killed lately is my ego, but on the bright side- its over 45 lbs.


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## Charles

Dayhiker said:


> What about 3/8" pieces cut off a 1/2" dia. length of rebar? Seems pretty hard-hitting to me at ten - fifteen yards, flung with 1" to 3/4" tapered TBG x 8.5" long , @ 36" pull. Don't know if it would take a squizzer out unless it was a head shot (they're pretty tough), but I think it would be quite effective for the rabbits.
> 
> I think I'd use .040 latex on the squirrels though.


I totally agree that cut-offs of the size you indicate make excellent hunting ammo. The cylindrical shape is particularly effective. Personally, I like a bit more weight, but the rebar would do the job, properly placed. For me the problem is cutting the rebar. It takes a pretty heavy duty set of long handled bolt cutters to cut 1/2 inch rebar. Either that or an abrasive cut-off wheel. I just find it easier to cast the lead, but I suppose others might not find it so. Rebar is certainly cheap and pretty universally available.

Cheers ..... Charles


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## Dayhiker

Charles said:


> Dayhiker said:
> 
> 
> 
> What about 3/8" pieces cut off a 1/2" dia. length of rebar? Seems pretty hard-hitting to me at ten - fifteen yards, flung with 1" to 3/4" tapered TBG x 8.5" long , @ 36" pull. Don't know if it would take a squizzer out unless it was a head shot (they're pretty tough), but I think it would be quite effective for the rabbits.
> 
> I think I'd use .040 latex on the squirrels though.
> 
> 
> 
> I totally agree that cut-offs of the size you indicate make excellent hunting ammo. The cylindrical shape is particularly effective. Personally, I like a bit more weight, but the rebar would do the job, properly placed. For me the problem is cutting the rebar. It takes a pretty heavy duty set of long handled bolt cutters to cut 1/2 inch rebar. Either that or an abrasive cut-off wheel. I just find it easier to cast the lead, but I suppose others might not find it so. Rebar is certainly cheap and pretty universally available.
> 
> Cheers ..... Charles
Click to expand...

Oh, yeah, Charles. Totally agree that lead is easier. I don't hunt anymore, but I like to have 5 or 6 of these projectiles handy in case I do want to kill something. I practice with them occasionally, too.


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## Jeff Lazerface

If you are going to cut steel ammo and have a forge use that, way faster to cut with a hammer and chisel.


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## halbart

Aussie Allan In Thailand said:


> I can say 20 gram plus ammo with my old set up of single TBG bands, and a 36 inch draw, hitting with around 60 ft/lbs of energy: rarely penetrated, but almost always instantly killed the small "game" I am forced to shoot around here, whether with head shots, or neck shots, and occasionally with upper chest shot, which I think the sheer shock stopped the heart.
> 
> What that "game" may be, is a story that we shall not go into as I am certain it will set off certain people in the forum; but here they are a real pest of huge numbers, which the locals poison. Furthermore, I have been tasked by the landlords to do this, on our private road estate, which is no public thoroughfare.
> 
> Oh and the pic I added to my gallery, and is now loaded up in this topic,; as far as my 35 and 40 gram ammo, I simply extrapolated fairly accurately from the chart.
> 
> Cheer Allan


Is this a misprint or have I made an error? It seems that your single TBG is sending 300 grain ammo at 300 fps to get around 60 ft lbs?


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## halbart

halbart said:


> Aussie Allan In Thailand said:
> 
> 
> 
> I can say 20 gram plus ammo with my old set up of single TBG bands, and a 36 inch draw, hitting with around 60 ft/lbs of energy: rarely penetrated, but almost always instantly killed the small "game" I am forced to shoot around here, whether with head shots, or neck shots, and occasionally with upper chest shot, which I think the sheer shock stopped the heart.
> 
> What that "game" may be, is a story that we shall not go into as I am certain it will set off certain people in the forum; but here they are a real pest of huge numbers, which the locals poison. Furthermore, I have been tasked by the landlords to do this, on our private road estate, which is no public thoroughfare.
> 
> Oh and the pic I added to my gallery, and is now loaded up in this topic,; as far as my 35 and 40 gram ammo, I simply extrapolated fairly accurately from the chart.
> 
> Cheer Allan
> 
> 
> 
> Is this a misprint or have I made an error? It seems that your single TBG is sending 300 grain ammo at 300 fps to get around 60 ft lbs?
Click to expand...

Yep, I thought it was


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## Berkshire bred

looks like a good set up and some nice shooting.


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## halbart

Good lesson on the results of using heavy hunting ammo, and on accurate shooting. H.


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