# Fork Hits



## RedRubber (Nov 8, 2011)

I cannot figure out why I am getting fork hits. They alway hit the fork in the same place, on the very tip of the lower fork (I shoot gangsta style OTT). I video'd and could tell nothing, Forks are perpendicular, anchor point same each shot.
the only thing I can figure is my release. I would guess my index finger is dragging on release, since all looks well on video. This does not happen often, but usually in the first 5 warm-ups I'll get two fork hits, then in the next 100 or so I may get 1 or 2.
Suggestions?


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## MeatMechanic (Nov 13, 2011)

Let's see the video many we will see something that you don't ? MM


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## Rayshot (Feb 1, 2010)

Fork hits are primarily caused by the way a pouch is held and or released.

At some point the pouch is bent (see photos) at the time of release. There are a few factors why it gets bend over one finger;
-when fingers aren't strong enough to hold the pouch with the "tips" of the fingers, a person will roll the pouch as you see below to compensate for lack of strength
-unconsciously rolling it
-etc

You can test this out with a slingshot you don't care about using hammer grip.

Not good








Good


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## RedRubber (Nov 8, 2011)

You might have my problem Ray, which is easily corrected. Thanks

Ray you have a pm


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## Charles (Aug 26, 2010)

Also check to be sure your bands are symmetrical. If one band has a flaw, or one is a bit longer than the other, or one is a bit stronger than the other ... any of these will cause one band to pull harder than the other, throwing a shot off into the fork. But because it is not a consistent occurrence, I suspect Ray has it nailed.

Cheers ..... Charles


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## RedRubber (Nov 8, 2011)

Ray has it nailed!
Thank you Ray, I went out this afternoon and shot with the ball on the tips of my fingers. No fork hits. none, Zero, Ziltch.







After about 50 pr so shots my fingers started smarting so I decided to try as you suggested...Fork hit. I would take a break every 10 shots after the fifty holding the ball on the tips of my fingers and never got a fork hit. I shot a total of 150 bb's and never got a fork hit. Now I have to build up some callouses on my fingers.
Thanks again, all who have replied, and thanks Ray for the photos of my problem.
Problem Solved!!!


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## Rayshot (Feb 1, 2010)

RedRubber said:


> Ray has it nailed!
> Thank you Ray, I went out this afternoon and shot with the ball on the tips of my fingers. No fork hits. none, Zero, Ziltch.
> 
> 
> ...


Glad it helped. yeah if the bands are drawn straight back, as long as the pouch isn't bent one can hold it with the finger tips or like Toseb showed in his fist grip video or any where in between.

If one wants to bend the pouch like Dgui has shown many times you have to twist the pouch.


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## cheese (Nov 16, 2011)

i actually destroyed my first slingshot with fork hits.when i got my second and current slingshot i made the pouch longer and i havnt had a fork hit since.


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## RedRubber (Nov 8, 2011)

Rayshot said:


> Ray has it nailed!
> Thank you Ray, I went out this afternoon and shot with the ball on the tips of my fingers. No fork hits. none, Zero, Ziltch.
> 
> 
> ...


If one wants to bend the pouch like Dgui has shown many times you have to twist the pouch.
[/quote]
I shoot with the pouch twisted, I start with my thumb on top and end up at my ear with thumb on the bottom. I was getting fork hits.
Now, holding the pouch on my finger tips, I no longer get fork hits.


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## RedRubber (Nov 8, 2011)

Cheese, I did the same thing, destroying my first slingshot with fork hits. Glad you solved your problem.


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## cheese (Nov 16, 2011)

RedRubber said:


> Cheese, I did the same thing, destroying my first slingshot with fork hits. Glad you solved your problem.


and the longer pouch makes it easier to hold ammo,so i can use stronger bands.


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## newconvert (Dec 12, 2011)

Charles said:


> Also check to be sure your bands are symmetrical. If one band has a flaw, or one is a bit longer than the other, or one is a bit stronger than the other ... any of these will cause one band to pull harder than the other, throwing a shot off into the fork. But because it is not a consistent occurrence, I suspect Ray has it nailed.
> 
> Cheers ..... Charles


my answer! ha! thanks Charles i posted earlier this week asking if an observation i made was correct, and here is my answer. my bands were unequal widths and i was getting fork hits.


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## Charles (Aug 26, 2010)

newconvert said:


> Also check to be sure your bands are symmetrical. If one band has a flaw, or one is a bit longer than the other, or one is a bit stronger than the other ... any of these will cause one band to pull harder than the other, throwing a shot off into the fork. But because it is not a consistent occurrence, I suspect Ray has it nailed.
> 
> Cheers ..... Charles


my answer! ha! thanks Charles i posted earlier this week asking if an observation i made was correct, and here is my answer. my bands were unequal widths and i was getting fork hits.
[/quote]

Yep ... that will sure do it! Good thing you noticed.

Cheers ..... Charles


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## RedRubber (Nov 8, 2011)

Well, after 650 shot, with no fork hits, Rayshot has delivered me!!!
I got to messing around in my work shop with some of my double theraband shooters, and I noticed (now that I am conscious of the way my fingers hold the pouch) that the pulling force on these were strong for me, which I compensated by getting a bad hold on the pouch (as in the photo) which lead to fork hits. I can handle double bands from Tex, but no stronger at this time.


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## Rayshot (Feb 1, 2010)

RedRubber said:


> Well, after 650 shot, with no fork hits, Rayshot has delivered me!!!
> I got to messing around in my work shop with some of my double theraband shooters, and I noticed (now that I am conscious of the way my fingers hold the pouch) that the pulling force on these were strong for me, which I compensated by getting a bad hold on the pouch (as in the photo) which lead to fork hits. I can handle double bands from Tex, but no stronger at this time.


It would seem a helpful thing to have in the tutorials the reason for fork hits mentioned in this thread. I wish I didn't have to go a almost two years before absolutely identifying why a fork hit happens.


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## Dayhiker (Mar 13, 2010)

dgui did the definitive video on fork hits. I'm too lazy, but it is well worth watching. I think he did a series of videos on it.


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## RedRubber (Nov 8, 2011)

I watched it a while back, as I could remember as long as the pouch was turned 180 deg there should be no fork hits. It didn't seem to work out for me, I probably was doing something wrong.


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## Tex-Shooter (Dec 17, 2009)

[sub]Sometimes fork hits are because of moving the slingshot to see the shot go. The slingshot will move naturaly, but if you move it un-naturaly it can cause fork hits. -- Tex[/sub]


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## Charles (Aug 26, 2010)

Rayshot said:


> It would seem a helpful thing to have in the tutorials the reason for fork hits mentioned in this thread. I wish I didn't have to go a almost two years before absolutely identifying why a fork hit happens.


Good suggestion! Unless someone on this thread objects soon, I will move this whole thread to the tutorials section.

Cheers ....... Charles


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