# My 6+ Year Tube vs Flat Adventure !



## wll (Oct 4, 2014)

During the last 6+ years or so I have been an avid proponent of tubes, my faves are 3050, 1842, 2040 and 1636, I have used 1745's a lot also when I was shooting heavy ammo. I have used all these in single, looped and pseudo configurations.

During the past month or so I have been using flats, cutting them to my own dimensions and using thicknesses that I thought would work with the lighter steel balls I'm using.

Well I have been more than happy --- I'm getting velocities that I tried and could come close to getting with tubes but had to pull much harder to get or make pseudo tubes that are very short lived and a real pain to make.

The new TBG in a 20mmx14mm get 5/16" going very fast and very easy to pull, while a 22mmx17mm configuration using TBG blisters that size and is easy to make with easy pulling, change that TBG to Simple Shots Black in .7mm and I'm firing 5/16" in the 300 fps mark and 3/8" in the very high 275's+ range. Change that to .8mm and 3/8" is approaching 295fps with my 32.5" draw. If I go to my 24mm x 18mm cut, that brings the pulling force up but velocity is pushed to very high levels. Pulling force can get pretty high for me using .8mm thickness and this cut, but if I want a super fast band set for 3/8" steel or 7/16" steel I have it, again my active length is ~6.25" and draw is 32.5".

I have gotten very good speeds with tubes but with much, much more aggravation and pulling force.

The making of jigs is one of the main reasons it has become so easy for me to quickly make my band sets and make them all the same. I'm really greatly enjoying this flat band adventure. I also think that the quality of slingshot flats has greatly increased and the new flat formulas are pushing the envelope on performance and elastic longevity ! This not only applies to the top Chinese brands but Simple Shots Black is IMHO very high quality and fast elastic :- ), I have recently purchased it in .7mm and .8mm thicknesses, and am very happy with it, I may buy some in 1mm also !

I am so pleased with the performance of flats that tubes will probably be relegated to my Cheapos and other Chinese slings. Flats are very easy to tie on the F-16 forks with 2mm tie tubes and stay exactly where they are set.

I also am more accurate with the flats on my F-16 compared to tubes, I can see easier down the line of sight. I also changed my pouch grip, with the pouch under my thumb and second digit of my forefinger, with the thumb facing in direct line with the extended flats, my thumb is just touching my earlobe and I'm very, very consistent this way. This is a very solid grip and allows for full extension of my draw. below is a example:










I have quit a few F-16's set up with gypsy set ups for tubes, and I will keep some that way, but I'll have no hesitation to removing that set up, installing a rubber tube over the end of the fork as a base for the flat and the 2mm tube tie. This is very simple to do, and leaves me with a very, very clean elastic to fork tie.

Because of this recent shooting experience my opinion and use of flats has changed dramatically --- I'm now a very big fan of flats and will do lots more shooting with them as time goes on :- ) I was very wrong in not trying flats in earnest in the past, a decision that cost me much time and work trying to get the speed I wanted, not to mention , for me, the ease of aiming !

I'm heading to the shop to tie up a few flat band set ups, probable 24mm x 18mm TBG for reasonably ease of pulling yet good speed with 3/8" steel.

wll


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## Sandstorm (Apr 5, 2021)

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## Sandstorm (Apr 5, 2021)

I’m glad you’re having great success with flat bands!


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## SonoftheRepublic (Jul 3, 2011)

Welcome to the '*FLAT*' earth society! 😊 

Flats are great, and I agree they are easier to aim, and therefore I find them more accurate, as well as more powerful.


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## MOJAVE MO (Apr 11, 2018)

I am also more accurate when I put flats on my F-16. I need to get more accurate in assembling a set of flats however. The lifespan of a set of flats and the additional ‘noise’ of shooting them keeps pushing me back to my tubes.🤔


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## wll (Oct 4, 2014)

MOJAVE MO said:


> I am also more accurate when I put flats on my F-16. I need to get more accurate in assembling a set of flats however. The lifespan of a set of flats and the additional ‘noise’ of shooting them keeps pushing me back to my tubes.🤔


 So far for some reason I have not had an issue with noise, maybe it is the way I'm putting them on the fork or ? I don't know ? As far as durability, I really can't answer that in full as I have not used them that long to see how well they last. My flats don't touch any metal and are not in contact with the forks at all, they are only in contact with rubber and wrapped with a 2mm rubber cord tie. I also tie my pouch on with Chinese ribbon and tight up against the pouch as that band movement can cause a shortened band life as I have seen the rubber fray because of the friction caused by that movement.

I'll be going out next week to do some more testing ;- )

wll


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## vince4242 (Jan 11, 2016)

I have recently had the same experience wll. I have been a solid tube shooter for about a year and was not getting the speeds I needed in very cold Colorado Winters. I could only shoot indoors. I recently switched a lot of things up and went to .5 simple shot black at a 15 x 10 taper and that really makes the quarter inch steel fly! And even 5/16 inch steel moved at a fast Pace at 10 meters.

I put a pair of 3050 straight tubes on my favorite slingshot to give them a try again, and was very surprised and disappointed at how slow quarter-inch steel moved and how much pull weight I had to put to get it to go that slow?? The.5 simple shot black does a fantastic job and while I still use Simple shot 1632 tubes in the warm weather which work just fine for quarter-inch still I will definitely be using the flat band this winter.

Kind of funny, I was last only until I started reading your posts. I then tried the tubes and just love them for their long life, now I'm back to Flats again following you and definitely enjoying the speed and accuracy I get from the flats.


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## wll (Oct 4, 2014)

vince4242 said:


> I have recently had the same experience wll. I have been a solid tube shooter for about a year and was not getting the speeds I needed in very cold Colorado Winters. I could only shoot indoors. I recently switched a lot of things up and went to .5 simple shot black at a 15 x 10 taper and that really makes the quarter inch steel fly! And even 5/16 inch steel moved at a fast Pace at 10 meters.
> 
> I put a pair of 3050 straight tubes on my favorite slingshot to give them a try again, and was very surprised and disappointed at how slow quarter-inch steel moved and how much pull weight I had to put to get it to go that slow?? The.5 simple shot black does a fantastic job and while I still use Simple shot 1632 tubes in the warm weather which work just fine for quarter-inch still I will definitely be using the flat band this winter.
> 
> Kind of funny, I was last only until I started reading your posts. I then tried the tubes and just love them for their long life, now I'm back to Flats again following you and definitely enjoying the speed and accuracy I get from the flats.



Ya, I have been a MAJOR tube guy, but lately as I have posted I'm putting flats on my F-16's and they are shooting just great. This am I put some 24mm x 18mm x .7mm thick SniperSlingshot Black on a F-16 that I will use maybe tomorrow morning if I can break away from work. This Sniper feels pretty snappy and this cut is a bit big for 3/8" steel but we will see if it can come close to 300fps with a bit less pull than the 1mm Gold Amazon material I was using this weekend.

I have a 23mm x18mm cutting die coming .... I don't think it will make to much difference in velocity but be a little better for the tie on the F-16 fork. 24mm is about the biggest I want to go ! If I need more poop I'll use slighty thicker bands.

_*@vince4242, Thank you for your thoughts ;- )*_


wll


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## wll (Oct 4, 2014)

My testing F-16 with the Sniper Black .7mm flats on her, I have good hopes for this combo sending 3/8" steel in the 285-300fps area. If this combo does not cut it I will be pretty disappointed as this is a pretty big cut of 24mm x 18mm x ~6.25 long and a elongation factor of ~520%+

Could not break away this morning as I have a meeting, but i plan on being out first thing tomorrow to see what the velocity is !!










wll


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## wll (Oct 4, 2014)

Out this Thursday before work to try out this 24mm x 18mm x .7mm thick Sniper band set, shooting 3/8" steel, hoping I approach the 300fps mark.

The temp appear says it is about 74° now at ~6am. But it sure feels a lot cooler as a cool wind is blowing.

Hop out of the jeep, set up the FX Chronograph and let 'er rip ---- well these flats are shooting on hotter then the 20mm x 14mm x 1mm thick Gold bands I got off Amazon. --- the Black Sniper sling is sending them at the 293 to 299fps mark (with four shots), these bands are a bit easier to pull back, but not much, they also have a good "STOP" at my elongation factor !

I'm very impressed with the 46mm micro fiber pouch made for 8.5mm ammo I got from Slingshooting, although I use 3/8" steel, the ball fits the side holes perfectly and is just big enough for that size ammo --- Nothing bigger for sure. The pouch is just big enough with a 3/8" ball in it for me to hold securely, pinching the ball only, not enough room to really hold in front of the pouch but barely in front of the ball---- No wasted pouch weight or length for sure !!!

There is one big caveat, that is you MUST be sure the ball is centered well in the pouch and you must hold that ball in securely, if that is done the accuracy is very, very good, I was smacking all kinds of stuff today :- )

This setup is darn good for me and I'm very, very pleased with the speed that I'm getting and the accuracy also. No need to buy any more Amazon Gold 1mm thick bands  , I'll just use them up. This set up is also very good I feel for 7/16" steel, but you would need a bigger pouch for sure. This set up is WAY WAY, WAY overkill for anything smaller or lighter than 3/8" steel.

Till this weekend or maybe tomorrow ;- )

wll


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## wll (Oct 4, 2014)

I'm out again flinging some 3/8" steel at 5:57am this morning, they are flying out fast for sure. I may try a 23mmx17mm cut but not sure. It will be a little easier to pull but I want to get the speed I want with 3/8" ----- I do want around 300fps !!

I set up the FX Chronograph and let 'em rip again, velocities were in the +-297fps zone again, was hoping the weather would feel like if was in the mid 70's as it surely does not.

This 24mmx18mm can send that ammo for sure. I kept the sling out of the ice chest hoping speed would be more this early am, but with the cool wind it is not to be ---- Even though the temp said yesterday it was about 74° at 6am, it sure felt much cooler -- Today the weather feels way cooler as the breeze has picked up and it is a cold wind this early am, I almost need a long sleeve flannel shirt, it is that cool, the wind is blowing pretty good!

What is floating my boat is the consistently good accuracy I'm getting. Don't know if its the pouch (used them before), maybe I'm just getting more consistent, don't know ? While chronographing this morning those steelies were going right where my forks were pointing, but I'm getting some hard return hand slapping, I will put another strip of tape a bit lower between the forks and see if that works.

It's 6:40 now, and I'm off to work.

wll


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