# How to do you make a slingshot more powerful



## getandistr

I know the basics of slingshots but one of the things I can't seem to find out is this. If I have two bands, one 12" and one 24" and I pull them both back the 300% will the 24" give me a more powerful/faster shot? Also is there a difference in power/speed between using a flat band or using a tube? Also from what I've read you get a more powerful shot from a thinner band you just have a shorter life on the band, is this true? Also if using a flat band does it generate more power/speed if I use a wider band? Thanks in advance for the help.


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## ZDP-189

Both bands will contract as quickly if they have no shot and no pouch. The wider band may have more force, but equally it has more inertia and internal friction. In fact the effect of the pouch is negligible, so it's almost fair to say that bands with a light pouch but no shot will contract at the same speed. For a very light shot, both bands will have a similar shooting speed, but as the weight of the shot increases, both bands will slow, but the heavy bandset will be much less impacted by the extra weight, so the velocity, and hence kinetic energy will be greater for the heavier band.

The ratio of cross sectional perimeter to cross sectional surface determines the speed of the contraction at a given elongation. There is no difference between a flat band and a tube that has the same ratio of cross sectional perimeter to cross sectional surface area. Most bands are thinner than most tubes, so the bands are said to be faster. Any nick in the edge is a potential stress riser where tears can originate and as a tube has no edges along its length, people say tubes last longer than bands.

This ratio of cross sectional perimeter to cross sectional surface is higher for thin bands than thick bands so thinner bands are faster, but thinner bands also tear more easily so band life is reduced.

Wide flat bands do not generate more velocity unladen, but wider bands of a given thickness have a greater cross sectional area and so a heavier draw and will shoot heavy shot with less reduction below the unladen velocity. See my answer to your first question.


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## Dayhiker

Wow, Dan. That really wrapped it up in a nice little package. Nice piece of semi-technical writing (i.e. I understood it).


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## getandistr

I see answers to all my questions except the first one about if the length of the band will affect the power. Other then that thank you for answering everything so thoroughly.


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## Dayhiker

I'm no expert, but basically the further you stretch a band the more potential energy you store (and eventually release).


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## haertig

ZDP-189 said:


> ...do not generate more velocity unladen,...


That reminds me, "What is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?" (European swallow)


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## getandistr

Hi Dayhiker, by further do you mean actual distance or % elongation?


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## Dayhiker

Yes, I mean the thinner you can stretch the band, the more energy you've stored. (or something similar)


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## getandistr

But again though that doesn't answer my question. Will I get more energy stretching a 24" band to 300% vs a12" band to 300%?


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## dgui

You want a band that is snappy and stable not radical like a tube. Tapered bands from 3/4 inch to 1/2 inch work well for my shooters. Both Saunders and Tex sell the bands that truly perform.


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## USASlingshot

Getandistr, if you strech 24" bands 300% it would be more powerful, I like to use 7" gold and I can stretch it to my anchor point just reaching maximum pull. The longer bands make it more powerful but to me not by much, and it's not worth it(in my opinion)


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## getandistr

so if I wanted to maximize power, going with 2 12" would be more powerful then going with 1 24" correct?


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## NaturalFork

getandistr said:


> so if I wanted to maximize power, going with 2 12" would be more powerful then going with 1 24" correct?


If power is what you are looking for Joerg would be the one to ask. I think he is on vacation though.


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## USASlingshot

What shot would you use, the 2 12" would be better for say a 1/2" lead shot and the 24" is good for a 3/8 steel, I would recomend 2 12" because 24" is like full butterfly.


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## smitty

OK...I'm going to take a stab at making a "powerful" slingshot. The way my simple mind works, I experiment in thought by extreme examples of the question. What does power actually mean to each of us? To me it means the ability of my slingshot to get a .50 caliber lead ball going fast enough to kill my prey with one devastating shot.
So now let us take this to an extreme example to help understand: I have a regular 1/4" postal rubber band that is about 1/32" thick and let's say it is 48" long on each side of the pouch back to the fork. I want to shoot a bowling ball with it. Wait, this is extreme examples to help understand a problem. No way can I really launch a bowling ball with this set up, but for illustration purposes, it is strong enough to overcome its' mass and slowly begin to increase speed. The longer my draw length, the longer the rubber contraction would have to work against the ball to increase its' speed upon release. The ball would continue to increase speed the longer I was able to keep the pouch in contact with the ball with the rubber still contracting, but would not achieve a speed that I want. A 1/2" marble released from the same set-up would surely release with more initial speed than the bowling ball did, but wouldn't strike with as much stored kinetic energy. This is why long draw lengths and light bands are good for speed with lighter ammo but are short on heavy hitting power from heavier ammo, very easy to draw to anchor, a pleasure to shoot.
Another look at the question is to have a 1/2" marble in a pouch with bands that are 1/4" thick and attached to a fork big enough for one foot wide at the fork tip and 9 inches wide at the pouch. This marble will have no real resistance to the contraction of the bands when released and would fly with great speed to the target, but would strike with very little kinetic energy. Not good for hunting and too hard to pull for targets. If we wrapped those same bands around the bowling ball we had earlier, the bowling ball would surely be launched with more initial speed than before. It will have enough speed to flatten out its' trajectory and heavy hitting kinetic energy upon arrival to the target. Great power for hunting, but they will be so hard to draw to anchor as to exact a physical penalty on me every time I pull them back to anchor.
My conclusion:
There is no "magic combination" in our world of slingshots. Take a look at the kind of shooting you really do and tailor your frame, rubber and leather based upon your own experience to what makes you smile. If you are breaking bands all the time while target shooting, then use heavier ammo, lighter or longer bands or just replace them when they break.
If your prey stands there and laughs at you after three direct hits from your target slingshot, then laugh too or get some heavier bands to shoot heavier ammo to pack a punch when it hits. You won't like this rig for extended target shooting because it will wear you out.
If you think your ammo is barely getting to the target when you are only 15 meters away then tweak a bit to find out what needs fixing on your rig to get it shooting the way you want, but remember, it is all a trade off and the slingshot "band-ammo" scales have to balance. Maybe your bands are just too long for your draw length or your ammo is too heavy for your bands.
If you have a big grin on your face while shooting your slingshot, then rejoice with exceedingly great joy, for you have balanced out your slingshot just the way you want it and now you can practice hitting what you want instead of worrying about your "rig".


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## JoergS

If you want my advise: watch my video "how to make + shoot the strongest destruction slingshot".

After countless tests, this design (both bands and frame) outperforms everything else I made.

Regards from the poolside

Jörg


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## Guest

power is from tube or flatband,more thick more power,but more heavy for weight.
more heavy,less slower muzzle velocity .shooting not far.more thickness causes inaccurate shooting as well.therefore we normally use some thin pieces of tube and flatband instead of 1-2 pieces of thick rubber band.
pls do remember it is not good idea that we always focus on too much power rubber band with thickness.it is not for slingshot rubber band .









the best rubber tube or flatband "stretching rate should be 1 to (6-6.5),
in other words u can not draw it out anymore if u take 1cm long tube and draw out to 6cm or 6.5cm. 
addtionally it not enough that the ammo initial velocity depends on rubber tube or flatband elasticity merely,u must make a good use of wrist pull power when u shoot with wrist slash ,so its" initial velocity will be fastest .

danny


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## ZDP-189

LOL. I bet after all out good advice he's good and confused. I've spent the last 6 months intensively researching, modelling, testing, shooting, tweaking and pontificating and I still can't entirely quantify the variables let alone properly integrate all the highly interdependent and dynamically changing processes. I'm a novice compared to some members here who have spent a long lifetime doing the same.


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## JoergS

It is really not so complicated.

Buy Thera Band Blue or Black.

Cut out extremely tapered wedges, 23 cm long and twice as wide at the fork side than on the pouch side. 10 cm x 5 cm x 23 cm is a good start. If you can easily draw it out in full, go up until you hit your limit.

Then shoot. Should you get a handslap, use heavier ammo until there are no more slaps.

Use a low fork or, where legal, a wrist brace.

Use a small pouch, 6 cn x 2 cm is a good start.

Jörg


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## whipcrackdeadbunny

I love you guys!


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## smitty

Here is a question: If a person had a cool slingshot like the Joerg Sprave "V" slingshot,(no dead rubber) and rigged it with 20-40 tubing,( or the heaviest one could pull) to shoot butterfly/albatross style, what would the speed and hitting power be ?


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## ZDP-189

Depends.


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## JoergS

Tubes are slow. Max speed is limited no matter what you do. If you are strong enough they do OK with heavy ammo.

This has been tested thoroughly by many diferent shooters.


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## whipcrackdeadbunny

Is many lighter bands or tubes, going to produce a more efficient thrust than one or two heavier bands?


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## ZDP-189

Theoretically so.


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## Sam

whipcrackdeadbunny said:


> Is many lighter bands or tubes, going to produce a more efficient thrust than one or two heavier bands?


Yes because of the increased surface area, but only at the detriment of band-life!


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## torsten

smitty said:


> Here is a question: If a person had a cool slingshot like the Joerg Sprave "V" slingshot,(no dead rubber) and rigged it with 20-40 tubing,( or the heaviest one could pull) to shoot butterfly/albatross style, what would the speed and hitting power be ?


I`ve made some tapered tube-sets with 20-40 chinese tubes a few months ago for my dankung. Speed with 8mm steel and butterfly was around 85 m/s. It was my first and last try so far.
The draw weight was much higher than my flat-sets and they did not last much longer than even faster flats.
Maybe I will give them a try with thinner thera tubes and more careful production. If this stuff works better I will give my dusty dankung a last chance...

Regards


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## dgui

Question? You covered flat bands and typical sized tubes. Where does this leave the 1745 thin tube chinease bands. Aren't they durable and exceeding fast? How about two 1745 bands 12 inchs long? Wouldn't they out perform the typical sized tubes?


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## bigslingshot

I built a slingshot out of 2x4s for the purpose of slinging bags of chemicals into irrigation ponds to kill algae. I'm using spear gun tubing. At first, it was four feet wide. The farthest I could sling a one pound bag was about 30 feet. No difference was made regardless of whether I made the bands tighter or used four bands instead of two. I increased the width to six feet. I was able to sling the bag about 40 feet. I installed four bands and was able to sling the bag about 50 feet. I would like to be able to sling the bag 100 feet. Your comments seemed like they would be helpful, but I didn't understand a word of the jargon. Help, please.


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## skropi

What is the weight and general shape/stiffness of the bags?


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## The Norseman

Maybe you could use a sling instead of a slingshot. If you don't need pinpoint accuracy that could work better.


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## skropi

Hmm, good idea Northerner.


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## bigslingshot

For testing purposes I'm using a small paper bag wrapped tightly around a pound of sand. The actual chemical does not weigh as much as sand, but I don't actually have the chemical to test the weight. I'm going to reduce the wait to 1/2 pound. I don't know if I've ever thought about using a sling. I have bad shoulders so I'm concentrating on relieving stress on my shoulders. If my big slingshot fails I can see how that would definitely work. I just need to get somebody else to do it. I'll try the half pound bag today and let you know how it goes. Thanks.


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