# Still Stupid After All These Years



## Dayhiker (Mar 13, 2010)

So I made this very light bandset from a nice sampling of different colors of sheet rubber that Chunkapult Man sent me...



I was shooting 3/8-inch steel to really awesome effect. I mean I was ripping the heck outta some soda cans with very little strain on my old gnarly hands. . .

Well once I ran out of the 3/8 ammo, rather than go to the catch box and retrieve it, I just went to my 7/16, which was right at hand. After a couple of zeroing-in shots, I started hitting the can again. Soon, however, I got a very VERY painful return-to-sender right on my middle finger. OUCH! DAM! Did a little swear-dance. When the pain died down a little, I grabbed another 7/16 ball (nitwit that I am) and took another shot. Right back at me again! Same dang finger. Whole hand was wracked with pain now.

. . . Anyway, I have no idea why this happened. Do you? By now I have shot more 3/8 balls and it's all lollipops and roses again.

Took a couple more pics of the rig, so I might as well show them.  



I will have more to say about this fork soon. Have a nice day everybody. And thanks for reading, if you had the patience. :cookie:


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## Btoon84 (Nov 22, 2011)

Sorry about your RTS man. That sucks. I am fearful of those yet never had one. Knock on wood. Interesting looking sling ya have there... Peace Dayhiker.


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## Tex-Shooter (Dec 17, 2009)

Are you a flip Shooter? Flip shooters have thais problem if they shoot ammo a little heavy for the bands. -- Tex


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## Charles (Aug 26, 2010)

Man, RTS is wicked. I have no idea why that would have happened, just looking at the rig. And I hesitate to suggest you should try to duplicate it in a video ... :nono:

Take good care of those fingers, man .... they gotta last you a while longer.

Cheers ..... Charles


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## mr. green (Nov 3, 2012)

Sorry to here about the RTS ...........on the same finger. I almost felt the pain all the up here in Canada.


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## mr. green (Nov 3, 2012)

Tex-Shooter said:


> Are you a flip Shooter? Flip shooters have thais problem if they shoot ammo a little heavy for the bands. -- Tex


Thank you for the tip, Tex. I'll keep that in mind.


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## rockslinger (Nov 16, 2010)

Bummer Bill! In many years of shooting I don't recall evever having a RTS.

But....I don't recall a lot of things. lol

Nice shooter!


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## quarterinmynose (Jan 21, 2012)

Very intervesting.

I recently had my first RTS(the first to come in contact with me that is).

This happened the day Btoon showed up at my house for our ECST trip. We were standing about in the yard shooting. I had some double TBB, and was shooting 7/16ths steel. Eventually, one band broke at the pouch, so I busted out with my knife and cut one layer of bands off. I now was shooting 7/16" steel with a rather narrow cut single TBB set up. Not long after this change, a RTS came back and caught me right about the shoulder blade area. Yeah, it hurt.

After hearing your story, I am becoming more and more confident that it has something to with too heavy ammo for the bands(like Tex said).


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## Dayhiker (Mar 13, 2010)

Tex-Shooter said:


> Are you a flip Shooter? Flip shooters have thais problem if they shoot ammo a little heavy for the bands. -- Tex


Yes, Bill. I *am *a flip shooter. So now I know. Thanks once again.



quarterinmynose said:


> Very intervesting.
> 
> I recently had my first RTS(the first to come in contact with me that is).
> 
> ...


Quarter man: that TBB was probably about the same pull as mine, and we bothe used 7/16. So we've both learned what Tex could've told us. Sorry for your pain, man. It's a good teacher, though, ain't it? :blush:


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## quarterinmynose (Jan 21, 2012)

Dayhiker said:


> Quarter man: that TBB was probably about the same pull as mine, and we bothe used 7/16. So we've both learned what Tex could've told us. Sorry for your pain, man. It's a good teacher, though, ain't it? :blush:


Yeah, pain has a certain way of driving your mistakes home. That RTS sucked! Definitely something to be avoided, and now thanks to Tex(thank you Tex) I have a better idea of what not to do.

I hope your hands feeling better Dayhiker.

Speaking of hands.....that same shooting session I got the RTS, Noobshooter shot himself in the hand like nine time. Really brutal. I gotta hand it to him, he kept at it.


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## ruthiexxxx (Sep 15, 2012)

I've had two RTS (which is two too many!). Both were with TBB. The worst one was from a 40 gramme lead oval. It was wide quadruple bands and I assumed that the lead had somehow got trapped in the folds of the TBB and not escaped before the bands pulled it back. It must have lost a lot of momentum before it struck me in the ribs or I think I'd have ended up in casualty. As it was it hurt for a long time!


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## Dayhiker (Mar 13, 2010)

ruthiexxxx said:


> I've had two RTS (which is two too many!). Both were with TBB. The worst one was from a 40 gramme lead oval. It was wide quadruple bands and I assumed that the lead had somehow got trapped in the folds of the TBB and not escaped before the bands pulled it back. It must have lost a lot of momentum before it struck me in the ribs or I think I'd have ended up in casualty. As it was it hurt for a long time!


Ruthie, the first RTS I ever got was with 3/8 steel. It hit me on my pectoral muscle. That whole muscle turned black and blue, about a 12-inch diameter bruise. I wanted to show my chest on the forum but I'm far too modest. uke:


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## ruthiexxxx (Sep 15, 2012)

Dayhiker said:


> ruthiexxxx said:
> 
> 
> > I've had two RTS (which is two too many!). Both were with TBB. The worst one was from a 40 gramme lead oval. It was wide quadruple bands and I assumed that the lead had somehow got trapped in the folds of the TBB and not escaped before the bands pulled it back. It must have lost a lot of momentum before it struck me in the ribs or I think I'd have ended up in casualty. As it was it hurt for a long time!
> ...


Gosh...that sounds like a bad one. OW!!!
Would you believe I had another one today. And that was firing a moderate hexnut from this overpowered brute. Fortunately it barely grazed me. Where can one buy body armour ?!


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## BC-Slinger (Jan 6, 2013)

Sorry about the RTS Bill. I hope you have a speedy recovery and are back in the saddle in no time my friend.

Cheers

BC-Slinger


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## Dayhiker (Mar 13, 2010)

Oh I'm back in the saddle. Takes more that pain to stop me. Ha!


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## Imperial (Feb 9, 2011)

ive had a rts to my gut, thank god i drink a lot ! beer gut equals cushion . . . :rofl:


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## Arturito (Jan 10, 2013)

Bad news, I hope your finger will heal soon, I am with Tex, 2 consecutive RTS's smells something abnormal, if the bands are to light (and weak) compared to ammo weight could be the culprit ... I always shoot with the band set + pouch weight to be at least 1/3 or greater the ammo weight ...

Cheers

Arturo


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## SHTF Slingshots (Feb 4, 2013)

I've had 1 RTS, was shooting my new favorite plinking ammo, Midget Gems ( they are cheap, besides, I get hungry when I go shooting)

Came back and gave me a good strong whack in the stomach, was only using some 64s, but it was a gut wrenching reminder of what can happen if you're not careful.


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## jokso (Mar 8, 2013)

Well this is not rts, but it still hurts a lot
I was shooting 3/8 drunk, somehow bent the wrist and twisted the bands, and it hit my hand directly...like a baseball bat


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## Flatband (Dec 18, 2009)

Never had one and hope I never do after reading some of these experiences with them!


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## dgui (Jan 12, 2010)

Hey DayMann, if I were to have this same topic the word Super would have to be introduced to make it right. Super Stupid. When I tried shooting with hex nuts and sudenly it happed and it took six months for that finger nail to grow back. Super painful and Super Stupid. I dont think that has changed for me.

Hope your gonna be fine though.


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## Dayhiker (Mar 13, 2010)

dgui said:


> Hey DayMann, if I were to have this same topic the word Super would have to be introduced to make it right. Super Stupid. When I tried shooting with hex nuts and sudenly it happed and it took six months for that finger nail to grow back. Super painful and Super Stupid. I dont think that has changed for me.
> 
> Hope your gonna be fine though.


Thanks, Darrell. I'm right back at it, Bud. Shot for a while with the grandson today. :king:


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## Quercusuber (Nov 10, 2011)

Ouch!!!!! :wacko:

Dayhiker, my friend, take care!!! Hope everything is alright now!!

I can say I had never had that experience, but I believe some factors can contribute to that (in my opinion):

- differences between band power and ammo weight

-double bands per side can be tricky

-asymmetrical band-pouch-fork connection

...and perhaps a lot more.

I wish you a good recovery and safe slinging!!!

Cheers ...Q


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## halbart (Jan 23, 2013)

ruthiexxxx said:


> I've had two RTS (which is two too many!). Both were with TBB. The worst one was from a 40 gramme lead oval. It was wide quadruple bands and I assumed that the lead had somehow got trapped in the folds of the TBB and not escaped before the bands pulled it back. It must have lost a lot of momentum before it struck me in the ribs or I think I'd have ended up in casualty. As it was it hurt for a long time!


I've taken a heavy shot in the ribs too, Ruthie. Wow, such pretty colours, lol


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## ruthiexxxx (Sep 15, 2012)

halbart said:


> ruthiexxxx said:
> 
> 
> > I've had two RTS (which is two too many!). Both were with TBB. The worst one was from a 40 gramme lead oval. It was wide quadruple bands and I assumed that the lead had somehow got trapped in the folds of the TBB and not escaped before the bands pulled it back. It must have lost a lot of momentum before it struck me in the ribs or I think I'd have ended up in casualty. As it was it hurt for a long time!
> ...


bloody well hurt don't they !


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## studer1972 (Mar 17, 2013)

the 1/16" difference between 3/8 and 7/16 would be enough to overpower a bandset?

I like the fork in the pictures, DH, nice work.

Ruthie: leather seems to stop most hand hit damage for me, perhaps a leather jacket might do the trick for you. In hotter weather, maybe a life jacket, they're nicely padded and worked well for boffer fights in my youth.


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## ruthiexxxx (Sep 15, 2012)

studer1972 said:


> the 1/16" difference between 3/8 and 7/16 would be enough to overpower a bandset?
> 
> I like the fork in the pictures, DH, nice work.
> 
> Ruthie: leather seems to stop most hand hit damage for me, perhaps a leather jacket might do the trick for you. In hotter weather, maybe a life jacket, they're nicely padded and worked well for boffer fights in my youth.


good idea...and I do like my leather jackets...though less so in the Spanish summer when it hovers around 40 degrees Celcius!


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## Dayhiker (Mar 13, 2010)

studer1972 said:


> the 1/16" difference between 3/8 and 7/16 would be enough to overpower a bandset?
> 
> I like the fork in the pictures, DH, nice work.
> 
> Ruthie: leather seems to stop most hand hit damage for me, perhaps a leather jacket might do the trick for you. In hotter weather, maybe a life jacket, they're nicely padded and worked well for boffer fights in my youth.


Yep!


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## studer1972 (Mar 17, 2013)

kinda off topic, but what about 1/32" differences? In my ignorance, I guessed that 1/8" seemed to be the critical difference in steel ball sizes, when I get the time/money to start my tests, do I need to go by 1/32", 1/16", or is 1/8" granular enough?


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