# Failure to Launch (ow)



## flipgun (Nov 14, 2012)

Hello everyone! flipgun here. I don't think I qualify as a Newbie, but I do have a question. I make smaller shooters and run marbles up to 15mm. I also make my own pouches. Some times the pouch fails to release the load and it comes back, smacking my finger and ricochet like crazy. The last one to do this is cut 7cm X15mm Some of my others are 7cmX2cm. I twist the pouch and usually have no problems.

I'm wondering if is because the pouch is too small or that as the leather wears, it becomes too soft or am I over-banding for the load? Any information, theories or suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanx!


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## Adirondack Kyle (Aug 20, 2012)

The main cause of this usually, is because the leather isn't ridged enough, its a thin line, you want the pouch to be flexible, but not too flexible. The ammo can get snagged and come back when the bands retract.


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## DaveSteve (May 16, 2012)

I shoot marbles too. My pouch size is the same as your's. 7 cm x 2 cm.

It happened to me only once.

What I figured that my release was very poor.

What I noticed too, if the weather is real humid the leather becomes a bit sticky and my release suffers.

Sweaty finger and a moist leather do not work for a smooth release.

The other reason, maybe, were the weak tubes I used.

There was no real pull weight what could have snapped the pouch out of my fingers.


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## Tex-Shooter (Dec 17, 2009)

Flip shooting a shot too large for the bands or bands stretched tight across the fork to star or center hole in pouch too large. Could be other things as well, but need picture. -- Tex


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## BrokenPins (Feb 10, 2013)

Hi flipgun,

I have some perspective on this because I had several return to senders in a row about a week ago ending with a 7/16 steel to the exact same spot behind the same knuckle before a decided to call it a day. Shot from a very small pfs with short tubes and a good pouch-twist, tweak, and ow, ow, ow... frustrating and painful but educational.

Without going into too much detail in this post (I will cover it in an extremely positive vendor feedback to be posted very soon), I am convinced that at least in my situation the problem is that I require a pouch with a lot of stiffness / structure to it. My pfs style is "iffy" haha so I accept the pain and frustration but return to senders at least in my scenario were caused by a bad setup with perfectly good gear. The pouch and tubes are now on a similar sized small natural with an actual fork gap and no issues.

It was the consistency of the knuckle hits on my return to senders (literally the EXACT same spot) that made me really think about what was going on and convinced me. As simple as the basic device is, there is a whole lot going on back there with the pouch/band/finger/thumb/ammo interface on every shot. Good components do not necessarily equal a good setup, at least that's what I'm learning. The classic large Y fork is the most forgiving in my limited experience.

Hope something in that rant can help ya!

Or, the short version: try a stiffer pouch with a smaller or no hole or move the bandset to another sling to isolate the issue.

On the bright side, we're kinda like blood brothers!


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## flipgun (Nov 14, 2012)

I farmed through my leather and found some stiffer than the others and based on a consensus and rigged up with that and it helped. Also if one of your comebacks was like mine, that would be blood blister bro's .


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## BrokenPins (Feb 10, 2013)

Unfortunately not, I have taken some amazingly clean hemispherical divots out of my left hand. It mightabeen a blister but the final 7/16 opened it all the way up, it didn't truly stop bleeding for two days...


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## flipgun (Nov 14, 2012)

Sympathy on ya Bra! Y'know? When folks post here with their hands in the picture, you see a lot of sling bite. I guess that it is just part of the game. It is also why responsible shooters wear their safety glasses.

Suck it up, wrap it up, and keep shooting!


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## BrokenPins (Feb 10, 2013)

I have noticed an epidemic of blackthumb in the photos here hahaha... gloves are for sissies, eye protection is for EVERYONE! I may be a large child but I don't wanna look like a pirate. Arrrrrr...


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