# gamekeeper band length



## Clever Moniker

Question, I have watched a shit ton of videos on making gamekeeper bands. Jon keeps saying 25mm to 20mm taper, but he never mentions length!! This is very vexing for a noob like me. Lol I scrolled through the comments only to find, everyone asks the length, but he never comments on it... Question, does anyone know the exact length he makes them to? Or is it not relevant and that's why he never mentions it?

This must have been asked before... I tried searching with no luck, please help chaps. 

Clever Moniker


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## Imperial

the length varies for everyone. it depends on your anchor point and personal preference. or just start with an 8" length and go from there.


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## mr. green

Hello Clever M. It depends on your "pull". For me, I divide the length of my pull by 4 and adjust from there. So let's say, my pull from fork to pouch is 28", then my band length would be 7". I use this as my guide and adjust depending on the amount of taper and thickness of the band.


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## Clever Moniker

This helps me big time guys!!!  At least gives me a starting point. My goal is to make a set of hunting bands using TBG doubled with the taper above, my current draw is 30". This would give me a 7.5" length, is there anyway to calculate possible speeds mr. green? Would I hit 250fps? I don't have a crony.


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## Aussie Allan In Thailand

Cool figures for some.

Although maybe as an ex army physical training instructor, and elite athlete for 10 years, at 55 year old I may be stronger than many for my 168cm size.

I generally pull 450% of relaxed length at least, and with effort go to 500%; as this give the most FPS, and flatest trajectory; and hence most Ft/Lbs of striking energy to kill a hunting target, one shot, one kill.

Of course this is based upon practice, very good judgement of distance in the field (something only time, and alot of practice can give you); and excellent shot placement. I practice unknown distance judgement with marbles as they are cheap, and thrown cans in a park at various distances, and without any reference points for distance; then go for first shot hits on the cans. It works for me.

Then it comes down to knowing the ballistics of your various ammo weights, for various ranges; and the rest as they say is history, and on your plate for dinner.

Hence I go for overkill, so if my shot is off by an inch or so, it is still more than enough blunt force trauma to take about anything: and I am talking using .04 latex relaxed length 9 inches, drawn length 45 to 50 inches, min 20 preferably 25 or 30 or 35 gram ammo; and a ft/lbs from 65 to over 200 plus.

Cheers Aussie Allan


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## DaveSteve

I don't know about Gamekeeper's band length either.

Did you check Joerg's band calculator.

I may will give you a starting point too.

http://www.slingshotchannel.com/band_calc.html


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## Dr J

That calculator is a must have if you plan to cut your own bands. However, it only mentions TBG. How much does it change for other rubbers?


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## Clever Moniker

Excellent post DaveSteve, I started cutting my own bands... Let me tell you, I suck. Lol I'm using a ruler and can't cut straight! Don't even get me started on attaching the bands to the pouch!! I shoot TTF and folding the band properly to fit it into the pouch is a freakin' nightmare. I'm a stubborn and positive chap though, so I don't give up easily.


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## mr. green

Clever Moniker said:


> This helps me big time guys!!!  At least gives me a starting point. My goal is to make a set of hunting bands using TBG doubled with the taper above, my current draw is 30". This would give me a 7.5" length, is there anyway to calculate possible speeds mr. green? Would I hit 250fps? I don't have a crony.


Hello Clevr M. I don't have a chrony either and don't hunt. I've read somewhere in this forum, as a guide, if you can penetrate a soup can using at least 11mm ammo right thru, then that should be sufficient power for hunting.


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## Aussie Allan In Thailand

Bear in mind lead ammo, which is preferred for hunting, will never penetrate flattened steel food cans; but steel ammo will, provided you have enough FPS.

You can always download the chrono connect app for phones or tablets though, as this works fairly accurately.

Although to test it you can not aim as such, but have to fire through a first noise maker, which can be newspaper hanging from a step ladder as I use, to then hit a target which makes a noise.

I suggest you aim at a stretched length of around 500% relaxed length of bands.

Cheers Aussie Allan


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## Clever Moniker

Aussie Allan, this may sound dumb... but if it was 500%... wouldn't that make the draw 5x's the length of the original band cut?


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## Aussie Allan In Thailand

Of course yes Clever Moniker it would, and while I know nothing of his height or physique.

I am not giant at 5'6" or 168cm, and to my ear lobe I can get a 34 inch anchor point.

So if his anchor is 30 inches he would go for a 6 inch relaxed length; or alternatively go for a longer anchor point.

For as we are all aware I think; a longer draw, allows more time for motion to be given to the shot, and hence greater FPS, therefore greater ft/lbs energy of power to hunt with.

Furthermore from my own experience, there is usually a 3 to 4 inch difference of a finger in the pouch, and wife measuring the drawn length, while holding the draw: than to actually gripping shot, and shooting relatively quickly, after some serious practice hours on a home range.

Now I have no fixed anchor as such, but draw to max. of stretch of bands, which is surprisingly consistent; or at least from the point of view of my shots striking the same place almost every time.

Cheers Aussie Allan


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## halbart

I did see Jorg Sprave test a gamekeeper slingshot which was 25/20 but the slack length of the bands, he said , was 22 cm, but this means nothing. The thing is that Gamekeeper John doesn't necessarily shoot this band length himself,. He is making these to sell and his customers can be anything from 5 ft to 6.5 feet. So its back to testing your own draw length and cutting the band accordingly. H


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## Adirondack Kyle

Draw length varies from shooter to shooter, what works for him may not work for you, there are plenty of diff elastics to choose from that are strong enough for hunting, I like 107s , tbg, and .30 latex , tubes are great too, the best advice I can give is to see what works for you, you don't necessarily need a chrony to measure speed , just set up some cans and test diff set ups,
Also, accuracy is key when it comes to hunting with a catapult, gotta make sure you are at the top of your game


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## shootslingshot45

hi john i want to buy one of your slingshots what site (thanks)


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## Black_Blade

Clever Moniker said:


> Excellent post DaveSteve, I started cutting my own bands... Let me tell you, I suck. Lol I'm using a ruler and can't cut straight! Don't even get me started on attaching the bands to the pouch!! I shoot TTF and folding the band properly to fit it into the pouch is a freakin' nightmare. I'm a stubborn and positive chap though, so I don't give up easily.


Maybe you could try to make yourself up a jig that you could clamp your SS into nice and steady and that would allow you to have both hands free to pull back the bands equally (maybe another part of jig would be another little clamp that would hold the pouch in place)

Hmm..I might just start something like that too, for I'm just in the process of finish sanding some SS and will be soon ready for the assembly stage.


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## Sandinfool

In the video I watched he said 25 cm.


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## phil

Band length is one of the reasons I built this slingshot it lets me adjust band length fast so I can try different lengths my draw is 30" and with a lot of testing I found the best length for me using 030 latex is 8" fly's fast and hits hard


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