# "Small Ball"



## wll (Oct 4, 2014)

I have been shooting 1/4" steel a whole bunch and I have have been putting it out at around 300fps+ speeds. The tubes I have been using can send 5/16" steel out in the 270fps ish area and that makes for a very flat shooting yet more powerful hunting ammo set up for Pigeon/Starling size pest birds.

A few days ago I wrote about my testing of single 3050 tubes with 1/4" steel, I did not mention my hunting success with that set up. I will just say that going after Pigeon/Starling size pest birds is very doable and ranges that are longer then you might think ;- ) I'm very surprised what a 1/4" steel will do when it is coming out of the chute fast.(290++)fps

The "Small Ball" ammo for field shooting is great, The issue is for me is buying it cheap ... I'm defiantly not paying over 1c a piece. The steel ammo is costing me less then marbles that I used to love to shoot, and I still do shoot them but the prices are going up on those to around 2.5c plus shipping and tax..

Shooting 1/4" and 5/16" have a very close flight path when the 5/16" is moving in the 270fps range. The 5/16" also has more smack. Keep in mind that I have no intent on going after rabbits, squirrels, or the like, If I was going out for them my ammo selection would change. I'm just talking about pest birds no larger than a Pigeon for sure and mostly the size of a Starling or the like.

And what about 3/8" steel ? a good size for when I want more poop in my pop. This is a very good size for my use, yes I have much heavier stuff but in general for what I do this time in my life, the 3/8" ball is more than OK. Looped 2040 will send them out very well, looped 1636 is not to bad either. Single 3050 shoots it very nicely and it has enough snot to wet your nose. Looped 1842 are overkill but really send them,. Pseudo 3050, 1842 tube sets shine very well with 3/8" size steel.

Where I live the vast majority of shots are in the 25+ to 35+ yard range. so I want the ball to fly pretty flat.. I know my sling is not a gun, but I don't want softball trajectories as accuracy really suffers at these ranges and I do need the smack to knock my targets down (with "Small Ball" velocity is very important).

I have been watching a LOT of Vietnam Slingshot Hunting videos, and these guys never cease to amaze me.

On another note, one of the great things about "Small Ball" is the amount of ammo that you can carry when you are out and about field shooting. I can take a couple hundred 1/4" rounds out in the field without having to schlep heavy ammo all over the place. I often go out to my spot with a handful of 1/4" and shoot and shoot and have a blast. The real "Small Ball" is .177 cal BB's and with the right elastic you can send those BB's a warp speed and last I checked, I think 175 shots cost me about .15c ... how in the heck do you beet that !! Shooting 177 BB's is a blast and they are great for your form because your elastic is lighter and the pouch is smaller so your release must be picture perfect. I have not shot BB's in a little while and I need to get back shooting them .... they are really great fun and again you will be amazed at the speed of those little suckers.

More to come !

wll


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## Tag (Jun 11, 2014)

Thank you for for sharing your knowledge. Looking forward to seeing more


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## Tree Man (Jun 30, 2016)

I've recently gone back to shooting .177 bbs. I've been taking some ribbing for it too. (you know who you are lol). The benefits are numerous. I find that im shooting a lot more which has contributed to my accuracy. Shoot small, aim small, miss small.


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## MOJAVE MO (Apr 11, 2018)

I saw a post from Rayshot pop up here in the Forum saying he has a bunch of Magnetic BB pouches ready for delivery. I think it is time for me to bite the bullet and get on the BB train, or vice versa.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk


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## hoggy (Apr 17, 2017)

thanks for the info.


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## wll (Oct 4, 2014)

I just contacted my ammo supplier and told him I got the funds together for the purchase of all the 5/16" I'm waiting for --- now I will wait and see. I will be shooing 177 cal BB's this weekend using single 1030's as I posted on another thread. I plan on shooting a lot, and I just may make another 1030 single tube set in case the first one does not hold up.

What is sooooo nice about BB's is they are cheap as heck, the power source is light pulling and that little ball just screams towards its target. I'm very much looking forward to seeing the speed of the little BB with these tubes. I have been using single 1636 and they send that BB out at warp speed but they are also overkill for that little ball and do have hand/finger slap.

Being the BB is so light the difference will be the rate of retraction and not the POWER of the tubes The 1030 tube sits in between the 1632 and the 1636 in volume of rubber so it will be interesting to see how it performs when I can put the pedal to the metal to test it out.

It's getting late and its time for bed, have a big day tomorrow.

wll


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## wll (Oct 4, 2014)

I'm getting ready to shoot my brains out this up coming year and the rest of this one. I plan on shooting 95% "Small Ball" for field shooting, most of the ammo used will be 1/4" steel with tube sets that will send this ammo out in the 285-300fps+ range. ------ I will be shooting some 5/16" also and will have tubes that are set up to send that ammo out in the same velocity range, but those and the 3/8" are more for pest birding.

I have a good supply of high quality rubber that will stay fresh as long as it is kept in the frig. so I'm looking for a used frig to keep at the office, 90% my elastic will be there, and a bit of supplies at home. Most of my slingshot building is at work in the early am or the weekends so my supplies should be there. I'll store most of my steel ammo there also.

Just getting ready to start smacking stuff and bringing myself up to a higher level.

wll


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