# Aiming Tutorial 0515



## JacobGA (Apr 7, 2011)

Hello everyone!

You can say that I'm a noobie in the slingshooting world. I have a Marksman 3040 Folding Slingshot (with the arm support). I checked out youtube for tutorials and learned quite a bit.

However, what I'm still confused about is how to aim through the two prongs (that the rubber-band is attached to)?

Is there a video link that describes how to aim and gives some examples on how to aim (close-ups)?

Jacob

P.S. - Until I learn to fire with the slingshot I currently have, I really don't want to buy another.


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## NaturalFork (Jan 21, 2010)

I actually love the marksman 3040 slingshots. I have one. How I aim is buy holding the slingshot sideways and lining up the top and bottom bands. Then use the top fork as your sight. And remember to always anchor to the same point.


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## JacobGA (Apr 7, 2011)

*In Addition:*

*My Target:* 4 x Mountain Dew (16 oz) Bottles filled half full with water on a pick-nick table with no wind resistance

*My Ammo:* Daisy - Premium Steel Slingshot Ammo - 1/4 Inch Diameter

*Distance From Target: * 25 Feet

*Rounds Fired:* 60

_*Final Score: I didn't hit one of those bottles (not even once).*_

*I can't figure out how to aim.*

*I understand these particular concepts:* stand like your shooting a compound bow, breath out (air from your lungs) as your firing, anchoring the shot next to your face or eye or chin, spreading your feet apart


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## JacobGA (Apr 7, 2011)

NaturalFork said:


> I actually love the marksman 3040 slingshots. I have one. How I aim is buy holding the slingshot sideways and lining up the top and bottom bands. Then use the top fork as your sight. And remember to always anchor to the same point.


*Do you mean the bottom of the top fork or the top of the top fork (as a sight)?

Lining the bands up is easier said than done. When I pull the bands back, I can only see part of them (when making an attempt to aim).*


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## Ram (Jan 19, 2011)

Hi Jacob, did you see where your 60 shots went? left, right, high low? Were they all going the same way or in random directions?


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## smitty (Dec 17, 2009)

You need to shoot the same way every time, so you will be able to adjust the elevation of the slingshot based on its' relation to the target and where the last shot went. If your shot went high and to the right, if you do everything the same as the last shot, all you have to do is lower the slingshot a bit, slide it to the left and your next shot should be closer. You keep adjusting, based on the last shot, until you are hitting your target. You have to be able to "see" the last shot in your mind so that you will be able to adjust, if you miss.
Proper breathing should be to take a deep breath as you draw the slingshot and hold that breath as you come to anchor and fire the shot. Don't exhale as you release, it will cause your chest and back to relax enough to create unwanted movement before the shot.
Most importantly, is to just keep shooting and catch your ammo in a homemade ammo trap, so you don't have to keep buying more and more.
I hope this helps you to enjoy your awesome slingshot even more.


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## JacobGA (Apr 7, 2011)

Moreluckthanjudgement said:


> Hi Jacob, did you see where your 60 shots went? left, right, high low? Were they all going the same way or in random directions?


*Honestly, my ammo is small and is flying so fast that I'm unable to see it. Is that understandable? I couldn't find my ammo afterwords.*


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## JacobGA (Apr 7, 2011)

*I can be a very stubborn student (please bare with me)...*


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## JacobGA (Apr 7, 2011)

smitty said:


> You need to shoot the same way every time, so you will be able to adjust the elevation of the slingshot based on its' relation to the target and where the last shot went. If your shot went high and to the right, if you do everything the same as the last shot, all you have to do is lower the slingshot a bit, slide it to the left and your next shot should be closer. You keep adjusting, based on the last shot, until you are hitting your target. You have to be able to "see" the last shot in your mind so that you will be able to adjust, if you miss.
> Proper breathing should be to take a deep breath as you draw the slingshot and hold that breath as you come to anchor and fire the shot. Don't exhale as you release, it will cause your chest and back to relax enough to create unwanted movement before the shot.
> Most importantly, is to just keep shooting and catch your ammo in a homemade ammo trap, so you don't have to keep buying more and more.
> I hope this helps you to enjoy your awesome slingshot even more.


*I didn't think of using an ammo catcher. Good Idea!

I'm finding it difficult to align my bands with the prongs.*


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## smitty (Dec 17, 2009)

You have to be able to know where the shot went. Use a backboard of something like cardboard to show the shot, or get some bigger ammo of at least 3/8" diameter.


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## haertig (Jul 30, 2010)

Start out with a much larger target. Maybe a 2 foot by 3 foot piece of poster board like used in school projects. You have to see where your shots are hitting before you can make any adjustments.


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## smitty (Dec 17, 2009)

Whatever is difficult for you might not be right for you. The important thing is to be able to "see" the last shot in your mind and to get a feeling for how to adjust what you did last shot to keep getting closer.
If you shoot with the handle straight up and down, the target goes between the two forks, but based on how far away it is.
If you shoot with the handle sideways, the target goes somewhere around the top fork, again based on how far away it is.
Also make sure you are using your dominate eye on the same side as the pouch. Usually, this means right handers will hold the slingshot in their left hand with the pouch on the right side of the face.


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## haertig (Jul 30, 2010)

haertig said:


> Start out with a much larger target. Maybe a 2 foot by 3 foot piece of poster board like used in school projects. You have to see where your shots are hitting before you can make any adjustments.


Once you find out where your shots are hitting, you move on. If they are hitting "all over the place" (i.e., a giant 4 foot round pattern) then you need to work on shirinking that pattern. You will be doing things like making sure your anchor point is the same every shot and things like that. If your shots are hitting in a nice small pattern (don't expect that as a new shooter!) then you will be working on adjusting your aim point to move that small pattern on target. "I'm not hitting anything" is not enough information to go on. Move closer to your target. Get a bigger target. Then work down to smaller/farther targets from there. Starting out small and far will only just frustrate you and you probably won't ever get any better. You can probably hit a 2 foot target from 10 feet out, so start there first. If not, don't worry, try a 4 foot target from ten feet!


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## Ram (Jan 19, 2011)

Don't get disapointed about missing, that's just what happens at first. Once you can see where your shots are landing and adjust your aim / form, you'll be mashing those bottles a few shots later. Try and find an anchor point that puts the pouch directly in line with your dominant eye.


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## JacobGA (Apr 7, 2011)

*I will try making a target with some poster board or a large card board box at 10 feet and increasing the distance with increments of five feet. I'll post my results (hopefully) by today or tomorrow. Thank you for the advice (so far).

I really want to become good at shoot a slingshot. I didn't get to experience that as a child.*

*When starting out, is there a difference between flat bands and tube bands?*


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## smitty (Dec 17, 2009)

Tubes are just fine to shoot. Some prefer them and some prefer flats. Flat bands are generally easier to pull and hold at anchor with faster speed.


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## Ram (Jan 19, 2011)

*When starting out, is there a difference between flat bands and tube bands?*
*
*
*Don't open that can of worms lol...*
*Have a good read around this forum before choosing. What you've got is perfect Jacob, they're excellent catapults.*


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## TastelikeSnozberries (Jul 16, 2010)

I'm by no means as experienced as some of the guys around here (william tell has great great great grandkids on this forum...) but when I first started out my accuracy went through the roof as soon as I stopped shooting those 1/4 inch balls and switched to something more substantial. even dollar store marbles shoot pretty consistently. it's not impossible to shoot well with small ammo, but I found it much harder when I was starting out and still really haven't got it down


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## NaturalFork (Jan 21, 2010)

I noticed you stated that it is hard for you to see the trajectory of the shot. Trumark makes white tracer marbles that make it very easy to see where the shot goes.


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## TheSquid (Feb 23, 2011)

NaturalFork said:


> I noticed you stated that it is hard for you to see the trajectory of the shot. Trumark makes white tracer marbles that make it very easy to see where the shot goes.


This is really good advice. As many people have already stated, It's imperative that you see you're shots. The dollar store marbles are fine, Trumark makes a great product and Mr Bill Hays on this site sells them as well. Also, you can just spray paint whatever you have white. That will help tremendously.


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## dgui (Jan 12, 2010)

Dont aim just shoot and you will get the knack for plutting the shot where your looking. This is picked up by repetition. You limit your shooting distance by aiming and anchoring. Just shoot.


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