# Some questions on the physics of making a good slingshot



## drgreen (Feb 21, 2011)

Hi all,

I'm new here as you can see, been lurking around and looking at some designs to help me build my own. I've seen some very nice ones with beautiful materials, but are very expensive for a slingshot and generally intended for target shooting. I've seen some marketed at being a hunting slingshot. I was curious what makes a slingshot specific to its intended application; at the end of the day isn't it just about the choice of elastics you choose to use? So I have some questions about optimizing the design of a slingshot in general to improve accuracy, consistency and power if some of you are willing to give your 2 cents.

What is the general rule of thumb for fork height? I understand the longer it is (the forks), the resistance is multiplied by a factor of the distance between the band attachment and your wrist, affecting accuracy from increased strain. This seems to be conventional wisdom amongst forum members here. However, are there any disadvantages to having short forks? I assume the only consideration would be fork hits or finger hits, but correct me if I'm wrong.

Other than aesthetic beauty, is there a real need to incorporate super strong new age materials that drive up the cost? I've seen some marketed with alloy cores or g10 material, other than protecting the fork from snapping in case of a fork hit, the only other benefit I can think of is increasing the inertia of the slingshot through increased mass for greater consistency.

Is there a use for larger slingshots? I've seen some advertised as having a larger frame to use heavy bands like double or triple theraband gold for hunting applications. The size doesn't seem to have anything to do with strength, but rather the types of material choice and the thickness of the slingshot. In fact, doesn't any extension beyond the grip of the shooter create more leverage, indirectly affecting consistency, accuracy and power?

Flat bands seem to be the standard for hunting due to a good compromise between power and speed. Why aren't more mounted sideways such as the original Wham ? Since you hold the pouch side by side, doesn't it make more sense to mount it aligned with the release pouch in case any twist will affect ballistics trajectory? I'm sure the affect will be minimal but nonetheless. You still get the straight edge at the side for 'accuracy' as some advocates of the over the top attachment would say.

Your opinions will be much appreciated, and I hope to learn from you guys. My apologies for such a long list of queries as a my first post.


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## dgui (Jan 12, 2010)

Anything that feels right in your hand.


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## philly (Jun 13, 2010)

Good list, It seems to me you already have the answers to your own questions. To your credit, you obviously read your way thru the forum archives. You will be a welcome addition to the group. I bought a number of slingshots when I first began, being inpatient I wanted to have the best right away. After a while I made my first natural and a few board cuts I realised that I should probably have started there before purchasing anything so that I had an idea of what I liked or disliked.. You can get free forks in the woods, a 2' 1X6 board in Red Oak or Poplar costs around $7.50 at HD, you don't need exotics or expensive tools. Go for it, you won't be able to stop. Great post, welcome to the forum.
Philly


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## drgreen (Feb 21, 2011)

Thanks for the input, I guess the slingshot is a very simple device after all and some of these considerations are trivial in comparison to the shooter's ability. Philly, thanks for the warm welcome. I see you have a long list in your arsenal, some of which I am really interested in. What's your favorite slingshot for hunting, and what's your favorite target shooter. If you don't mind, can you tell me your setup? (what bands you use for each)


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## philly (Jun 13, 2010)

Well Dr they all have a special place in my heart, but my everyday go to slingshots for hunting and target shooting are my two EPS's From Performance Catapults. They are pocket friendly, heavier than most of the same size ( due to thier heavier core) so absorb shock better and therefore just plain feel better in the hand. I sometimes shoot over 100 shots at a time when practicing and never feel fatigued . I useTex shooter's Express latex bands almost exclusively for both hunting and target shooting. My choice of ammo ranges from 3/8" steel and .375 lead for target practice and both .44 and.45 cal lead for hunting. I have recently set myself up with casting equipment and that adds fun to the hobby. These are my personal choices and I am sure you will get varing responses from other forum members, If we all shot the same slings, bands and ammo there wouldn't be to much to talk about. All of the vendors here sell quality products and each has its own special features and fan base.Based on your first post, I am sure you will find your way quickly and settle in on your own favorite setup. The most important thing to remember is to shoot safe and have FUN. I posted a video in the General section shooting the EPS at 10 meters that might be of interest.
Philly


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## Bill Hays (Aug 9, 2010)

The shorter the fork you can get away with using for your chosen application and ammo, the better. The longer the fork, the more leverage against your grip.

Large ammo like rocks needs larger fork widths. Small ammo, like .50 cal on down can use narrower fork widths.
The narrower the forks, the more in line your bands are and the more speedy your shot will be as well.

Grip... some like to shoot vertically, some horizontally and some somewhere in between... keep in mind what kind of hold and grip you'd like to use and then choose or make a slingshot that will fit it.

Materials used to make a slingshot out of.... Strong plywood is decent to make a slingshot out of. But will not take much impact abuse. Other materials can be chosen either for their impact resistance, ability to be shaped into the form you want without sacrificing strength, resistance to the elements and or beauty... For me, I like all the above. I mean, I can buy an El Cheapo digital wrist watch that will actually keep time and is easier to read than my expensive analog titanium dive watch... but I choose the dive watch because it is crafted better, will last many times longer... and I just like it better.
Same thing for slingshots... I can go to WalMart and pick up a real nice little shooter for $8, and get some real good use out of it... but if I am really serious, I'll go for quality and quality costs more.


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## colt (Jun 8, 2010)

welcome to the forum. I'll try to give my take on all of your points. 
what makes a catty specific to a purpose? nothing really. obviously a hunting sling should be powerful enough to kill humanely, but this can be achieved with all types of elastics, given that you are using the right ammo and hunting the right game. personally, all of my shooters are designed with the possibility of taking game in mind. as a result, my shooters are pocketable and don't have much ornamentation that does not serve a purpose.

fork height? this depends. some bold folks shoot bareback(elastics between the knuckles) I'd say that the closest that you can get it to your hand while maintaining comfort would be best. you don't want a bad hand slap and you don't want leverage working against you. as usual, a happy medium will suit you nicely.

space age materials? mostly for looks but they do serve a purpose. a sling made of micarta, g10, carbon fiber, or stainless steel will shrug off ... anything. durability is valuable in my opinion and alot of "modern" materials provide that. they also can look very cool, and who says looking cool isn't valuable









big shooters? Size doesn't necessarily translate to fork height in terms of leverage. i think in many cases, size refers to the grip more than anything. a full grip can be an advantage when shooting for accuracy.

flat bands? i totally agree with you. I've actually been putting off making a catty with wham style attachment. currently though, I've been a tube guy.


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## drgreen (Feb 21, 2011)

Thanks for the tips. I think I will start off by salvaging a nice natural fork. It seems much easier to make, and some look naturally ergonomic and comfortable to hold from what I've seen around here.


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