# Mini Tapered BB Shooter



## notchent (Aug 4, 2011)

This is one of my favorite toys. Probably the cheapest slingshot possible, but perfect for serious BB plinking. By creating a taper using 4 Alliance #64 bands, the speed generated by these little toy slingshots is increased dramatically. Because there's no cutting/tying, they come out consistently every time, and they're incredibly accurate. These are easy enough for kids to make in a few minutes, and the pull is as light as can be. The thumb-through grip provides enough speed for accurate BB target shooting up to 20 yards (more I'm sure, but that's the limit of my skill). A box of bands (425 count!) cost me $4 on sale at Staples.com - that's less than 4 cents per band set. The metal frames cost 35 cents each on Ebay. They come with a light pouch that'll only last a few hundred shots, and useless bands. A pouch by Tex completes the toy slingshot upgrade to a really fun little shooter. I only get about 100 shots at full power before bands start to break, but that's not a problem because it takes 5 seconds to replace any of them, and a completely new set takes about 30 seconds to create (no tools required). The whole thing is ultra light weight and small - you can fit it all, together with ammo and magnet, into a shirt pocket














What really gets me is the amazing speed and accuracy I get with this setup, and with a pull that's so much lighter than any 'real' slingshot. I just got a new Bill Hayes masterpiece 2 nights ago, and it's sitting waiting for a workout because I can't seem to put down these amazing little toys with tapered goodness


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## Charles (Aug 26, 2010)

Very nice! Great for kids, or for female friends who are initially suspicious of, or resistant to, the idea of shooting a slingshot.

Cheers .......... Charles


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## rubberpower (Aug 16, 2011)

Thanks for the information and video. I enjoyed it.


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## notchent (Aug 4, 2011)

Charles,

My fiance never even had a passing interest in slingshots until I handed her one of these (she's a really petite lady). For the first time ever, she enjoyed an evening of lobbing peanuts into the woods, providing endless meals for our local squirrel population ... kinda the opposite reason that many people first think about picking up a slingshot, but I was just glad to watch her shoot


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## Dayhiker (Mar 13, 2010)

Good post. This does indeed look like a nice little toy to pass some time with. Thanks for posting.


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## mckee (Oct 28, 2010)

good vid i like those frames there sweet


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## notchent (Aug 4, 2011)

I ordered a gross (144) of the frames from Amazon for $58. I'm thinking about putting together a promotional shooting event, and giving them away to everyone who comes. Does anyone have a liability waiver already prepared for slingshot shooting events?


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## ebooks886 (May 27, 2011)

What make are these frames? I can't find anything like this on amazon or ebay!


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## notchent (Aug 4, 2011)

I bought one lot on ebay, and have another lot of these on order from Amazon - they come to 40 cents each, with shipping:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0039ZN636

I also found nice safety glasses for 81 cents each (with shipping), in lots of 120:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/120-PAIR-1700-SERIES-CLEAR-LENS-SAFETY-GLASSES-/230624678805?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35b24d5395

6000 BBs cost less than $10 at Walmart, and the rubber band sets cost 4 cents each. Print up some waivers and targets, and for less than $200, I could give away 120 shooting kits (with 24 frames left over for myself







). That's a fraction of what other promotional events cost to organize for my retail business (http://merchantsvillage.com) - and I'm sure people would love it!


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## notchent (Aug 4, 2011)

Little video of my little slingshot (40 feet, soup can, tapered #64 Alliance bands):


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## dgui (Jan 12, 2010)

It is impressive how close you are shooting to you hand, almost BareBack.  Nice, I like.


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## notchent (Aug 4, 2011)

Thanks Dgui







I work regularly at my bareback skills - maybe I'll make a video of that next!


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## FnMag (Feb 10, 2012)

Having trouble finding the frames on amazon. Found this thread while searching. The link to the frames on amazon no longer pulls up anything.

Can someone help find it for me?

Thank you,
Mike

Sent via iPhone & skynet


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## notchent (Aug 4, 2011)

They're no longer available from any of the sources where I found them originally. This is an inexpensive little frame that you can shoot the same way: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Stainless-Steel-Slingshot-Hunting-Sling-Shot-Catapult-/140530251996

Here's the cheapest possible slingshot frame:


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## FnMag (Feb 10, 2012)

Thanks Notchent, I have something similar coming from dankung- jungle hunter II. Which if I had searched a bit more I would have found it on the Texas site and gotten it faster I'm sure. It's been in N.Y. For 4 days now.

Sent via iPhone & skynet


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## Litebow (Dec 17, 2011)

Just saw this and banded up a cheap Daisy wire frame that I removed the plastic handle from, wrapped in paracord, and bent the right angle ends back towards the frame forming a small elongated loop. I did the bending in a vice, and bent the end back toward the frame untill I coud just get a strecthed rubber band into it. I also squeezed the forks a little closer together. The bands were a little short for me using one double #64 at the frame, so I used two doubled #64s and one single at the pouch. I shot.177 BBs, 1/4 and 3/8 inch ball bearings and 1/2inch marbles at 10 yds. The .177 BBs were so fast they were hard to see. Effortless to pull, and suprisingly fast, even with the 3/8 steel.

I have been experimenting with other configurations of chained #64s, braided, knotted, and a combo of the two. Lots of possible configurations and I have been well pleased with the performance.

Dave


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## FnMag (Feb 10, 2012)

Would a smaller pouch than say what came originally with the daisy help in any way with shooting bbs or air soft ammo?


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## Litebow (Dec 17, 2011)

If your referrng to my post where I modified a Daisy, and got good results, I was not using the original pouch. I was using a homemade pouch I made out of lightweight leather that use to be a brushed suede leather coat. It is probably not even half the thickness of the Daisy pouches, and shorter, only about 21/2 inches long by one inch wide, and very soft. Thats wider and longer than it needed to be for that little ammo. I will probably make a smaller pouch and try it. I had to be very careful to get that tiny ammo centered. i'm sure an even smaller pouch would help.

I have shot hundreds of shots with the coat leather, with much stronger bands and heavier ammo and have not even had a tear yet. I got the coat at a church charity sale for fifty cents. It was extra large and will make hundreds of slingshot pouches. Can't beat that price for pouches!

Dave


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## cheese (Nov 16, 2011)

Charles said:


> Very nice! Great for kids, or for female friends who are initially suspicious of, or resistant to, the idea of shooting a slingshot.
> 
> Cheers .......... Charles


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## Litebow (Dec 17, 2011)

I just tried that grip you are using in your video, with the thumb stuck through the fork on some natural Y forks. I never saw or thought about holding a slingshot that way, but I loved it. It provided a secure grip, that felt comfortable, and there was no pressure on my thumb, so no pain in my thumb which I was getting holding across the base of the forks. I shot those natural Y forks longer and better that way than any other hold I've tried so far. Thanks for the idea.

Dave


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## notchent (Aug 4, 2011)

Litebow said:


> Just saw this and banded up a cheap Daisy wire frame that I removed the plastic handle from, wrapped in paracord, and bent the right angle ends back towards the frame forming a small elongated loop. I did the bending in a vice, and bent the end back toward the frame untill I coud just get a strecthed rubber band into it. I also squeezed the forks a little closer together. The bands were a little short for me using one double #64 at the frame, so I used two doubled #64s and one single at the pouch. I shot.177 BBs, 1/4 and 3/8 inch ball bearings and 1/2inch marbles at 10 yds. The .177 BBs were so fast they were hard to see. Effortless to pull, and suprisingly fast, even with the 3/8 steel.
> 
> I have been experimenting with other configurations of chained #64s, braided, knotted, and a combo of the two. Lots of possible configurations and I have been well pleased with the performance.
> 
> Dave


Take a look at some of the videos I made using #117b bands. They're my absolute favorite for target shooting with BBs. They'll shoot a blunt tip arrow straight through both sides of a steel can, and they'll put 3/8" steel balls through cans too. I wouldn't shoot anything bigger than 3/8" steel with them, but for light ammo plinking I love #117b because there's absolutely no tying (it takes literally a couple seconds to completely change band sets), and because there's no tying, each band set is absolutely consistent and accurate, they're ridiculously cheap, and they're much more powerful then the tiny #64's, with still a very light pull.


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## notchent (Aug 4, 2011)

Here are some videos of Alliance 117b bands:





 (tying)





 (target shooting)





 (shooting arrows)

One thing you'll notice is that the 117b bands don't flip around or twist up as much as the little flat bands. Once I started using 117b, I haven't looked back - I've got a bunch of unopened boxes of Theraband, Alliance 107, and others that I just never touch any more


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## Litebow (Dec 17, 2011)

Watched all your videos. Good Shooting. Something else to try.

Dave


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## jburdine1956 (Dec 26, 2011)

notchent said:


> This is one of my favorite toys. Probably the cheapest slingshot possible, but perfect for serious BB plinking. By creating a taper using 4 Alliance #64 bands, the speed generated by these little toy slingshots is increased dramatically. Because there's no cutting/tying, they come out consistently every time, and they're incredibly accurate. These are easy enough for kids to make in a few minutes, and the pull is as light as can be. The thumb-through grip provides enough speed for accurate BB target shooting up to 20 yards (more I'm sure, but that's the limit of my skill). A box of bands (425 count!) cost me $4 on sale at Staples.com - that's less than 4 cents per band set. The metal frames cost 35 cents each on Ebay. They come with a light pouch that'll only last a few hundred shots, and useless bands. A pouch by Tex completes the toy slingshot upgrade to a really fun little shooter. I only get about 100 shots at full power before bands start to break, but that's not a problem because it takes 5 seconds to replace any of them, and a completely new set takes about 30 seconds to create (no tools required). The whole thing is ultra light weight and small - you can fit it all, together with ammo and magnet, into a shirt pocket
> 
> 
> 
> ...


May I suggest this be placed in tutorial section. I found this very interesting for cheap bands sets for my smallish Dankung and BB ammo.


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