# Safe ammo options for beginner



## Ogon (Jan 5, 2022)

I'm brand new to slingshots and will be picking up an Enzo start pack. It comes with "18/12" band set they say is matched for 8mm steel ammo. I'd like to start out on some kind of safer ammo if possible in case of frame hits and other technique related problems I might encounter as a beginner. Is there any agreement on a good choice for safe beginner ammo? Any choices that would be a good stand in for 8mm steel weight wise? I've seen some on here talk about "powder balls" which I think is referring to paintballs filled with powder like this (Amazon.com). Also seen the "rubber training ammo" offered by Simple Shot, and have seen clay ammo discussed a fair bit though I'm not sure how much safer than steel that would be. 

Also, if I was to go with clay or the rubber training ammo, what sort of band set should I go with since that's pretty light ammo?

All input welcome as I'm a complete newb. Thanks everyone!


----------



## Shaku (Sep 13, 2020)

Depending on what you mean by "safe".

Clay is going to hurt alot less than steel if you hit yourself, mainly because it doesnt carry as much energy as it is lighter. Also they wont ricochet.

I have never used the rubber ammo, but I would only recommend it, if you collect your ammo and dont shoot it into the wilderness. 

The safest way to start out is probably clay or airsoft ammo. Clay ammo generally can be shot with 8mm bands as they are remotely similar in weight (2 grams for 8 mm steel, 1-1,5 grams for the clay). Airsoft ammo needs dedicated bands as it is far lighter.

A glove can help too. (Preferrably something with either thick leather or a steel inlay)


----------



## S.S. sLinGeR (Oct 17, 2013)

Welcome to the forum! Dog kibble works good for kids and for those scarred to hit the frame until they get good form. won’t hurt so much if hit and no bounce backs. Otherwise I love all steel. I really love 5/16 and 9.5mm myself for target.


----------



## Ogon (Jan 5, 2022)

Shaku said:


> Depending on what you mean by "safe".
> 
> Clay is going to hurt alot less than steel if you hit yourself, mainly because it doesnt carry as much energy as it is lighter. Also they wont ricochet.
> 
> ...


Clay seems like a good way to go. Most of the clay I see on amazon is 9-10mm. Would that still fit the Wasp snipersling pouch designed for 8mm ok? Thanks for your help.


----------



## Highway41 (Dec 19, 2021)

Ogon said:


> Clay seems like a good way to go. Most of the clay I see on amazon is 9-10mm. Would that still fit the Wasp snipersling pouch designed for 8mm ok? Thanks for your help.


Not familiar with the Wasp pouch in person but looking online it will work with 3/8 clay fine. I've tried a couple of different makers clay ammo and I would recommend PGN clay 3/8. In my limited experience it is more uniform size and closer to a true sphere than the others. Clay is great and can be recovered and reused if using a catchbox.


----------



## Whytey (Sep 26, 2021)

Is that frame for both TTF & OTT?

What's your choice of style to start? If OTT, I would go with 8mm steel from the get go at 5m. 
Remember, enjoy the journey and have fun.


----------



## vince4242 (Jan 11, 2016)

Welcome to The Forum. I would say like the above post, go with the 8 mm steel and cut the Bands a little bit long. Being closer to the Target and having the band's long which means they'll have less power will get you comfortable with shooting. Getting hit by 8 millimeter steel even at full power is not going to be the end of the world, it will definitely help you focus. I've hit my hand with much bigger steel and it is not going to break a bone or anything too terrible except hurt like hell. Clay is also fine, you just want to make sure to not have too much power behind it because it definitely goes off course with too much power. Clay is half the weight of 8 mm Steel and it does not like to be overpowered since it is not a perfect sphere. 
I think you may be overthinking this a bit, just use light bands and your 8 mm still and you will see very quickly what you start to get the hang of it.

Have fun and don't be afraid of making mistakes, I just had a fork it a week ago and I've been shooting for years... It happens to all of us at times.

Vince


----------



## skarrd (Jul 20, 2011)

3/8s clay shoots about the same [weight wise] as 5/16s-8mm-so i would think the bands coming with the sling would be good,


----------



## orion25 (Nov 10, 2021)

I agree with Vince, you don't need a lot of speed to learn to shoot. Be careful not to compensate for the release of the ammunition by moving the arm that holds the slingshot to avoid fork strikes, keep the arm firm and you will be fine. Take the time to watch the videos to learn the basics of shooting. Have fun..


----------



## Biker_Bob (Mar 26, 2020)

I would go with clay. The bands you have a little heavy for clay but they'll work just fine to get you up and running.
The other thing to consider is apart from hurting less if you hit your hand, a clay ball won't damage the forks if it hits.
Also no ricochets.
I would avoid rubber at all costs - it'll just come back to you


----------



## Sandstorm (Apr 5, 2021)

I agree with what everyone has said above. I have the rubber training ammo from Simpleshot and while it won’t hurt your hand or fork, it does bounce like crazy and they’re easy to lose. Of course, no matter what you use, always be sure to wear eye protection. Always important but even more so when you’re starting out. Have fun and welcome to the forum!


----------



## Ogon (Jan 5, 2022)

vince4242 said:


> Welcome to The Forum. I would say like the above post, go with the 8 mm steel and cut the Bands a little bit long. Being closer to the Target and having the band's long which means they'll have less power will get you comfortable with shooting. Getting hit by 8 millimeter steel even at full power is not going to be the end of the world, it will definitely help you focus. I've hit my hand with much bigger steel and it is not going to break a bone or anything too terrible except hurt like hell. Clay is also fine, you just want to make sure to not have too much power behind it because it definitely goes off course with too much power. Clay is half the weight of 8 mm Steel and it does not like to be overpowered since it is not a perfect sphere.
> I think you may be overthinking this a bit, just use light bands and your 8 mm still and you will see very quickly what you start to get the hang of it.
> 
> Have fun and don't be afraid of making mistakes, I just had a fork it a week ago and I've been shooting for years... It happens to all of us at times.
> ...


Thanks for all the tips everyone. Vince - when you say to leave the bands long, how long is long exactly?


----------



## vince4242 (Jan 11, 2016)

When I say "long" I am talking about a longer stretch percentage. I was very ill for several months last year I was unable to pull back bands that were more than 5 lb of draw weight?? It was a tough several months for me but I was still able to shoot because I changed the percentage of stretch on the band. I took it down to a 400% stretch. My Anchor Point puts my bands at full stretch at 32 in from slingshot to cheek bone. If you divide 32 by 4 you going to get 8in that is a 400% or x4 stretch rate. When I started to feel a little stronger I knocked a half an inch off those bands and they became heavier to pull back and much faster for the ammo I was shooting. 

The generic General stretch ratio is usually around 500% for most shooters. It all depends on the types of bands you have, the taper, the thickness of band, and the ammo you are shooting. But if you get a set of bands with your new slingshot that are 10 inches long which is usually about what they send them at you want to cut them down to be the right stretch for you. I say start off at a x3.5 or x4 stretch and then move a little closer to your target 5m to 7m to start and as you get better and more confident you can adjust that to a stronger set of bands (shorten) and move further away from your target.
I know someone could probably say this much better than I just did but I hope it helps. Once I lightened up my band set and move closer to my target when I first was starting my accuracy confidence and skill level increased very fast. 

It's all about having fun and figuring out what you want to do with a slingshot and enjoying the process to get there.


----------



## Ogon (Jan 5, 2022)

vince4242 said:


> When I say "long" I am talking about a longer stretch percentage. I was very ill for several months last year I was unable to pull back bands that were more than 5 lb of draw weight?? It was a tough several months for me but I was still able to shoot because I changed the percentage of stretch on the band. I took it down to a 400% stretch. My Anchor Point puts my bands at full stretch at 32 in from slingshot to cheek bone. If you divide 32 by 4 you going to get 8in that is a 400% or x4 stretch rate. When I started to feel a little stronger I knocked a half an inch off those bands and they became heavier to pull back and much faster for the ammo I was shooting.
> 
> The generic General stretch ratio is usually around 500% for most shooters. It all depends on the types of bands you have, the taper, the thickness of band, and the ammo you are shooting. But if you get a set of bands with your new slingshot that are 10 inches long which is usually about what they send them at you want to cut them down to be the right stretch for you. I say start off at a x3.5 or x4 stretch and then move a little closer to your target 5m to 7m to start and as you get better and more confident you can adjust that to a stronger set of bands (shorten) and move further away from your target.
> I know someone could probably say this much better than I just did but I hope it helps. Once I lightened up my band set and move closer to my target when I first was starting my accuracy confidence and skill level increased very fast.
> ...


Awesome thanks Vince. I have heard about increased danger of RTS if your bands are too weak for your ammo. I hope that having a slightly lower stretch ratio wouldn't cause the same.


----------



## vince4242 (Jan 11, 2016)

From my experience return to sender does not happen from light bands. Like I said last year I was running band sets with less than 5 lb of draw weight so that I could continue to shoot and hold it steady. The only time I've ever had a return to sender is when I was trying to shoot pickle fork or a stick shot. And in those both of those cases the bands were definitely overpowered for my lack of skill with that new technique. Return to sender is caused when the ammo gets caught in the pouch and then the pouch brings it back and releases it in your direction. Never heard or experienced return to sender with a light band set. But I'm sure if it's out there someone will correct me and let you know how it could happen that way, just not from my experience of tens of thousands of shots.

Cheers mate!


----------

