# Slingbow Illegal Or Not



## jordanrussell123 (Jun 5, 2011)

i was thinking about the laws surrounding bows its illegal to hunt with a bow but legal to hunt with a slingshot (in the uk) so my question is is it legal to hunt with a sling bow as it not a bow it just fires a arrow and there are ways around that like fireing a fire hardend stick	what do you all think about this


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## Hrawk (Oct 25, 2010)

I find it funny that our laws in Australia are sometimes so different from the continent we inherit most of our laws from.

Here it is perfectly legal to hunt with a bow (feral game only, but that includes rabbits), yet a slingshot is a prohibited schedule 1 weapon. Not mentioning that a 4 year old could legally purchase an 80lb compound bow or 200lb speergun no questions asked.

If you were to get caught with a sling bow here, it would be treated the same as having a crossbow, which carries a harsher penalty than being caught with a silenced, fully automatic, 28,500 round capacity .45 pistol. True story.


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## bullseyeben! (Apr 24, 2011)

True it is sadly... I lived with my best mate of 12 years in a batch pad we rented.. great times...beer, parties, beer and more beer you get the idea... sadly my mate took his life, while I shared a premises with him... months later I moved to a new home just a few streets down with the missus... IN The early stages of moving into my new place, still grieving the loss of me best mate, the police entered my home regarding apparently loud music, to find many boxes...dah I'd just move in..many boxes were the belongings of my friend... 1 box had a hand made "pistol crossbow" according to the cops, that wasn't mine but I was in position of because my friend was dead.. this wasn't no joerg sprave, it was a pathetic lil thing that shot a wooden tooth pick about 30ft... but I got charged with illegal poss, and cost me thousands in legal fees... at a very sad time...


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## slingshot_sniper (Feb 20, 2011)

you cannot use arrows to hunt in the UK period...feel free to test the waters though


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## bullseyeben! (Apr 24, 2011)

I will add no thera band, tubes or any hard draw rubber was used just one bloody rubber band, the red ones... but "because it can be discharged using 1 hand its illegal".... f##kn joke if you ask me....


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## Hrawk (Oct 25, 2010)

I feel your pain man, I honestly do.

Let me know if you're ever heading north and I'll let you know next time I head south, the beer's on me.


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## slingshot_sniper (Feb 20, 2011)

bullseyeben! said:


> I will add no thera band, tubes or any hard draw rubber was used just one bloody rubber band, the red ones... but "because it can be discharged using 1 hand its illegal".... f##kn joke if you ask me....


It is a sad

here you can own and use such things on private land or at home but just not for hunting

[edit] Note arrows used in hunting even on private land is a no go


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## bullseyeben! (Apr 24, 2011)

Hrawk said:


> I feel your pain man, I honestly do.
> 
> Let me know if you're ever heading north and I'll let you know next time I head south, the beer's on me.


Cheers bloke your on... yea too many chefs spoil the broth, too many in qualified politicians spoil a country..


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## ebooks886 (May 27, 2011)

My understanding is that this would definitely be illegal, as slingshot says you cannot legally hunt with arrows and a slingbow because of its design would probalby be classed as a crossbow - the definition of crossbow does not include the mechanism for propelling the projectile, so it does not matter if it is a bent prod that produces the energy or a length of rubber. Therefore I believe even if you used balls with it then it would still be illegal in the UK. Strange as a slingbow produces far more energy than a standard catapult and with potentially greater accuracy and would be capable of a cleaner 'kill'.


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## slingshot_sniper (Feb 20, 2011)

ebbooks the only problem I see from your post is: the slingbow along with slingshots would be used on private land only, hunting anywhere else could land you in big trouble,however arrows used anywhere for hunting are illegal..private land or other.

Using ball ammo on private land is ok no matter the band force power...fact if you could draw it,a 300lb slingbow shooting lead balls on private land would be legit.

[edit] start shooting it in public like any weapon and well...I picture a lonely night behind a steel door


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## ebooks886 (May 27, 2011)

You could well be right, I'll re-read what I found on crossbows - to me the legislation was based around the construction of the weapon rather than the method of propulsion or the projectile used. I took it to mean that the crossbows you can buy that fire ball bearings would still be illegal to hunt with even on private land as the legislation stated that hunting with bows or crossbows is illegal in the UK. Your explanation that it is more about projectile (arrows as opposed to balls) makes more sense, especially from a common sense standpoint!!
Having said that it's not one that I would personally want to try out, having been legally trained 'grey' areas in the law such as this could take a long time to sort out and prove very costly if you are caught and the powers that be decide to push for a court decision on the law interpretation!!


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## slingshot_sniper (Feb 20, 2011)

Oh I completely agree laws are one thing,getting through the hoopla another.

Best to tread carefully would be my advice based on that


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## mckee (Oct 28, 2010)

I would not mind hunting with a bow if we could but not a catty


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## SuwaneeRick (Apr 4, 2011)

slingshot_sniper said:


> you cannot use arrows to hunt in the UK period...feel free to test the waters though


Boy! That Sheriff of Nottingham really holds a grudge!


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## bj000 (Jul 21, 2011)

move to canada


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## whipcrackdeadbunny (May 22, 2010)

I believe the laws on the slingbow, have not yet been written (though I could imagine a law on the length of one being introduced); and that you are allowed to hunt on public land with a catapult, but not within 50ft of a domicile. And there are laws about vandalism, the torturing of animals and the endangerment of the public. And maybe littering (with certain ammo types), but I don't know if that's been raised in court.


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## whipcrackdeadbunny (May 22, 2010)

whipcrackdeadbunny said:


> I believe the laws on the slingbow, have not yet been written (though I could imagine a law on the length of one being introduced); and that you are allowed to hunt on public land with a catapult, but not within 50ft of a domicile. And there are laws about vandalism, the torturing of animals and the endangerment of the public. And maybe littering (with certain ammo types), but I don't know if that's been raised in court.


Sorry, I was talking about the sling-X-bow.

Arrow hunting is not allowed, full stop.


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## slingshot_sniper (Feb 20, 2011)

Here's a free tip for UK guys,airguns are illegal beyond private land boundaries....that's all


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