# Butterfly style safety concerns



## Rockstar (Apr 9, 2021)

A full butterfly draw looks beautiful and I really want to learn to shoot with this style but I have some concerns. I gladly accept some degree of risk with anything I do, but I've got a messed up shoulder that limits most of my hobbies. I am right handed but left eye dominant and hold the slingshot in my right hand (same side as my messed up shoulder).

1) chances of shooting myself in the face/taking my eye out?

2) if the band snapped, would my left shoulder be jerked backwards/would the reaction of the band snapping potentially jolt my left shoulder out of socket? (I'm worried about the left shoulder too). Seems like i would be applying effort that could be suddenly released, causing my arm to pull backwards beyond its usual range of motion.

I guess those are my two concerns


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## vince4242 (Jan 11, 2016)

Hi rockstar, I do not shoot butterfly I am a short draw shooter. But with your health concerns I would suggest going very light on the band set and making your ammo smaller to match it. Sounds like you're not hunting so there's no need for anything bigger than 8 mm steel, and I would suggest quarter inch steel. With quarter inch steel you should be able to make a super light band set that is wicked fast and any mishaps will give up light projectile and a light set of bands to hit you in the face.

I am sure those butterfly shoes out there will have their own advice but maybe this will help you think.. go light and fast.

Cheers


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## KawKan (May 11, 2013)

I suspect the "Look" of shooting butterfly entices a lot of shooters to give it a try.

And that is one good reason.

But a reason many stick with it is the potential for lower draw weight. If you move from a 30 inch draw to a 60 inch draw, you could achieve the same performance with bands half as wide. You could move from 1-inch straight cuts, to 1/2-inch straight cut, get the same ammo speed with half the draw weight.

That should be a factor for your second question. You can have less tension with butterfly.

As to the first question, lots of butterfly shooters have hit their faces. It deters some people, but not everyone. Most of the hits, from my experience and talking to others, are approximately wear you anchor: usually high on the cheekbone. My rule for avoiding future blood-letting is to NEVER adjust my grip when the bands are under tension and behind my head. I also use the tiniest bit of pfs-style pouch tweak.

Good luck!


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## Island made (Aug 14, 2019)

What Ray (Kawkan) said! And yes, I’ve blooded myself a time or 3 but always with cold snowy hands and not paying attention. I also do a little pouch tweak as well....never a bad idea to send the ball around your face a touch


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## Harry Knuckles (Sep 28, 2020)

I agree with the above statements. I shoot with a 90ish degree twist and a slight tweak, much like you would shoot PFS, to get it around my face. I've hit my face a few times but only before I started using the twist and tweak. Haven't had another face hit or fork hit since incorporating the twist and tweak. I started out about 1/4 butterfly, my ammo hand would be just past my ear. I slowly worked up to fullish butterfly with longer and longer band sets.

Kawkan is right, the speed you get out of light bands shooting butterfly is pretty impressive and doesn't work the arms too much. My favorite setup is 12.5" ABL, .5 SSB, 3/4-5/8 taper, shooting 3/8" steel.


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## Ibojoe (Mar 13, 2016)

Yep, the sore cheek seems like a right of passage but once hit, you'll make sure not to forget the tweek. 
Start with 14" of thin elastic cut narrow, super lightweight. Twist and tweek and you'll be fine. 
Once you feel the power of butterfly it's hard to go back to short bands. 
As for the jerk on your shoulder, check your bands often. Remember that you're pulling half the draw weight.


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## SJAaz (Apr 30, 2019)

answer to #1 tis only a scratch, and you'll live. Just be careful of where your pouch hand is at all times. I once managed to smack my earlobe once. Unpleasant but pretty funny to those watching.

answer to #2 naw no danger of that. If your shoulders are so gimpy that a couple of rubber bands would pull them out, you probably should take up another hobby.

Not trying to be mean, but all this worry is useless. Listen to KawKan, he knows where of he speaks.


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## Rockstar (Apr 9, 2021)

My arms are so gimpy I could probably use them as bands in the most frameless of slingshots. I think if the draw is about half what I would do in a short draw I should be able to manage it, stability wise. I've been wrong many times before, but it might actually be good for building up shoulder stability (normal use, not a band break). I'm definitely going to start super light and work up from there, not looking to go hunting for the foreseeable future anyway (though I'm a bit interested in heavier ammo)

Have there been any reported eye injuries from butterfly shooting, or is it mostly the cheek? And would safety glasses in this case cause more harm than good? (I'm picturing a ball getting snagged behind the lens and hitting the eye that way, or the glasses taking out an eye on their way downrange)


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## Harry Knuckles (Sep 28, 2020)

I wear safety glasses while shooting everything and they don't get in the way. If you were to hit them they would just fly off your face away from you.

I wear the glasses because I made a really dumb mistake of pulling an old frameless setup off my desk to take a few shots. The tubes broke down by my frame hand, which sent the loose end snapping into my aiming eye that was directly down the line. This left me with blurry vision in my dominant eye for about 2 days. If the blurry vision had lasted another day I would've gone to the doctor but luckily it cleared up. Now I don't risk it and just wear the glasses.

These are like the glasses I use.https://www.amazon.com/BK310AF-Polycarbonate-Anti-Fog-Safety-Non-Slip/dp/B009A658JS/ref=sr_1_15?crid=4LYA832B0CU6&dchild=1&keywords=safety+glasses&qid=1619138643&sprefix=safe%2Caps%2C219&sr=8-15The narrowing cut of the lenses to make room for your cheeks (see red circled area below) allow you to push them up close to your face and stay out of the way of my bands while shooting butterfly.


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## spork (Jun 22, 2019)

They also make them for fitting over your prescription lenses and are usually labeled OTG in the description. I often use mine with a strap to keep them snug and reduce gaps. Not sure how well they would work with a high anchor or butterfly. With the ammo coming from behind you don't want anywhere it can sneak in and bounce off the inside of your glasses. Goggles with a good seal are really the best if you can keep them from fogging for protection from all angles but again they might interfere.

I use a mouth anchor for any frame or distance which means I have to estimate the point of impact for elevation but it keeps the bands from conflicting with my face and glasses.


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## ukj (Jan 10, 2021)

With less than a week into F B draw and having
drawn blood a few days back, wifes ski mask
idea is working well.
Glasses always when shooting S shots for me, no exceptions, love my eyes to much.
Slight head tilt to place dominant eye over bands giving just enough cheek spacing at least for my ergonomics.
Need to buy thinner ski mask as summer comming. Sure when correct muscle
Memory is programmed mask gone.
Maybe watch "bones" utube vids the slo mo one
is great!
ukj


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