# Modern vs. Traditional



## Leo (May 17, 2017)

Is there any merit to modern slingshots vs. the more traditional which most users seem to prefer on this site? By modern slingshots, I'm referring to SS with multiple tubes, arm braces, etc. Or are these newer innovations, just gimmickry? In archery for example, the compound bow has remarkable advantages to a traditional bow and though I completely understand that many have a personal preference for the traditional, I'm just trying to get a better understanding of what features appear to have technical merit, over what are traditional preferences in the SS realm. :question:


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## SlingNerd (Mar 15, 2017)

I get where you're coming from brother but at the end of the day in Sling Shot Land the right answer is "Whatever floats your boat"


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## brucered (Dec 30, 2015)

Traditional, but with modern advancements. Modern frame slingshot have great improvements in band attachment, strength, materials and feel.

Also, there is something to be said for keepin the old ways around. It is why I cook over wood/charcoal, use pedal power to commute, paddle on the water, spin vinyl to listen to music, start my campfires with a flint/steel, shave with a razor that is over 60y old and use a brush and puck of soap....you get the idea.

Sometimes the old ways are superior AND more fun. It goes for Slingshots and all my other interests listed above.


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## mattwalt (Jan 5, 2017)

There was a post by an Australian a few months ago that breached this topic. He had bought a spring-assisted wrist-brace slingshot - think he went on to build a sling rifle gun thing (he disappeared just after starting that build).

I think the basic answer to your question is yes... The differences between a compound bow over recurve proof this. Wrist-vbraced slingshot over a thumb brace....

I think its down to fun factor, simplicity and portability. The more complex, the bigger the less fun - think thats the tradeoff triangle... Also a slingshot has an effective practical range - 'gimmick' or rather developments I don't think would change this all too much. Guys are able to hit match heads at 10m - so accuracy of traditional setups is phenomenal.

Also t seems like what Brudered suggests we are currently in a period where slower, simpler and more traditional is preferred. But at the end of the day its what is fun for you - what keeps you enjoying what you're doing. If fiddling with the engineering of complex compound frames is your thing - then let us see those experiments, and conclusions.

Think the biggest developments that would make significant benefits would be rubber and accuracy of (consistent) materials - light grippy tough pouches...


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## Tremoside (Jul 17, 2013)

Leo said:


> Is there any merit to modern slingshots vs. the more traditional which most users seem to prefer on this site? By modern slingshots, I'm referring to SS with multiple tubes, arm braces, etc. Or are these newer innovations, just gimmickry? In archery for example, the compound bow has remarkable advantages to a traditional bow and though I completely understand that many have a personal preference for the traditional, I'm just trying to get a better understanding of what features appear to have technical merit, over what are traditional preferences in the SS realm. :question:


We are using modern slingshots here. From carbon to 3D printed to armbraced, tapered, etc.

Why use multiple tubes or rely heavily on armbraces if I can get the same result (for target shooting and with strong wrists) with a pocketable slingshot?


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## Leo (May 17, 2017)

I hear ya all...I'm a bit of a bicycle advocate, been a long time paddler and even use a manual coffee grinder. Just love keeping things manually propelled were possible and will see where I'm led with the basic simplicity of slingshots.


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## romanljc (May 26, 2014)

This question is complex to answer but I will try I have done archery all my life that's 40 plus years slingshots little different then recurve compound comparison.
Since you can put any band on any frame and make as powerful as you want .
And there is no let off on a modern slingshot you hold what you hold no matter what frame you use .
A wrist brace can make you shoot more steady if you are new shooter and some sort of sighting system can make you little more accurate .
Now here is the trade of bulk I big reason why people like slingshots is that the are pocketable . And the bells and whistles don't really do enough in my book to bother with them .
You don't get the same benefits in power and accuracy from any of that like you do by using a modern compound bow vers a recurve .


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## K2MAN (Apr 29, 2017)

If you're shooting at targets, sure you can use single light bands and a tree fork will work for a frame. If you're going to hunt with it, and need penetration power like I do shooting thick skinned hard to kill with a pellet rifle iguanas, you will need a lot more power than single bands can deliver. I haven't tried a wrist brace, but it seems like that will add stability which would increase my accuracy. Of course practice, and shooting butterfly rather than anchor on your face will give more power and accuracy too. The important element in all this is fun! If you like to tinker and experiment, this is a great hobby. And it's less expensive than archery or reloading rifle/pistol rounds.

Sent from my SM-T670 using Tapatalk


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## mattwalt (Jan 5, 2017)

K2MAN said:


> If you're shooting at targets, sure you can use single light bands and a tree fork will work for a frame. If you're going to hunt with it, and need penetration power like I do shooting thick skinned hard to kill with a pellet rifle iguanas, you will need a lot more power than single bands can deliver. I haven't tried a wrist brace, but it seems like that will add stability which would increase my accuracy. Of course practice, and shooting butterfly rather than anchor on your face will give more power and accuracy too. The important element in all this is fun! If you like to tinker and experiment, this is a great hobby. And it's less expensive than archery or reloading rifle/pistol rounds.
> 
> Sent from my SM-T670 using Tapatalk


Draw length = velocity gain = more energy. Shoot with an extended fork style slingshot (Starship etc.) Often they have a brace to help support the length.


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## Leo (May 17, 2017)

K2MAN said:


> If you're shooting at targets, sure you can use single light bands and a tree fork will work for a frame. If you're going to hunt with it, and need penetration power like I do shooting thick skinned hard to kill with a pellet rifle iguanas, you will need a lot more power than single bands can deliver. I haven't tried a wrist brace, but it seems like that will add stability which would increase my accuracy. Of course practice, and shooting butterfly rather than anchor on your face will give more power and accuracy too. The important element in all this is fun! If you like to tinker and experiment, this is a great hobby. And it's less expensive than archery or reloading rifle/pistol rounds.
> 
> Sent from my SM-T670 using Tapatalk


Thanks, but what do you mean by "shooting butterfly rather than anchor on your face will give more power and accuracy too"?


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## mattwalt (Jan 5, 2017)

Anchor on face = archery style draw. Basically butterfly would be a much longer draw... this allows for more energy to be passed to the projectile, so more power... Not so sure its necessarily more accurate though...


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## K2MAN (Apr 29, 2017)

Yep. Butterfly is where both your arms are stretched out as far as you can while still holding the frame and the pouch correctly. I haven't shot enough this way to get to where I'm shooting accurately every shot. I'm amazed though that a lot of my shots are pretty good for as short of time I've been shooting.

Sent from my SM-T670 using Tapatalk


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## Tremoside (Jul 17, 2013)

mattwalt said:


> Anchor on face = archery style draw. Basically butterfly would be a much longer draw... this allows for more energy to be passed to the projectile, so more power... Not so sure its necessarily more accurate though...


Agree. For a normal draw weight it may be pretty accurate, but it can be tiresome and over time accuracy may drop if there is too much strain on pouch hand. However it's an amazing way to shoot.


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