# I'm Ready To Quit.



## muddog15 (Aug 15, 2012)

Pictures say it all, after I dunno 200 or 300 hundred rounds, buying a better slingshot and a target that I don't have to reset and what I think the right ammo is this has happened 4 or 5 times I think, and it hurts. I thought I had the triangle set, I thought I was not pointing the forks out toward the target. I don't have a lot of money invested but it is enough to piss me off. I never hit my hand with the cheap marksman or trumark slingshots. But I couldn't hit a target regularly with those. I'm doing it now with a lot better slingshot. The target can be use for the gun range, so it won't be wasted money. I think I'll stick with my blow gun and bow for target practice and hunting. They just are not as small and light as a slingshot. I wonder if with a different slingshot and a grip like a hammer grip would be a better idea? I have a natural I made, maybe I will put some bands on it and try it with a hammer grip.


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## Dayhiker (Mar 13, 2010)

Dude, that won't happen if you use a hammer grip. Don't give up yet.


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## capnjoe (Jun 3, 2012)

Sorry, man... Was it a pfs? It' looks like a familiar wound.


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## Quercusuber (Nov 10, 2011)

Hammer or finger brace, bands at 90º (right angle with frame of the Ss) and, very important, twist the pouch (the pouch must be transversal in relation to the horizontal frame of the Ss). Also grab the ammo and never close the pouch. This is only my humble experience, nothing more...







Cheers!!!


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## Winnie (Nov 10, 2010)

I hear shooters talk about pointing/tipping your fork towards the target. I've never done anything other than squaring the bands to the ss and then letting instinct take over. I shoot steel and lead so it might not apply to rocks but my widest ss is 2 inches across and my everyday shooter is 1.5 inches and I never shoot hammer grip so I'm pretty close to the action. I've never hit myself like that. I'm not a fork tipper but it seems as though that might contribute.
Square it up and don't look at the leaf. Look at a spot on the leaf.


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## kobe23 (Jun 28, 2010)

Kid's play. I've got dozens 'tattoos' of misfires and still shooting


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## wombat (Jun 10, 2011)

I've never actually hit myself like that, but I've had a couple of fork crotch hits when I first started shooting. I finally realized that the ammo was off centre of the pouch. just one more thing to think of.


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## DaveSteve (May 16, 2012)

This looks mad mate. Sorry about it. I had some fork hits before but never hit my hand. It's scary to think about what CAN happen. I surely don't wanna find out.
I don't know what you did wrong but don't give up.
People get hurt in any sport and they continue. You'll have fun again.


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## Jim Williams (Jul 6, 2011)

I would definitely look into trying a hammer grip shooter, don't let an injury have the better of you!


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## JetBlack (Mar 9, 2012)

I've had three of those, are you flipping? Twisting the pouch, what angle are you holding it? Try not pointng the forks and looking in a mirror to make sure your aligned.don't give up,I do suggest buying a thin leather glove and hot glueing three layers of leather over the webbing area and some by the thumb, this has saved me countless times,I will upload pics of my shooting glove soon,a falcon could land on my hand and I would not feel it...


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## muddog15 (Aug 15, 2012)

JetBlack said:


> I've had three of those, are you flipping? Twisting the pouch, what angle are you holding it? Try not pointng the forks and looking in a mirror to make sure your aligned.don't give up,I do suggest buying a thin leather glove and hot glueing three layers of leather over the webbing area and some by the thumb, this has saved me countless times,I will upload pics of my shooting glove soon,a falcon could land on my hand and I would not feel it...


Hey, no im not flipping, im holding forks horizontal, and im not pointing the forks. Everytime ive done this it looked like i had a good 90 and the triangle was set correctly. Im shooting a hathcock PP, i have been pulling the bands back full and keeping the pouch horizontal with the same angle of the forks. im thinking about a heavy work glove and i have some heavy cow hide i could add to that area of my hand. i was thinking i could cut the fingers out of the glove so i could "feel" the slingshot, it would make it easier to adjust i think. i really like this hobby, so im listening to everybody and will try any advise. thanks.


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## muddog15 (Aug 15, 2012)

Heres a question, and something i havent mentioned, i try to get the ball centered in the pouch sometimes i think it slips before i release it. could that be part of the problem? what about putting a hole in the center of the pouch smaller than the ball im shooting but big enough to hold the ball better in the pouch? im shooting 7/16 and 1/2 inch steel. this didnt happen when i was shooting 3/8 inch. but from what i understand from what ive read in other threads the 3/8 inch are not a good choice for hunting, i want to practice with something im going to use when i get good enough. come to think of it i was shooting the 1/2 in ammo when this happened, could the ammo be that different in performance? the last time this happened i was trying to shoot a big hex nut.


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## treefork (Feb 1, 2010)

Wow.I understand why you feel this way Take a rest and let your hand and spirit recover. Its not good to make a final decision right now.One detail in form will reveal itself.


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## inkspot (Dec 27, 2011)

Don't quit now, if you do you have payed a price for nothing and the tool has mastered you,if you holded your ground,breath ,relaxe,heal,study,listen to what the people in ths forum say to you,you will move forward you will master the tool.It's a adventure, a jourrney ,learning curve,whatever you would like to call it,but it is one step at a time.Best regards and be well Sir, and am looking forward to the day you post that you have been showing off your badge of honor to your frinds. Inkspot


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## Jakerock (Mar 8, 2012)

Heck if you have "had it" go ahead and quit.
Slingshots are not for everyone!


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## Pro-Shot (UK) Catapults (Apr 21, 2010)

Take your time dont rush into making your mind up to call it a day with slingshot just yet try going back to the basics and start again
find out why you like them in the first place


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## Henry the Hermit (Jun 2, 2010)

muddog15 said:


> Heres a question, and something i havent mentioned, i try to get the ball centered in the pouch sometimes i think it slips before i release it. could that be part of the problem? what about putting a hole in the center of the pouch smaller than the ball im shooting but big enough to hold the ball better in the pouch? im shooting 7/16 and 1/2 inch steel. this didnt happen when i was shooting 3/8 inch. but from what i understand from what ive read in other threads the 3/8 inch are not a good choice for hunting, i want to practice with something im going to use when i get good enough. come to think of it i was shooting the 1/2 in ammo when this happened, could the ammo be that different in performance? the last time this happened i was trying to shoot a big hex nut.


I think you may have hit on it. Almost every fork hit I've ever experienced and my one web hit were with big ammo. I'd hazard a guess that the ammo is too heavy for the band set. Try adding a little more rubber. A center hole pouch is a also good idea.


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## treefork (Feb 1, 2010)

Don't use hex nuts!!! If you don't seat them right. Wack. Make sure your bands are attached evenly and you you hold it with out canting the forks. By cant I mean one fork being closer to your face than the other. As mentioned draw while viewing in a mirror. Its easy to allow the hathcock to cant if your not aware. Practice drawing and holding without even shooting.Protect that area of your hand till you get your confidence back. Lets us know the outcome.


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## capnjoe (Jun 3, 2012)

treefork said:


> Don't use hex nuts!!! If you don't seat them right. Wack. Make sure your bands are attached evenly and you you hold it with out canting the forks. By cant I mean one fork being closer to your face than the other. As mentioned draw while viewing in a mirror. Its easy to allow the hathcock to cant if your not aware. Practice drawing and holding without even shooting.Protect that area of your hand till you get your confidence back. Lets us know the outcome.


Do that ^. A mirror in this case will be your friend. Both forks must be vertically aligned.


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## Tex-Shooter (Dec 17, 2009)

You mentioned that you had a Trumark with no hits. Is it a S9? if so you can put flats on it like this and get better accuracy and be safe untill you become a old hand at shooting. -- Tex -- Oh I forgot to say point the tips away from you.


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## BCLuxor (Aug 24, 2010)

Don't quit yet just get yourself a tough BMX riding glove flexible but padded keep your mit safe and enjoy our sport!


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## AJW (Apr 24, 2011)

I'm not qualified to make any suggestions as to what you should do, but I can tell you what I would do.

My goal would be to put the fun back into shooting and try to quit hurting myself. In an attempt to kill 2 birds with about 4 rocks, I would put the heavy game gear away for awhile and go back to shooting pigeons and messing up targets with light but fast gear.

Matching 3/8 lead with bands or tubes can give you an easy to control, light draw weight to get your form back. You can enjoy shooting again while rupturing beer cans and lighting matches without punching yourself in the hand.

Several people have excellent information on matching band and ammo. Henry from Panama has lots of information posted, I mention Henry because I still owe him money.

That's all of it. Quitting isn't a viable option.


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## Henry the Hermit (Jun 2, 2010)

AJW said:


> Several people have excellent information on matching band and ammo. Henry from Panama has lots of information posted, *I mention Henry because I still owe him money*.


So *that's* why I can't find you.


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## pop shot (Sep 29, 2011)

Swallow your pride and shoot lighter bands until your form is right


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## lightgeoduck (Apr 3, 2011)

Just want to make one additional point to the above mentioned mirror comments... Record yourself shooting with the cam pointed at you from the side, then review it later to get a better perspective of what you are doing.

Hang in there, everyone needs to earn there bloodwings eventually









LGD


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## Quercusuber (Nov 10, 2011)

wombat said:


> I've never actually hit myself like that, but I've had a couple of fork crotch hits when I first started shooting. I finally realized that the ammo was off centre of the pouch. just one more thing to think of.


Hence my center hole in the pouch...always!!


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## GrayWolf (May 14, 2012)

lightgeoduck said:


> Hang in there, everyone needs to earn there bloodwings eventually
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Really?!? Again with the wings???









LGD is right about video taping...it gives a good view of what you are doing right and wrong. If you are not sure, post it here and get some feedback from some of the members. They may see something that could be a very easy fix.

Todd


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## flipgun (Nov 14, 2012)

PouchOuch from SlingBite. If you ain't got yours yet? You will.


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## mopper (Nov 17, 2012)

Quercusuber said:


> I've never actually hit myself like that, but I've had a couple of fork crotch hits when I first started shooting. I finally realized that the ammo was off centre of the pouch. just one more thing to think of.


Hence my center hole in the pouch...always!!
[/quote]

This. ^ ^ ^

I have never shot a slingshot without a hole in the pouch and am certainly not going to. Everytime I have ever had a fork hit it was because I had positioned the ball sloppily in the pouch. I always hold my slingshot horizontally/target styly so I can aim with the top band, this way the pouch is "naturally" twisted. Makes it really easy to see if you slingshot is at right angles in a mirror, too. Plus, I shoot hammergrip style whenever possible.


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## ruthiexxxx (Sep 15, 2012)

You have my entire sympathy. After the second nasty hit on my hand ( a huge steel washer!) I moved over to hammer grip and built in loads of protection (see the 'cutlass type' wrist and hand shield on one in my profile pics). Every time I tried to shoot a pfs ganster style I would get a few brilliant can hits...closely followed by a fork hit or worse that caused damage either to me or the apartment (I shoot indoors).


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## muddog15 (Aug 15, 2012)

Thanks to everyone very one who has responded with advise, I haven't quit because of all of the encouragement from you guys. I have put a thick leather patch on a leather work glove with some glue. I have only hit my hand one time since this post, I had the glove on so I barly felt it. I have decided to stick with . 44 Cal 7/16" ammo this doesn't seem to have the problems that I was having with larger ammo and from what I have learned its a good size & weight to choose. The 3/8" just seemed to be to small & light weight. I might try 1/2" later. When I hit my hand last I was trying a new for me, pull & release I saw on a you tube video by Mr. Hayes. Hold & pulling in front of a mirror has help a lot, I can see how I hit my hand doing that. I am even making a slingshot out of a piece of wood flooring I have, it's a piece of Jasper I think. I have a few pieces of wood flooring in different kinds of wood, I might try to make some different designs. Thanks, everybody.


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## mopper (Nov 17, 2012)

have you put a hole in the pouch yet? If you dont have a leather punch you can do it with a drill like me.

I mark the center of the hole I want to drill through the pouch with a pen,

then I drill a hole in the desired diameter through a narrow, thin (1/2 inch maybe or less) bit of hard wood near a corner or the edge,

then I place the pouch on a thicker piece of scrap wood,

place the wood with the hole in the desired position on the pouch using the pen mark, secure it tightly with a screw clamp and ...

drill the hole. Works as cleanly as my hole punches ever did.


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## muddog15 (Aug 15, 2012)

The hole punch I had was way to small but I went ahead and put the hole in the pouch, I'm twisting the pouch at full butterfly pull, and I put a lead . 44 caliber ball tied in the pouch and soaked it in water for a few hours then let it dry completely with the ball in it so that also helped. I'm not sure about how big the hole should be but there's a small one in the pouch. The hole is only 1/8" I could make it bigger with a drill bit, I didn't think of using a drill bit.


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## mopper (Nov 17, 2012)

I have a Moorhammer like slingshot which I shoot with 12mm steelballs and it came with an 8mm hole in the pouch, that fits pretty well. I shoot 16mm marbles with apouch with a 9mm hole, the leather is very soft though.

.44 is ca 1,11cm, so I would not use anything making a hole smaller than around 7mm, that is more than a quarter inch.


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