# Best elastic for punching holes through cans ?



## halbart

Ive got interested in catapults again, after a bit of a gap [ about 60 years or so ! ]. I had no idea what a world of stuff is out there. My targets are often cans [soup, dogfood, etc ] and try though I will, I still haven't managed to shoot through them with my preferred 9.5mm steel ammo except at point blank range.

I'd be grateful if anyone can tell me which elastic [ preferably available in the U.K. ] is good for 'can puncturing' with 9.5 steel. I take a longish draw but not as long as butterfly. Thanks


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## Charles

To puncture steel cans, you need high speed. To get high speed, try thinner, tapered bands. Theraband black would be a good choice. BUT, the bands will not last that long. The following video might help.






Cheers ........ Charles


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## treefork

Thera Band Gold


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## footloose

Hi Halbart,

Thereband Gold is good. Imagine this though. Every band material has a maximum speed to which it will reform from stretch. This means that a double Thereband (say) will overcome the internal friction and assume its normal relaxed state only hindered by the mass of the object being thrown. A 3mm SS ball will therefore be little quicker that a 5mm SS ball, neither of which will harness the full power of the band. With this concept in mind, you need to select a mass that will harness the power of the band without serious detriment to the speed.

I use 9mm SS for 'throwaway' shots. If I'm collecting, then .44 or .55 cal lead have seriously destructive power and penetration. The .44 is slightly faster as you can imagine, but both harness the full power of these bands without seriously slowing the band in its recovery process.

Footloose


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## halbart

Thanks all. I'm beginning to realize that the thing being thrown forward when we shoot is not only the ammo but the weight of the pouch and the weight of the bands as well !


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## Tex-Shooter

Fill the can with water! -- Tex


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## Arturito

for those thick cans destroying, "rods" ammo are very effective, you may read this thread: http://slingshotforum.com/topic/20842-using-pieces-of-a-rod-aka-rods-as-ammo/

Cheers

Arturo


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## halbart

Water does make a difference Tex-shooter! It also stops the little devils stepping to one side as I shoot ! Which is, naturally, the only way some of my most carefully aimed shots could possibly miss. Thanks.

Arturo. That's very interesting. I did once wonder about short pieces of steel rod from 8" nails as ammo. Out with the hacksaw and the threaded rod then . This time they're really going to be screwed. Thanks.


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## rapidray

Great info. On the longevity of the bands, how many shots are we talking between the gold and the black?


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## Charles

rapidray said:


> Great info. On the longevity of the bands, how many shots are we talking between the gold and the black?


A lot depends on the severity of the taper ... more taper, higher speed, shorter life. As a rough guide, the gold cut the same way as the black will probably go twice as many shots ... which still may not be much with a very severe taper.

Cheers ...... Charles


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## Hawkman

I started upon a similar path, my only goal being to penetrate a can with my 9.5 steel ammo. The 1st time I cracked it was with double 1745. I have an old catty that myDad made me when I was a boy, fitted with single 2050. Easiest hole punching I've ever done.


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## halbart

Thanks Hawkman. I have some of this tube on order from 'catapult.co'.Best wishes. Harry


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## rapidray

Charles said:


> rapidray said:
> 
> 
> 
> Great info. On the longevity of the bands, how many shots are we talking between the gold and the black?
> 
> 
> 
> A lot depends on the severity of the taper ... more taper, higher speed, shorter life. As a rough guide, the gold cut the same way as the black will probably go twice as many shots ... which still may not be much with a very severe taper.
> 
> Cheers ...... Charles
Click to expand...

Well that is a good amount...2x. Thanks.


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