# Picklefork



## fungustoon (Oct 1, 2021)

Hi ... so I bought myself a Picklefork having read all of the articles on line I could find and those on here inc the great links etc provided.
I fired 50 8mm steel balls at a target box/ catcher (40x40cm) some 10m away.
I shot gangster.
I twisted the pouch towards me 90 degrees.
I tweaked.
I anchored to my cheekbone as normal. - reference point being the top corner of my fork.
Fork angled very much fwd.
Forearm to back of wrist flat almost ...
Pinch gripI 
I didnt flip the forks

Archery glove on my RHS index and thumb.

Results:
8cm target hit twice
Ammo in catcher box x18
The rest missed.
X3 fork hits
X1 index finger hit ...ooph ...smarting now.

I was quite pleased but it.s way, way harder than my normal TTF 8mm or TTF BB shooter to get on target. I dont miss the catcher box with those ...okay 5% maybe.

My question- I have a draw length of 72- 74cm normally to my cheek.
I banded some 0.5 yellow snipersling up... cut 20mm wide bands ... 30cm in length ,allowing 1.5cm at the pouch ends and 1.5cms at the fork ends on my John Heggarty Plastic Wrap n tucked Picklefork.
I cut my bands longer because of my fwd fork lean. Is this sane, reasonable ... I had a distinct feeling that the bands were slow, kind of loopily throwing the 8mm ammo. Should I shorten the bands perhaps?
Any suggestions, other pointers appreciated.
Ps I cant do half/full butterfly - I.m a beginner just trying out the slingshot genres. I.m not interested in speed stuff, shooting marbles from the sky ...at the mo🤣🤣🤣
Thanks for listening to my anodyne ramblings.
Thnx to Batz, Mr Deighton, Arturo,Dgui, Seljan and others for sharing your stuff online- much appreciated.


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## cromag (Jan 17, 2021)

I have no experience with snipersling latex so I won't even go there but what you have experienced is a carbon copy of my experience when going from TTF and trying PFS. I gave up the TTF and shot strickly OTT for a while and found shooting a pickle fork much smoother using longer , lighter bands and after a lot of OTT shooting.


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## Palmettoflyer (Nov 15, 2019)

Reading your initial post on what you did, I stopped when I read that you anchored on your cheek bone. First and foremost, pickle fork shooting (aka PFS) is a wide-open topic with many answers and just about as many variations on how to do it as there are people. As you mentioned, there are a lot of really good PFS shooters that have made a trove of videos on the topic of how to shoot. You will no doubt find a few who can shoot PFS with a cheek anchor, but not many. There are three major styles of PFS, short draw (i.e. dgui), seimi-butterfly (i.e. Arturo), and a bunch of full butterfly shooters. You should pick the style that you most want to emulate and become a student of that person.

If you go to the butterfly styles, be mindful that there are a lot of videos on shooting butterfly style, BUT they are not shooting pickle forks. Some important differences in shooting butterfly with a wide gap frame vs a PFS frame.

Also, as John pointed out to try OTT first before going down the PFS rabbit hole. The sight picture of an OTT frame is similar to PFS. You'll do well to learn that first, then PFS shooting is all about pouch control.


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## fungustoon (Oct 1, 2021)

Hi Cromag and Palm ... thanks for that sage advice. I only, normally shoot TTF so a bit of OTT is definitely reqd.
Last night (after I d been out with my PFS) I spotted your contribution to a thread by Appalachian(?) and Ukj (?) where you discuss the banding set up so a twist isnt necessarily - maybe just a tweak(?) Arturo has a video on it and you both share your pics too. That sent me 'down the rabbithole' for sure.
Full butterfly with light bands looks amazing ...wow.
My only remaining question is how much of a flick is there with the hand holding the slingshot? Is it conscious or a 'reaction'?
Never dreamt that slingshots would be so interesting, challenging and above all, fun!
Thanks fellas, much appreciated from Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK!


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## Bimbo (Oct 20, 2019)

fungustoon said:


> Hi Cromag and Palm ... thanks for that sage advice. I only, normally shoot TTF so a bit of OTT is definitely reqd.
> Last night (after I d been out with my PFS) I spotted your contribution to a thread by Appalachian(?) and Ukj (?) where you discuss the banding set up so a twist isnt necessarily - maybe just a tweak(?) Arturo has a video on it and you both share your pics too. That sent me 'down the rabbithole' for sure.
> Full butterfly with light bands looks amazing ...wow.
> My only remaining question is how much of a flick is there with the hand holding the slingshot? Is it conscious or a 'reaction'?
> ...


Hi! Here is my experience, hope it helps.

I shoot full butterfly, but sometimes.i also shoot short draw, not that much because i am no longer accurate in that style, but all of the following apply to both styles.

When i first got into PFS shooting, i tried every advice i could find, the twist, tweak, speedbump, preturned pouch, and all i got were fork hits and wild shots waaaay off the catchbox, so i decided to shoot it as a regular OTT...
And it worked wonders for me!! The only thing I do, is I flip my wrist forward at the release, not that much, i just relax my wrist and let the natural movement of the sling flip it out of the way.
As far as my sling hold, i dont cant my forks forward that much, so the sling has some room to flip after the release, I hold my sling as if i was going to punch something, straight arm and fist forward.
As far as aiming goes, i aim exactly as i would a regular OTT, i only bring my anchor point a bit higher to account for the narrow for width.

And last, but not least, i cant really describe my pouch hold, so here are a couple of pics.

Hope all my ranting helps!!

Happy shooting from Mexico!!


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## fungustoon (Oct 1, 2021)

Hi Bimbo ...Mexico, wow! Thanks so much for your comments and info. I.m pleased you spoke of your experiences of your fork cant ( lack of) and 'natural' flip.
Thnks for the useful photos too! Very kind!
Take care!


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## Jcharmin92 (Aug 28, 2021)

Here's how I hold when I shoot pfs full butterfly. I don't flick the frame and I don't tweak anything because the curve of my thumb throws the ammo over the top naturally. I have tried the hold above and it wasn't as comfortable to hold as I do in the photo. It's been a couple of years since a fork hit with shooting like this. But the tweak with the thumb and 90° turn of the pouch should be all that's needed. I also carry this over into how I shoot every frame and I am equally accurate regardless of pfs or ott.


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## fungustoon (Oct 1, 2021)

Thnx JCharmin ...good to see your grip and comments. Appreciated.


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## Jcharmin92 (Aug 28, 2021)

fungustoon said:


> Thnx JCharmin ...good to see your grip and comments. Appreciated.


It helps to start pfs in the upright hold instead of gangster style. It requires a lot less thinking and let's you get a good feel as well.


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## fungustoon (Oct 1, 2021)

Cheers ...what band taper, thickness, ammo do you tend to use if you dont mind me asking?! Active draw length? I.m only a beginner so your help is appreciated.


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## StringSlap (Mar 2, 2019)

I shoot identically to @Jcharmin92 

Only difference is that my reference point is closer to my right eye. I shoot 1632 tubes with 11-12" active length.


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## Jcharmin92 (Aug 28, 2021)

Yep that sounds about right!


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## Jcharmin92 (Aug 28, 2021)

I like 9/32 ammo. And I only measure length and nothing else I just know what taper I like. I use reference points on my cutting mat to do all of that. I've never measured it before. I like to keep things simple lol.


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## fungustoon (Oct 1, 2021)

Thanks Stringslap ... appreciated.


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## fungustoon (Oct 1, 2021)

Hi ... had a warm up with half butterfly today, bands in the 'new' ott to me formation, but using a Scout LT so wimped out on the Picklefork(sorry!)
I have to confess I was somewhat terrified of putting by cheek anywhere near the band but donned with my balaclava, I eventually managed to do it! My floating rear arm felt weird stuck in mid air. What I really liked was the sighting line - easy to follow the ammo. Thnks for your support and comments ...Picklefork will be broached once I feel half butterfly muscle memory is was more engrained and my accuracy improves. Cheers.


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## StringSlap (Mar 2, 2019)

fungustoon said:


> Hi ... had a warm up with half butterfly today, bands in the 'new' ott to me formation, but using a Scout LT so wimped out on the Picklefork(sorry!)
> I have to confess I was somewhat terrified of putting by cheek anywhere near the band but donned with my balaclava, I eventually managed to do it! My floating rear arm felt weird stuck in mid air. What I really liked was the sighting line - easy to follow the ammo. Thnks for your support and comments ...Picklefork will be broached once I feel half butterfly muscle memory is was more engrained and my accuracy improves. Cheers.


Headed in the right direction!


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## fungustoon (Oct 1, 2021)

Lol. Not sure my black balaclava would have been any use in saving my face but it seemed to scare off an iffy looking bloke walking an Alsation. He waved, turned around and walked off hastily in the opposite direction. He clearly thought I was some idiot in shorts and a balaclava pretending to be a prepper! ( as rare as hens' teeth in the UK) Lol.


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