# Am I blogging now? I'm blogging



## Facewizard13 (Dec 28, 2020)

I made the longer, narrower band sets. I'll be setting out soon with some printer paper and some clips to hang paper. When I'm through shooting a piece of paper I'll post a pic here and we can talk more about making me suck less at shooting. You've started this, now its your problem lmao (kidding  )

I made 5 band sets. 4 are flats and there's one tube.

The flats -

8.5" x 3/4" straight. Setup with 3 different pouches. 2 are setup with the same pouch

The tubes -

1842 8" long with 3/4" cuffs and a familiar pouch.

Barring the wind...I'll be out shooting within the next hour or so and I'll post a pic of the paper I may...or may not have shot up.

Thanks for helping me along this journey you guys. Im sorry im hogging the first 4 posts of the newbie section but, im hoping newer people will read my idiot antics and improve from it

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## Hermit (Feb 7, 2014)

Actually, you are doing a favor for old farts like me who have been enjoying the hobby for some time now. Your posts have allowed me to revisit stuff I've long forgot about as well encouraged me to try something new. So for me you did me a favor, so keep posting, Sir!

Rich


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## EllipsisNL (Mar 2, 2021)

Can't wait to see the results! Remember, sucking at something is the first step toward being sorta good at something

Awesome profile picture btw !!!


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## Facewizard13 (Dec 28, 2020)

Weather says the wind will be blowing 30 mph through the week. Later im just going to clear a spot in my garage to shoot. It won't be the distance I want to shoot but, im working on accuracy anyway

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## StringSlap (Mar 2, 2019)

Facewizard13 said:


> Weather says the wind will be blowing 30 mph through the week. Later im just going to clear a spot in my garage to shoot. It won't be the distance I want to shoot but, im working on accuracy anyway
> 
> Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk


90% of my shooting is done in my basement at 22'. The secret to shooting accurately at short distances is to decrease your target size as your accuracy improves. My current favorite target is a single strand of 550 paracord, but I also shoot at 3/8 clay balls and toothpicks. Your misses on small targets will equate to hits on larger targets. When I get out into the woods I am able to hit pine cones, dead branches, bits of bark, weeds, etc. at various distances without trouble. Trust me, if you can hit (or nearly hit) a small target at shorter range, there won't be any safe beer cans in your neck of the woods!


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## vince4242 (Jan 11, 2016)

Well said Stingslap... I completely agree with smaller targets at shorter distances. Definitely will increase your accuracy quickly.

Cheers


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## Facewizard13 (Dec 28, 2020)

The wind finally died down enough to where I can go out and do some shooting. I have no paper to show because my catch box doesn't have a flat surface to mount paper on. I'm going to setup a spot in my garage that way I dont have to worry about wind.

I tried doing that release technique where I let my bottom 3 fingers hang, but it just feels really weird. Something I noticed is that my point of impact is extremely high. Im having to aim a foot below my target in order to hit it. I also noticed that my shots were trending to the right. I had heard that this can be caused by underpowered bands?

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## Harry Knuckles (Sep 28, 2020)

Have you tried twisting the pouch? Just a thought to switch things up and see if something new may work better for you. Is the shooting high something new that has shown up recently? Shooting high may mean you need to change your anchor point to higher on your face OR is could mean you still have a speed bump throwing the ammo up OR is could be from twisting the fork out of plumb.


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## Facewizard13 (Dec 28, 2020)

Harry Knuckles said:


> Have you tried twisting the pouch? Just a thought to switch things up and see if something new may work better for you. Is the shooting high something new that has shown up recently? Shooting high may mean you need to change your anchor point to higher on your face OR is could mean you still have a speed bump throwing the ammo up OR is could be from twisting the fork out of plumb.


Im paying attention and having the fork as straight as I possibly can. Shooting high isn't recent, I've been dealing with that since I've started

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## Facewizard13 (Dec 28, 2020)

My anchor point is I touch the left side of my mouth with my thumbnail

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## EllipsisNL (Mar 2, 2021)

Sorry I'm having trouble visualizing how you're shooting. Do you hold the forks vertical or horizontal?


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## Facewizard13 (Dec 28, 2020)

The red dot is where I'm aiming to hit the top spinner at 30 feet









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## Harry Knuckles (Sep 28, 2020)

Most guys I see who shoot with a face anchor have their thumb above their mouth, tucked under their eyesocket bone.


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## Facewizard13 (Dec 28, 2020)

EllipsisNL said:


> Sorry I'm having trouble visualizing how you're shooting. Do you hold the forks vertical or horizontal?


Sorry.... I hold the fork in my right hand horizontal

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## Harry Knuckles (Sep 28, 2020)

Like this.


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## EllipsisNL (Mar 2, 2021)

Just a guess, but your shots deviating to the right could be from your hand snapping the forks forward a bit on release.


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## Facewizard13 (Dec 28, 2020)

Im also gripping the pouch so far back its almost hard to hold on to it









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## Facewizard13 (Dec 28, 2020)

Harry Knuckles said:


> Like this.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Yeah I just tried that and got 4 fork hits in a row....I know he's good so I'm definitely doing something wrong

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## Harry Knuckles (Sep 28, 2020)

Did you get fork hits from changing just the anchor point? Or did you change something else too?


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## Facewizard13 (Dec 28, 2020)

Harry Knuckles said:


> Did you get fork hits from changing just the anchor point? Or did you change something else too?


I was getting fork hits from only changing the anchor point. Nothing else

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## Harry Knuckles (Sep 28, 2020)

Have you tried a pouch twist?


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## Facewizard13 (Dec 28, 2020)

I started getting into a groove where I was getting very consistent. I was pelting my largest target 3 times in a row, then a miss, then a couple times. All of a sudden every 30 shots or so, frame hit.

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## Facewizard13 (Dec 28, 2020)

I've gone through 4 band sets in the last few hours. They've started getting holes in the bands from fork hits. This is really frustrating...

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## Grandpa Grumpy (Apr 21, 2013)

If you are shooting high you can raise your anchor point, use heavier ammo or weaker bands.


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## Grandpa Grumpy (Apr 21, 2013)

Facewizard13 said:


> Im also gripping the pouch so far back its almost hard to hold on to it
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Looks like you are squeezing behind the ammo. This will cause all kinds of problems. Hold on top and bottom of the ammo. Also it looks like your bands are installed backwards. This will cause fork hits. When you look down the bands the bands should form a V.


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## Facewizard13 (Dec 28, 2020)

Grandpa Grumpy said:


> Facewizard13 said:
> 
> 
> > Im also gripping the pouch so far back its almost hard to hold on to it
> ...


What.....maybe im more lost than i think I am

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## StringSlap (Mar 2, 2019)

Yeah what Grandpa said. Your bands look wonky. Grip further up on the ball (I hold well in front of the ball without any issues, but I worked on my release a lot.) and anchor under your cheekbone. As said, try twisting the pouch. Just rotate your hand so your pinky points away from you and not down. Search YT for "how to tie OTT bands".


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## Facewizard13 (Dec 28, 2020)

StringSlap said:


> Yeah what Grandpa said. Your bands look wonky. Grip further up on the ball and anchor under your cheekbone. Search YT for "how to tie OTT bands".


You're just seeing it like that because I was holding it upside down. I was just showing my pouch grip.

Ok so I was gripping the pouch too far forward, now too far back.

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## StringSlap (Mar 2, 2019)

This is how I grip the pouch and the orientation that I anchor it. The back of my thumb rests against my face, under my cheekbone. I'm not saying that this is exactly how you should do it, but don't be afraid to get a hold of it. Just try not to pinch it closed in front of the ammo.


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## Facewizard13 (Dec 28, 2020)

StringSlap said:


> This is how I grip the pouch and the orientation that I anchor it. The back of my thumb rests against my face, under my cheekbone. I'm not saying that this is exactly how you should do it, but don't be afraid to get a hold of it. Just try not to pinch it closed in front of the ammo.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


So correct me if I'm wrong but that would mean you're twisting the pouch?

Also if you're holding your thumb against your face, the only way to release is by just your index finger

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## StringSlap (Mar 2, 2019)

My grip is almost identical to the way Wayne Martin is holding in the picture that Harry Knuckles posted. I twist a bit more though. He uses two contact points. Thumb under cheekbone and tip of index finger in corner of mouth (Been meaning to try that myself.) Notice how far forward he is gripping the pouch? Looks very much like my pic. You just have to spend some time trying stuff. I probably tried over 30 different combos before I found what works for me.


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## vince4242 (Jan 11, 2016)

Hey facewizard, I have a shooting tutorial that to me is the most relevant and helped me the most shooting. I watch this about once every two weeks just to remind myself in to put myself back in the right frame of mind for shooting. This Caddyshack Hunter tutorial works great for light ammo all the way to hunting ammo. Start there get that Anchor Point adjusted so that the corner of your slingshot matches up with dead center on your target. Your Anchor Point is one of the most important things you can do. And I would say hold that ammo as opposed to being behind the ammo. Hold the very top of the ammo like in the video link below. For me tilting the slingshot for a little bit like in the video below helped me immensely in my accuracy and consistency. Hope the video helps it definitely helped me.






Cheers


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## Palmettoflyer (Nov 15, 2019)

You're getting lots of advice at one time! Sort through it and find what the common elements are.

For me, this Mark Seljan video was the game changer. This is the simplest video that I have seen and created by the guy who has designed many of the well known commercial frames.

Video starts with form and elbow position, at about 3 minutes into the video, he talks about thumb position. This is an "ah ha" moment that many good shooters do. A lot of people call this twisting the pouch, but it is just good technique that gets repeatable results.

In your comments above, you stated that you start off good, then later start missing, then comes the frame hit. This is due to fatigue and your getting tired and loosing good form. Bad form causes the frame hit.


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## vince4242 (Jan 11, 2016)

Yes exactly like that last video. I set my thumb position I rotate my middle finger to my chin for a 2 anchor connection and then I lift that elbow at the same time stretching my back out for the best stability. That high elbow is very important for me the double Anchor Point is equally important to getting it consistent every time the same way in the same point. For me I put my anchor my thumb directly in the middle of that cheek bone as opposed to under it. But it all depends on what works for you and the slingshot you're shooting.


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## Scrat (Apr 20, 2020)

Hang in there. As long as you keep working at it it will all come together. This time last year I was in your shoes and there were certainly days that were very discouraging. We've all felt that way I bet. But if you keep practicing it will come. Not all at once, but little by little.

One of the hardest things for me to learn was that in any given session there is a point of diminishing return. When you get there, just put the sling in the shelf and do something else you enjoy. It will be there waiting for you tomorrow and you can start fresh.

I have a few holes in my garage drywall that remind me not to overdo it.

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## Harry Knuckles (Sep 28, 2020)

Scrat said:


> Hang in there. As long as you keep working at it it will all come together. This time last year I was in your shoes and there were certainly days that were very discouraging. We've all felt that way I bet. But if you keep practicing it will come. Not all at once, but little by little.
> 
> One of the hardest things for me to learn was that in any given session there is a point of diminishing return. When you get there, just put the sling in the shelf and do something else you enjoy. It will be there waiting for you tomorrow and you can start fresh.
> 
> ...


This is great advice. I've also learned that shooting too much in one sitting does not help. I shoot 15-20 shots and then put it down for a bit. Starting out I would shoot 100 shots or more without break and I don't think it did me any good.


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## Facewizard13 (Dec 28, 2020)

Harry Knuckles said:


> Scrat said:
> 
> 
> > Hang in there. As long as you keep working at it it will all come together. This time last year I was in your shoes and there were certainly days that were very discouraging. We've all felt that way I bet. But if you keep practicing it will come. Not all at once, but little by little.
> ...


Yeah I shot today for 4 hours haha

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## EllipsisNL (Mar 2, 2021)

Shooting too much is certainly a thing. When it comes to target practice, quality is greater than quantity.

Dedicate practice sessions to be QUALITY practice sessions, and you'll improve rapidly no matter what you're trying to improve at


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## Facewizard13 (Dec 28, 2020)

So here's my takeaway from what I've learned from shooting yesterday and learning from this thread :

- dont hold the ball too far back. Cool, we can do that.

- I don't know how I feel about practicing a new anchor point considering I've been practicing an anchor point for a whole month. I guess you can say that this is a better anchor point to use for shooting, so thats better than me doing it on my own. Were talking about the anchor point where the back of your thumb rests under your cheek bone and index finger touches the corner of my mouth.

- something thats hard to accept is the fact that if you're target shooting, you don't need speed and lethality. What I find hard to accept about that is I can't kill cans as effectively as I want. I want to be able to participate in the 2021 can cut challenge as much as I can. Having much less velocity in exchange for accuracy means that I'll be using a lot more shots to cut a can. It makes my shooting really inadequate when I see posts where guys take out 5 cans with 10 shots each. Im over here taking that same amount of shots to take out a single can. Thoughts?

- I've been getting a lot of advice on what cut, taper, length, width, of bands I should use for my 3/8" steel. I need a definitive measurement. If I can't be steady holding the proper measurement for the ammo I bought, I'll just get used to it over time. You guys have to remember, I live on a small income, so I can't be spending $40 a week trying out different ammo, bands, etc. I keep getting suggestions for completely different setups to what I own, and I can't just go out and buy it lol. Im not asking for handouts, im just asking that if I tell you I have .5 ss flat bands and 3/8" steel ammo.... that you don't suggest some different ammo/band/pouch combination. This does no good to me, its only frustrating. The only thing it does is make me think "well, can't go shooting for another 2 weeks because I need supplies i have none of". DONT GET ME WRONG. Im not mad! I love your suggestions and help you guys have been giving me. I really do appreciate it.

- this is all I can think of at the moment. I gotta make more band sets and get to shooting. I've learned my lesson not to say when I'm going shooting next because that never ends up happening haha. Thank you guys for your support.

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## Grandpa Grumpy (Apr 21, 2013)

Facewizard13 said:


> So here's my takeaway from what I've learned from shooting yesterday and learning from this thread :
> - dont hold the ball too far back. Cool, we can do that.
> - I don't know how I feel about practicing a new anchor point considering I've been practicing an anchor point for a whole month. I guess you can say that this is a better anchor point to use for shooting, so thats better than me doing it on my own. Were talking about the anchor point where the back of your thumb rests under your cheek bone and index finger touches the corner of my mouth.
> - something thats hard to accept is the fact that if you're target shooting, you don't need speed and lethality. What I find hard to accept about that is I can't kill cans as effectively as I want. I want to be able to participate in the 2021 can cut challenge as much as I can. Having much less velocity in exchange for accuracy means that I'll be using a lot more shots to cut a can. It makes my shooting really inadequate when I see posts where guys take out 5 cans with 10 shots each. Im over here taking that same amount of shots to take out a single can. Thoughts?
> ...


If I were in your situation I would use the bands that you have and the ammo you have and learn to adjust your anchor point or cut a bunch of natural with different fork widths until you find one that matches your bands and your ammo and your anchor.

I would learn to adjust the anchor. Unless every slingshot you shoot from now on has the same fork width you are going have at least minor ajustment to your bands, change your ammo or your anchor. When you change your anchor it only takes a few shots to get the new anchor dialed in. It will soon become second nature.


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## vince4242 (Jan 11, 2016)

I agree with what grandpa said. But I also understand a limited budget. You have a slingshot that you can't adjust the forks on I would say adjust your Anchor Point get that dialed in and focus on consistency. You can definitely use the same bands you were using now just give them an extra half an inch of length so it's not so hard to pull and it's easy enough to shorten it as you get more comfortable and strength and consistency.

I totally get about not wanting to change your Anchor Point, I had an anchor point for 5 months?? I took the plunge and readjusted my Anchor Point and my hand orientation completely. It actually only took a couple of days to get used to the new position because it was much more comfortable and it was better moving my whole anchor and my orientation in the king run.

As far as losing power to cut a can, if you're only hitting at one out of 10 times at full high power try light bands and hitting it more often you're definitely going to cut that can if you hit it 6 times instead of two times... if that makes sense.

Change can be hard for sure, but in the end I changed my Anchor Point, my release orientation, my style of slingshot, my fork width and went from bands to tubes over about eight months and each time I made the change I got a little better and got my system dialed in a little more. Stick with it, find your way and if you find it's not working don't be afraid to try something else you may just find its way better then what you were doing before.

Cheers


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## EllipsisNL (Mar 2, 2021)

Shooting consistently with a slingshot is all about control. Look around, you'll see how people have wildly different shooting styles. Because of biomechanics, there's bound to be a lot of overlap in how people shoot, but what matters most is finding the most comfortable draw you possibly can. If you can find a draw where you can comfortably hold *as well as* maintain a good amount of fine motor control, then you can work up from there. If an anchor point or posture isn't comfortable for you, I'd say don't try to force it.

When I draw my shot back, I don't hold my pouch between my finger and thumbs. I hold it between my middle and ring finger and my palm, spider-man style. I find I have a lot of control over it's release, I don't shake under heavy draws, and I'm pretty happy with my shot placements. But I'm not going to tell others to shoot that way.


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## Harry Knuckles (Sep 28, 2020)

EllipsisNL said:


> Shooting consistently with a slingshot is all about control. Look around, you'll see how people have wildly different shooting styles. Because of biomechanics, there's bound to be a lot of overlap in how people shoot, but what matters most is finding the most comfortable draw you possibly can. If you can find a draw where you can comfortably hold *as well as* maintain a good amount of fine motor control, then you can work up from there. If an anchor point or posture isn't comfortable for you, I'd say don't try to force it.
> 
> When I draw my shot back, I don't hold my pouch between my finger and thumbs. I hold it between my middle and ring finger and my palm, spider-man style. I find I have a lot of control over it's release, I don't shake under heavy draws, and I'm pretty happy with my shot placements. But I'm not going to tell others to shoot that way.


Would it be possible for you to make a video of your shooting style? The pouch grip you describe sounds very interesting and I would love to see it.


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## EllipsisNL (Mar 2, 2021)

Harry Knuckles said:


> Would it be possible for you to make a video of your shooting style? The pouch grip you describe sounds very interesting and I would love to see it.


I'll try to get around it soon, though it's probably a lot less interesting than it sounds LOL


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