# Best ammo size?



## Hambonetw (Jan 5, 2021)

Helooo O sagacious ones...can anybody give me any advice as to the *best ammo type and size* to kick off with?

Lead fishing weights? Ball Bearings? Mud balls? Diameters?

I'm a very inexperienced slinger, but a highly experienced woodworker who has a lot of small catapult-sized exotic wood offcuts, just right for making FRAMES!

All advice humbly and gratefully received.

Cheers,

Doc.


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## Harry Knuckles (Sep 28, 2020)

I think the most common being shot is 3/8" steel, second is 8mm steel. Everything I have leaned about slingshots is it's all a matter of personal preference. Try stuff out and decide what best suits you. The best part of the hobby is trying new things.


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## StringSlap (Mar 2, 2019)

Good advice from HK. A suggestion that I regularly make is to start with 3/8 clay balls. Reason being is that you are likely to have a few boo-boos, either a fork hit or a shot that goes east when you were aiming north. Stuff happens and you are better off using clay when it does. Clay will do damage, but significantly less than steel/lead. Use it with light bands and while you are learning the basics and working through the different variations you will discover along the way. When you are comfortable and confident that your shots will head in the general direction you are aiming, then switch to the hard stuff. If you use 3/8 steel then you will be familiar with the size and feel of the ammo. Then you can confidently try all the other stuff that will drive you crazy!


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## cromag (Jan 17, 2021)

My recent involvement with sling shooting and 40 years of woodworking have culminated in a few creations from leftovers as well , a good part of the fun actually. My limited experience says light bands and light ammo to start as others have said. 3/8 steel is moderate heavy but seems like even with lighter bands you get the feel of trajectory and they're easier to follow than 3/8 clay. With mid-weight bands 3/8 steel works well and a good analog for it is 1/2" marbles if you are going to lose it. I would like to run across some 3/8 marbles as that seems like it would be a good alternate to 5/16 steel.


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## High Desert Flipper (Aug 29, 2020)

Beautiful frames!


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## StringSlap (Mar 2, 2019)

cromag said:


> My recent involvement with sling shooting and 40 years of woodworking have culminated in a few creations from leftovers as well , a good part of the fun actually. My limited experience says light bands and light ammo to start as others have said. 3/8 steel is moderate heavy but seems like even with lighter bands you get the feel of trajectory and they're easier to follow than 3/8 clay. With mid-weight bands 3/8 steel works well and a good analog for it is 1/2" marbles if you are going to lose it. I would like to run across some 3/8 marbles as that seems like it would be a good alternate to 5/16 steel.


Search ebay for 10mm marbles. Close enough to 3/8.


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## Hermit (Feb 7, 2014)

Your experience with wood working certainly shines! Awesome frames! I use 3/8" steel balls. Never tried clay balls, found marbles too big. On occasion I use 1/4".

Cheers.

Rich


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## snydes (Jan 9, 2021)

Fellow woodworker here too. I think it depends what type of shooting you're doing ... if you're shooting outdoors primarily, clay balls are a good bet; if you're shooting indoors with a catch box at paper or spinners, 5/16" or 3/8" steel are most common. I'm a paper guy and found that shooting paper plates is cheap (can get 300 of them for $5 at the super market) and they cut much cleaner holes than printer paper, as the paper is thicker. As a woodworker, you'll appreciate - I used forstner bits to make circle tracing templates for 4 & 6 cm - works great & allows making targets ... quickly. I like 5/16" as it cuts a cleaner hole than 3/8" at least at target velocities, and is a bit easier on the fingers unless a person is skilled enough to hold in front of the pouch. Lately, I have shot my all time best with 7mm (9/32" steel) ... it's right in between 1/4" and 5/16" - easy to find online and I'm really liking it for paper - hits hard and flies dead straight at 10m with light band setup.


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## Hermit (Feb 7, 2014)

Target shooter only. 3/8's 90 percent of the time on cans, 1/4's on paper plates on occasion...

Rich


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## Facewizard13 (Dec 28, 2020)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007B2A3VQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabc_JFZABGG1CTPZB0ZS8TYJ

This will allow you to hunt anything you want. The size alone will account for your accuracy as a new shooter. The can cut challenge will be a breeze.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk


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## Hambonetw (Jan 5, 2021)

Facewizard13 said:


> https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007B2A3VQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabc_JFZABGG1CTPZB0ZS8TYJ
> 
> This will allow you to hunt anything you want. The size alone will account for your accuracy as a new shooter. The can cut challenge will be a breeze.
> 
> Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk


Hi Face - the link gos to 2" balls - possibly a bit large - but thanks

Doc.


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## Facewizard13 (Dec 28, 2020)

Aww...no sense of humor?

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## Hambonetw (Jan 5, 2021)

Facewizard13 said:


> Aww...no sense of humor?
> 
> Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk


hahaha...yes - just deciding what would be the largest size hand held slingshot...woohoo!

Doc.


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## Tobor8Man (Nov 19, 2020)

Doc,

Those are some very good looking slingshots and are therefore subject to Tobor's 5th law of slingshots, which suggests that the probability of a frame hit increases in direct proportion to the slingshot's value.

Thus, my $5.00 Daisy F-16 mod has never suffered a single frame hit, while my bronze PPMG suffered a frame hit, the sight of which throws me into paroxysms of uncontrollable weeping each time I shoot it. 3/8" steel accelerating at can-piercing velocity will put a major hurting on bronze.

So, start with clay ammo - either 3/8 or 1/2 inch - and very light bands.


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