Slingshots/Catapults?

[Prepper1]

As montblanc was saying with normal catapults the rubber rots quickly...

BUT what about if its kept in a sealed light proof bag?

Is it the light that degrades them, or do they degrade naturally with age and no matter where you put them, they'll rot?

[bigpaul]

(17 June 2013, 07:42)Prepper1 Wrote: As montblanc was saying with normal catapults the rubber rots quickly...

BUT what about if its kept in a sealed light proof bag?

Is it the light that degrades them, or do they degrade naturally with age and no matter where you put them, they'll rot?

buy several spares and put them away in a box in a dark place away from direct sunlight, under the bed is fine!

[Steve]

Fumes from volatile stores can degrade them too, so don't store near petrol, paint, some types of soft vinyl plastic, cooking oil etc.

When my uncle died and we cleared out his house we found boxed WW2 gas masks in the loft, the rubber on them was as good as the day it was made.

[Holy Herb]

(16 June 2013, 12:56)bigpaul Wrote:

(16 June 2013, 12:40)Holy Herb Wrote:

(16 June 2013, 12:19)bigpaul Wrote:

(16 June 2013, 12:08)Holy Herb Wrote:

(16 June 2013, 12:01)bigpaul Wrote: OH YES! like everything you need to practise.

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have a look at Dave Canterbury videos on "wilderness outfitters", he does a good video on the subject, also check out his other videos..this guy talks sense!

Yeah the video I saw the guy talked about him I'm going to check that out thanks, I need to get a Whisker Biscuit then I'll make one since my slingshot arives in a few days

you don't need an expensive whisker biscuit, all you need is a one and a quarter inch split ring..same as a key ring and 2 small cable ties...

Can you explain how that would work? o.o

you use the split ring in between the Y of the catapult, the 2 cable ties are to hold it in place..they need to be fairly tight or the ring will jump when you fire the arrow, the split ring is simply an arrow rest, the arrow should be a couple of inches longer than the distance you can pull back the elastic, in my case that's 20 inches, this is so it protrudes through the split ring.

Thanks a lot BP

(16 June 2013, 15:26)Hex Wrote: I love my slingshot picked it up a couple of weeks ago. carry it in my bag most days and a packet of mint imperials (they dissolve in rain leaving little to no trace and they're cheap), actually starting to get a bit more accurate with it now but haven't tried taking any game with it yet.

(And I wouldn't use mint imperialism if I did lol)

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*imperials

Stupid auto correct

I've never heard of mint imperials either but I guess they're all roughly the same size and weight, whatever floats your boat

(16 June 2013, 16:36)Highlander Wrote: I have a catapult, but I am not very good at it,... I keep meaning to try out BPs adaption and try a couple of arrows,.. maybe I will be better with that

Let us know how that goes, I'm going to be making one after I get another catapult

(16 June 2013, 19:41)Mortblanc Wrote: If you keep a catapult in our preps remember that the life span of the latex is only about 6 months due to decomposition.

Ozone in the exhaust fumes gets too them as do the UV rays in sun light.

I have one hanging useless on the wall of the shop right now. I have also seen whole rolls of the rubber tubing rot away on the shelf at the local hardware store.

I did not know that so thank you

(16 June 2013, 20:09)Prepper1 Wrote: Anybody got one of the old slings?
the ones that one end is attached around your wrist or finger and you swing it around, there very accurate apparently.

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Some guy from Israel is the Israeli olympic slingshot champion and on the program ancient weapons they did a review and they were mint!!













Plus no rubber to rot...

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SORRY BALAERIC ISLANDS CHAMPION NOT ISRAELI< WHOOPS HOPE HE@S NOT READING THIS>>>>

This is what I was thinking they look pretty hard to be accurate with?

[Ajax]

A catapult is great. Pocket sized and may save you from starving. No specialised ammo - a stone will do, if you're a good enough aim. You can fish with them too. I made a few fishing darts which can be fired from a bow or a catapult recently.

[CharlesHarris]

When I was a kid I killed lots of small game with a "bean flip". During the SE Asian war games 11 mm ball bearings from the jet engine repair shops were useful to discreetly recon strange noises in the night without discharging your M16, and initiating command detonated mines along the airfield perimeter, or search and traversing machine gun bursts intersecting overlapping fields of fire which prevented your mates from getting their much-needed sleep.

I recall a VC sapper found dead, hanging in the wire with a hole through his forehead. K9 patrol at dawn found him, but the guard had changed by then and nobody recalled any firing overnight... All good.

[Talon]

Just remember . You can’t hunt in the UK with slingshots using stone ammunition . It’s classed as stoning ( no pun intended ). I’ve been seriously shooting slingshots since lockdown last March . I find 8mm hex nuts to be just as accurate as 9.5 mm steel bearings up to 20 yards . They’re dirt cheap from Wilko . You can buy a bag full for around £3. An 8mm hex nut weighs the same as 9.5 steel bearings but they are bigger and in my opinion easier to shoot as you grip the flats of the nut . And a lot more destructive to the target .I use 6mm hex nuts with low powered bands for practice . They weigh the same as 8mm steel bearings .I shoot ott. It’s good fun making your own too . Hex nuts can veer off at distance but close range ( which is all a sling shot should really be used for) and they’re a good cheap alternative . I use .75mm flat bands . They aren’t over powered for 9.5 mm balls or 8mm hex . Any thicker then hand slap from the bands becomes a problem for me .

[Tartar Horde]

Catapults are great for small game. Lead balls are the best ammo i.m.o. they fly well and carry more mass for their size. Can't say I recommend hex nuts Talon as they do not fly well due to their irregular nature. Steel balls are ok but they can ricochet very easily, whereas Lead deforms and loses a lot of its energy quickly. If you have ever used a bow,(didn't you own an Osprey Talon?) a catapult is very easy to get accurate with. If you are able to use and control the larger band sets like Theraband Gold a catapult becomes a very capable weapon, many times the power of a 12ft-lbs air rifle (Puny weapons lol). You can also turn your catapult into a fishing weapon using readily available items online. A surprising thing is that Catapults are not as quiet as you think, a well tuned Bow is silent.

[bigpaul]

marbles work well, I bought a load cheap back along.
you dont have to kill the prey with it, its a matter of knocking it down long enough to get to it and wring its neck or whatever.

[Talon]

Hi Tartar.I hope you're doing well mate.Yes I had an Osprey,absolutely gorgeous bow I stupidly sold it and shot a Tradtech Titan 2 with Uukha carbon limbs with good results at my local club.Sadly I no longer shoot competitively and haven't for a few years now. That Tradtech with those limbs was sweet though,and remarkably smooth for such a short set up

Hex nuts are a regular shape.They just aren't spherical or especially aerodynamic but for my range that's not a problem.I actually shoot them with no issues up to around 20 yards.They do veer of course after that but for slingshot hunting range they work.No they won't ever be used for target shooters but for me they work very well,and as a cheap expedient ammunition I really can't fault them .I shoot with a short draw style and anchor to my cheekbone so 20 yards max is all I do as the power isn't there for longer (humane) range and I can't stand butterfly style .
I actually think a lead torpedo shape pointed at either end would be the absolute best for the low powered slingshot when it comes to maximising the wound for humane hunting. Hex nuts do ricochet but not nearly as much as steel balls.Personally I'm not a fan of steel bearings. I do shoot .36 lead balls as I have a mould for those but too be honest,I love shooting 8mm hexnuts.Never tried marbles.