Sling Shots

Regenerative & Transitional Technology Misc.
#1

My little brother has this slingshot he bought at a hardware store. I’ve got it right now because I broke the stabalizer strap (cheap piece of rubber) and so I replaced it with a bit of leather I scavenged. The damn thing launches a driveway rock hard enough to dent trees, I was impressed.

Anyway, he tells me they are cheap, but I didn’t really want to buy one, so today I made one.

I used an old bicycle tire intertube that had a hole in it. I cut it in half to get a strip of rubber tubing about an arm length. Then I cut two bamboo sticks about 6 inches long and I pulled the tube over both, fixing it in place with adhesive. I also made a little leather cup in the center to hold the rock.

The end result is a 3 foot length of stretchy rubber with a cup in the middle and a six inch handle on either end. I hold these handles with my thumb in between to et the gap the rock goes through. It stuffs in my pocket nicely, unlike my brothers Y shaped one. It’s not nearly as powerful or accurate, however.

Anyway, I’m just opening the discussion on slingshots in general. How effective might they me for hunting small game? What else (scavenged transition tech or natural material) could the stretchy part be made of, and how do different materials and designs compare? Any good techniques for increasing power or accuracy? Or anything else slingshot related.

#2

First of all, ai dont know if that particular type of sling was even found outside of civ. Ai’v only known of slings whos power comes from lenthening your arm with a bit of cloth, rope, or leather e.g. David vs Goliath type thing. No need for streachyness at all. Ai’ve read about such things also lenthened by a stick handle, though. My advise: dich the rubber and perfect your throwing technique.

#3

I’ve hunted doves successfully and had myself a meal, used a “Marksman” brand slingshot. Not paleo but I dont care, you can get it for 10 bucks or steal it. Can’t find guns or messageboards outside civ either but if it helps you rewild then you might as well use it. Not as if when things collapse all civ’s materials will instantly vanish off the face of the earth. Scavenge.

#4

Good points. Just that ai like to avoid civ materials more than many people. It just creeps me out.

#5

I’d definitely like to learn to use a throwing sling though. Seems quite difficult.

#6

It’s not like there aren’t natural, stretchy materials. Rubber is a plant.

A sling and a slingshot are two entirely different things. It has more in common with a bow. I read somewhere on this very board that the amount of time it takes to become accurate with a sling is rediculous.

#7

A slingshot crossbow.

2 sticks,

1 is about as thick as a broom stick and 16" long… the top side is carved flat to make the "path for the pebble to slide down… it’s the " I "

One stave, tied to the end about 12" long, like the bow on a crossbow… " T "

Tie a string, similar to a crossbow string, but with a pouch like a slingshot.

when you hold you hand on one end (like a hand grip) you can use the other hand to pull back the string (with dime sized pebble) and grip the pebble between your thumb and tha handle… [ think thumb wrestling ]

aim and “thumbs up” to fire…

Since the pebble rolls down the slide, you get “spin” that helps stabalize it in flight. Not as strong as a regular slingshot but SUPER accurate… you can take birds with it easy at 25 feet.