Once in the past someone posted about official record of slinging in modern times that were done as some salt flat and they mentioned some fairly long distances. Does anyone have a record of that?

Yep, around 400 ft. sounds like the limit for me too.  Of corse that goes with very little accuracy.  I have seen certain individuals hit much longer distances.   But 1000 feet!?  Wow, now that's something!  Those guys have to have forearms made of steel.

Rob

Someone listed a Guiness book of world records listing of a modern day slinger that achieved some spectacular distance records. I don't have a copy of it laying around. Just wondering if any of you did.

Usually I sling for range into water. I have wondered if my best shots went over 200 m (656 feet) far. I made the first measurement of my range on last Saturday. It's very dificult to measure a distance for every stone, therefore I and my son measured the distance 200 m on the flat. My son was hiden in the safe shelter with the good view of the aim, he was observer. I shot repeatedly. Afterward he related my effects.

Some stones overdid the 200 m range. We appreciated that the best shot reached 230 m (754 feet) distance. I was very satisfied on this day. I think that I have got the better ranges sometimes before, but my opinion is subjective.

Durring try I used the different quality stones, not all of them were ideal. My sling is 117 cm (46") long, from a center of pouch to the release knot.

J think I will repeat the measurement in future but with better projectiles.

Jurek

Chris, I'm absolutly sure that You are able to reach much greater ranges easy. It doesn't require a great power. The style of a throw decides about it mainly. Of course the good stones also.

I'm not sure I can explain my technique in English, but I'll try shortly. I use the right hand. My legs stay on the shot direction about. I rotate the sling easly few (1-4) times using the forearm and wirst on 6 or 7 o'clock position. My body is supported on the right leg with inclination to working arm.

I start my shot with rotation of the hips with simultaneous transfer of the body to left leg, next goes the elbow, next forearm end last the whirst litle turned to up. Somethink like a multi-part flail rotated on the vertical axle which goes forward on a trolley.

Regarding Your formula, IMHO it will give the false result because my shots are more flat than 45 degree angle, maybe about 30 degree. This formula disregards a air resistance too.

Try these 5 sets of parameters, please:

Velocity = 150 m/s
Mass = 1 kg

1) Angle = 45° without air resistance 
2)              45° with air resistance 
3)              30° without air resistance
4)              30° with air resistance
5)              25° with air resistance

http://galileoandeinstein.physics.virginia.edu/more_stuff/Applets/ProjectileMoti...

Compare the times and ranges, please.
Anyway I will try the times measure in future and I will write about it.

Jurek

The interestng pictures about angle, range and wind.







They are from:

http://www.scri.fsu.edu/~jac/Java/baseball.html

That simulator seems more realistic for slingers than previous one.

I'm sure that conclusions are easy.

Chris, I'm no athlete too, but 500 feet distance I reach quite easy with good stone. A physics is working for me I'm sure You can too. The method, good sling and skill are more important than a power of  muscules.

Jurek

I would like to know how to judge the velocity.  Additionally,  what is the aerodynamic coefeicient of a sphere?  I have ballistic software, but need these two things first.
 
Jeff <>< - who likes ballistics

David,

I have started my posting here:

http://www.slinging.org/forum2/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=1;action=display;num=10619485....

In this topic You can to find my short introduction and the explanation of my nick. I started my sling adventure when I was about 12 years old. I and my friend were played with sling for a few years. In this year I came back. First I made my present sling and then I found Chris' website and others with the great joy I know slinging from some movie and my father's stories.
Nowadays if I'm free I go on my bike 3-5 km to the fair places and sling... sling... until my body protests:) It's a great relax for me and source of satsfaction. Just like a sport

Chris,

You're right, a good stone throwed with the same release velocity will fly farther than a baseball. A ball shaped stone have more kinetic energy for overcoming its own drag than a baseball. Anyway I think >one person< is able to accelerate a baseball or a stone (with the same or similar weight) to the same initial velocities. I hope You know what I mean. Then if you measure the max baseball ranges (for example for about 30 deg) you may estimate (with the baseball simulator) the best initial velocity what you can reach. The assumption of windless day and the simulator is realistic, of course. It should be compared with the baseball throwers results, but I don't know the baseball

In summary, the release velocity deppends strongly on sling design, technique, skill, projectile weight and body strength, but it does't deppend significantly on density and shape of projectile.

Chris, I agree that good stones accelerated to 120mph will go much farther than 400' (than baseball), if the simulator doesn't lie

Jurek