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Sling Lengths (Read 6238 times)
David_T
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Sling Lengths
Jan 5th, 2004 at 7:39pm
 
I have a question for Hondero and anyone else who may have experience or knowledge to provide any imput:

If a person wishes to be as accurate as possible, should he only use one length of sling all the time?

Or, if he gets very accurate with one lenth of sling, will he be able to be as accurate or close to as accurate with other lengths after a few practice periods with the new length?

David who is about to quit throwing concrete chunks and start using uniform ammo Undecided
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Hondero
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Re: Sling Lengths
Reply #1 - Jan 6th, 2004 at 3:02pm
 
It can be acquired a good accuracy with any length of sling, but it is easier with short ones, and greater the accuracy achieved. It is known that the Balearic slingers of the antiquity used three slings of different length according to the effective range. They wear the short sling around the head, the longer around the waist and the medium one  in the hand, that should be the more used. One assumes that the short shots, to an individual person, require greater precision than shoting a distant multitude.
The length of the slings must be mesured in relation to the arm of the slinger. A sling of medium type, for all uses, must extend from the end of the fingers to the shoulder, and a precision sling from the end of the fingers to the elbow. For my arm, that are 75 cm and 45 cm (the sling folded), respectively.

As far as the long sling, to obtain range, it must be measured in relation to the projectile. First, the longer the sling better, but it is necessary here to consider the purpose. We enter the subject of Yurek, to optimize the sling for range.
In military use the purpose is to achieve a strong impact fron great distance on a mass of people. For that reason great projectiles are used that allow  to use very long slings. But in modern contest the purpose is only range, and as I said to Yurek I think that it´s more advantageous to use small projectiles. With this type of projectiles a too long sling will have much air drag and its weight in relation to the projectile would be considerable. The spinning wouldn´t be effective and the transfer of muscular energy would be bad.
The subject is worthy of a study and experimentation.

Well, after all, being the sling a  simple weapon, it has its complication if we want to beat records   Undecided
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mgreenfield
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Re: Sling Lengths
Reply #2 - Apr 20th, 2004 at 5:11pm
 
Hondero, your posting #1 is a great call back to reality for any of us who (like me!) have been trying to find the optimal all purpose sling.   Apparently the ancient Balearic experts found that there is no such thing! Undecided

If the ancient Balearics used three slings, do you suppose they also used three projectile weights?  Also, how do you suppose their slinging form changed?

I just spent an afternoon experimenting with sling length.   Results: 

1/ A longer sling will ALWAYS sling longer distances if the slingster's form stays about the same. 

2/ With longer slings, the slingster doesn't have to "adjust" as much as ammo weight varies from light to heavy.

3/ Heavier ammo is easier to launch from a longer sling.

4/ With longer slings, it's easier to keep long shots low, using a underhand delivery.

5/ Projectiles are more consistently launched with a  "football spiral" from a longer sling.

To my much surprise, I can "underhand" a 46inch sling without hitting the ground.  49inches hits the ground.

mgreenfield
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Hondero
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Re: Sling Lengths
Reply #3 - Apr 21st, 2004 at 11:28am
 
The ancient Balearic slingers were warriors and found more useful at war to take three slings of different length according to the range that a sling of adjustable length. It was faster in the battle to change the sling that to fit its length, and in addition an adjustable sling offers more air drag and more weight. The more simple and light the sling, better. An adjustable sling really can be useful at the beginning of learning to try different lengths without having to construct different slings, but once selected the lengths that are more comfortable for you the best thing is to make the slings of fixed length. The Balearic slingers could have used an only sling for all uses as other people did, and then they had used a sling of average length, that is worth for everything with good general performance. The fact that they used three different slings talk to us of the great performance of their shooting.
The weight of the projectiles could be the same for the three slings because they looked for a destructive effect when they used stones. Later they would use glandes also. And as far as the slinging style it had to be the same too, according the old texts: three turns round over the head before launching.

I know you are an unconditional fan of the underhand style, which limits a little the length of the sling, but using the same style you can spin a little inclined and thus to use longer slings. But if you want to get good ranges is necessary that the arm goes back streched out in the last spin, and from there to cast strongly, as Yurek said to you in other thread Grin...  As for accuracy with this style I think you have to use heavy projectiles and  as standardized as posible, if not the shots will go up and down the target. Heart... and constant practice
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He brought a conquering sword..., a shield..., a spear... , a sling from which no erring shot was discharged.&&
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mgreenfield
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Re: Sling Lengths
Reply #4 - Apr 21st, 2004 at 6:24pm
 
Hondero (& Jurek), I think I'm stuck w underhanding! Undecided  I've had a rotator cuff tear, and I'm old enough (63!) to have lost a lot of shoulder flexibility.   A decent tennis serve is impossible for me.   BUT I CAN do a "bowling ball" delivery, and get 100+ yards every time, with some accuracy.

Shoulder problems are NO fun, and I'd encourage the young, flexible, powerful slingsters to be a little careful.  

I've noticed that with underhanding, the "quality" of the ammo makes a huge difference in range and accuracy.   Is this also true for overhanding??  

Consistent form plus consistent ammo may be the keys to consistent slinging.  So, soon I'll trash-can all my natural rocks, and start "rolling my own" football shaped clay glandes at probably 60grams per glande.  One of these heading down-range low and fast, with a perfect football spiral on it is a thing of great beauty!

Thanks for all the help and encouragement; and same to all the other slingsters on the forum who've contributed to 'ol greenie's "slinging career".  Grin  mgreenfield
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