I am working on accuracy at the moment starting with a 50cm by 50cm target at 12 meters. Working towards a consistent 80% accuracy rating before I go to a smaller target or longer distance.

As for accuracy vs power, Im the opposite of Tint. In all physical type activities (martial arts, canoeing etc) I have been involved in its alway been accepted that you work on technique first with low power. Then when you have the technique correct you build up your power.

Hello Roy welcome to our joyful little group
the hickory nut sounds like great practice ammo I have often used walnuts and horse chest nuts for the same reasons
i would sugest you starting off with the over hand style.
usaly the most familar. Its like tossing a base ball or throwing a engish dart. As for length no longer than a folded length of the distance between your firing arm shoulder and your out stretched none folding arm pinched fingers. Other reasons I sugest over hand is. It limits your goof ups to front and back
also has inherantly less distance than under hand. Wich also means a smaller area to keep safe from damage.
Well once  again welcome

For me i like it like this:
Accuracy- when holding you're hand loosely at your side, the distance from hand to floor should be the same as from finger loop to pouch.
When going for accuracy i also use figure of 8 rather than just plain overarm, i find i jus tget no power with a normal over arm, but more accuracy than with under arm.

Distance- from heart to floor should equal loop to pouch
I go underarm for distance

The smoothness of the rock is more important for accuracy than distance throwing, as with really rough rocks they spin funny and go anywhere!

lol could video tape all future attempts we may need a hazards of the sling safety video lol just kidding good luck

I tried but I am hopeless.  I guess I am very right hand dominent.  There are historic records of slingers that can do both hands very well, though.  So it is worth a try!

When I started slinging I did use my right hand but did a couple of shucks with the left every time before going home, At first the improvements I had worked on with my right hand came naturaly for my left hand too. But after a little while my left had stayed at the same level while my right hand kept improving. (That was when I came beyond the bare basics but still early on.)
So I stoped spending time on my left hand. But nest time I sling I might try it again.

I am ambidextrous, but cultural a right hander, although I can do almost every easy to learn thing in mirror image with my left hand without thinking about it.

Willeke

we did a poll a whgile back on here and it seeem that more than th1/20 was left handed on here

I had an unofficial count on members with dyslectia once and came to a high percentage. Nearer one in four than the one in ten I am told is the official number.
(Some people because they said they are, some just by seeing their spelling, so the percentage is no way trustworthy.)
But you can feel at home here as Dyslectic person too.

Willeke