Slinging.org Forum - Newb questions

Musketeer Tiro Offline Slinging Rocks! Posts: 34	Newb questions Oct 16^th, 2017 at 9:06am Hi all, few beginners questions: 1. When I tried slinging for first time I wasnt able to hold stone in pocket when I rotated it - is it too flat? Which brings me to other question. 2. Can you create good sling with just flat piece of cloth cut from whatever? Thx. for any info + aprreciate anything what help YOU when YOU started. .. M.
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Kick

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Re: Newb questions
Reply #1 - Oct 16^th, 2017 at 9:13am

I've used flat pouches a lot, the first and best sling I made has a large flat slingshot pouch so it's not necessarily that it's flat but maybe more to do with the size of the pouch/size and positioning of the ammo. Technique might come into it but it would have to be a really strange technique I think to cause problems. One good way to get a cupped pouch is to take two strips of material, such as leather or heavy cloth, then attach them so they are crossed in the middle. The picture is an old one from the forum but shows the sort of crossed strap style.

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You are a great guy Kick but also slightly scary at times. - Morphy
"Nothing matters, but it’s perhaps more comfortable to keep calm and not interfere with other people." - H.P. Lovecraft, in a letter to Frank Belknap Long, 7 October, 1923

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Musketeer Tiro Offline Slinging Rocks! Posts: 34	Re: Newb questions Reply #2 - Oct 16^th, 2017 at 9:19am Random sharp stones from around creek (woods + clay around) are not best ammo for learning too I assume?
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Re: Newb questions
Reply #3 - Oct 16^th, 2017 at 9:47am

Musketeer wrote on Oct 16^th, 2017 at 9:19am:

Random sharp stones from around creek (woods + clay around) are not best ammo for learning too I assume?

They mostly recommend soft things for us n00bs! tennis balls, hacky sacks, etc... Cheesy

I had much more success with the two strap crossover method mentioned above than my initial flat paracord pouch I made. I've had pretty good success with walnuts lately, but they're about all too rotted now.. (they were nice ammo while they lasted though)

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Re: Newb questions
Reply #4 - Oct 16^th, 2017 at 9:48am

A few on the forum wouldn't suggest rocks at all for a newbie from a safety viewpoint. Personally, I started with rocks and only started using tennis balls this year so... If you are going to use rocks then getting smooth, rugby ball/American football shaped or egg-shaped rocks that are a consistent size and weight will help with accuracy greatly. I often only use one or two rocks and then collect my ammo so I'm always throwing the same projectiles. The actual size and weight you choose to some extent comes down to preference. I find the heavier the ammo, the easier to aim (up to a point). It's a bit easier to feel where in the air the ammo is before you release so I prefer fairly large ammo, between 200g and 350g roughly. Saying that, I've also been slinging a 2 inch diameter steel ball which is over 500g Cheesy

I say all of this with my focus mostly being on accuracy. I'm not so interested in distance shots, again it comes down to preference. The best thing to do is experiment Cheesy

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You are a great guy Kick but also slightly scary at times. - Morphy
"Nothing matters, but it’s perhaps more comfortable to keep calm and not interfere with other people." - H.P. Lovecraft, in a letter to Frank Belknap Long, 7 October, 1923

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Kick Forum Moderation Offline Posts: 4451 Finland	Re: Newb questions Reply #5 - Oct 16^th, 2017 at 9:49am Oh yeah another "safe" ammo that can be good indoors too is a rolled up pair of socks. It can be good for practicing the details of a technique before going out and putting it to practice "in the field".
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Musketeer Tiro Offline Slinging Rocks! Posts: 34	Re: Newb questions Reply #6 - Oct 16^th, 2017 at 9:53am BAck to da drawing board it is! I shouldda probubbly build something like this (Mk IV for me): http://slinging.org/forum/yabbfiles/Attachments/CA-6-hole-sling-pouch-template.p... http://slinging.org/forum/yabbfiles/Attachments/6holepouch_1024x514.jpg There is pouch like hand, co it should help to keep stone there...
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Re: Newb questions
Reply #7 - Oct 16^th, 2017 at 9:54am

Kick wrote on Oct 16^th, 2017 at 9:49am:

Oh yeah another "safe" ammo that can be good indoors too is a rolled up pair of socks. It can be good for practicing the details of a technique before going out and putting it to practice "in the field".

I made a "technique practice" sling with a tennis ball encased in a sock for the pouch, so that I could practice the different techniques inside without destroying anything.

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Re: Newb questions
Reply #8 - Oct 16^th, 2017 at 9:56am

Well I never left the drawing board Cheesy

I've made a lot of different styles of sling and I'm always on the look-out for more. I think that's something to keep in mind with slinging, keep experimenting. I don't think anyone on the forum would say they've found the perfect sling style, technique or even ammo. We all seem interested in others ideas and developments.

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You are a great guy Kick but also slightly scary at times. - Morphy
"Nothing matters, but it’s perhaps more comfortable to keep calm and not interfere with other people." - H.P. Lovecraft, in a letter to Frank Belknap Long, 7 October, 1923

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Kick Forum Moderation Offline Posts: 4451 Finland	Re: Newb questions Reply #9 - Oct 16^th, 2017 at 9:57am Ooooo that is a good idea IndyDude. I usually just use an empty sling but that doesn't have the same weight as a sling in use.
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Musketeer Tiro Offline Slinging Rocks! Posts: 34	Re: Newb questions Reply #10 - Oct 16^th, 2017 at 10:05am Is for practice better something smaller (golf balls, those small kinder yellow eggs insides) or tenis balls?
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Re: Newb questions
Reply #11 - Oct 16^th, 2017 at 10:15am

I haven't used golf balls personally (not for any particular reason) but tennis balls can be good to practice with and the main reason I started using them is that I wanted to practice closer to home in a local park and tennis balls are a bit less intimidating for passersby than rocks Cheesy

8 tennis balls and a cardboard box target have worked well for me.

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You are a great guy Kick but also slightly scary at times. - Morphy
"Nothing matters, but it’s perhaps more comfortable to keep calm and not interfere with other people." - H.P. Lovecraft, in a letter to Frank Belknap Long, 7 October, 1923

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JudoP

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Re: Newb questions
Reply #12 - Oct 16^th, 2017 at 1:19pm

You will generally have a few hiccups in finding a decent working pouch. My first type of sling (woven cupped pouch) was pretty much ineffective, either being too cupped to release properly or too small to hold ammo.

There are a few simple designs that work pretty well:

-Split strap (as pictured above, very elegant/simple and effective)

-Simple flat leather pouch (make sure it's large enough though, can also add a hole or small slit to the middle to increase natural cupping)

-Simple shaped leather pouch (see the stickied thread for a few designs, 6 hole works well)

-Seatbelt style pouch (these are still some of the best performing slings I have, most of my go to slings are a variant of this pouch).

-Braided split pouch (potentially less reliable than the others depending on construction and ammo, and takes more time to make, but only requires string).

Note that you don't have to use leather (though scrap leather is very cheap on ebay) any tough material will do the job.

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Morphy

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Re: Newb questions
Reply #13 - Oct 16^th, 2017 at 7:25pm

Aussie's FAQ and Masiakasaurus "ASK QUESTIONS HERE" thread have a lot of good info.

I say this because you can easily learn in a few months of casual reading what might otherwise take years or decades to learn by yourself.

The slings have been covered pretty well. For ammo, if your in town tennis balls are good but my favorite non-threatening ammo are those little dog tennis balls. They are smaller and denser and therefore have better properties for slinging. If you can find an old abandoned building you have a perfect backstop. Youll never lose or have to go looking for your ammo (hard to overstate that), and sometimes the
tennis balls bounce back to you.

Personally I prefer stones, clay and concrete. Ive never had an issue with hurting myself or others. But to each their own. No harm in erring on the side of caution either.

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Musketeer Tiro Offline Slinging Rocks! Posts: 34	Re: Newb questions Reply #14 - Oct 18^th, 2017 at 4:53pm Btw. what is optimal length of first sling? 1-3,5 ft?
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