Slinging.org Forum - Stone ammo weight consistency

Slyngorm

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Stone ammo weight consistency
Jan 27^th, 2020 at 5:52pm

After finally realizing how important consistent ammo is I wonder what you consider the max weight difference between the heaviest and lightest of your pebbles?

I guess it also depends on the total weight of each rock but in my case I have 3 different stones weighing between 63 and 59 grams. I find 70-50 grams rocks to be quit comfortable to sling (if anything I like them lighter).

Also, what is the "roughest" stone you would throw? I find VERY few smooth, round, oblong rocks.

This situation is kinda lame since I have trouble finding good ammo of any size or shape in the first place Undecided

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Mersa Interfector Viris Spurii Offline Druid Posts: 2598 Australia Gender:	Re: Stone ammo weight consistency Reply #1 - Jan 27^th, 2020 at 6:10pm I like stones around 75-100 grams but I’m happy to go up to around 200 grams if it’s a dense material. I hate large projectiles and prefer them to be the size of a chicken egg or smaller. It all depends on your sling, technique and strength. I’m sure there will be varied answers.
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TheJackinati

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Re: Stone ammo weight consistency
Reply #2 - Jan 27^th, 2020 at 6:44pm

If it's terrible, porous limestone, which Is mostly what I sling with due to nothing else existing in the area... I tend to throw around 80-150~ grams. That's about fist-sized and up (It's not very dense).

With clay balls and biconicals, about egg-sized. 40-80 grams region is great. Same weight with lead.

Once it goes past 200 grams with me... my performance suffers. Maximum range with one of these will probably be about 80 metres or so.

I've never slung river rocks, so I don't know about those. But I'd wager they'd fly much better than crappy Limestone!

Edit: So I'd largely say that 80-40 is my general weight range. Extend it out a lot when I sling with limestone, because those are very inconsistant density-wise.

I think this makes a lot of sense, given that a lot of general-purpose slingstones found in excavations etcetera often fall within 40-80 grams.

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Mersa Interfector Viris Spurii Offline Druid Posts: 2598 Australia Gender:	Re: Stone ammo weight consistency Reply #3 - Jan 27^th, 2020 at 7:36pm I forgot to mention that I’ll sling almost anything that fits in my pouch so I definitely sling lighter stuff too, a good shape sometimes outperforms weight
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Kick

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Re: Stone ammo weight consistency
Reply #4 - Jan 28^th, 2020 at 2:49am

The biggest rock I've used and still use now and then, is 378g. This one in fact. I hadn't realised I had had it for so long Cheesy

http://slinging.org/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1479048754/21#21

For smallest, I've probably used ones down to 40g or so.

Those of course are the extremes. I also use lighter rocks nowadays than I used to. I would guess somewhere between 70g to 150g. I think most of us that have been slinging for a decent amount of time fall into this sort of range as you can see above.

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Curious Aardvark

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Re: Stone ammo weight consistency
Reply #5 - Jan 28^th, 2020 at 7:47am

you need to make clay ammo - as it happens I sell clay moulds

Clay is fairly cheap, and consistent ammo is the key to accurate throwing.

Stones are fun, but as you say, every single one is slightly different.

My preferred weigth is around 60-70 grams.

Up to about 4-500 grams is a comfortable weight to throw but I prefer the lighter missiles

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Slyngorm

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Re: Stone ammo weight consistency
Reply #6 - Jan 28^th, 2020 at 4:55pm

From the looks of the responses I will gather that a weight difference of 25-50 grams isn't something to worry about.
Btw, when some of you mention weight differences up to a 100 grams or more, are you talking about a slinging session with this much of a difference?
Like, if you throw 10 rocks in a row, are you able to accommodate for the first rock weighing 40 gram, the next one 150 and the next 60? Or is it separate sessions with 100-150 gram and 40-60 gram rocks?

Curious Aardvark wrote on Jan 28^th, 2020 at 7:47am:

Clay is fairly cheap, and consistent ammo is the key to accurate throwing.

Good idea. I'll definitely consider using clay.
I once considered golf balls but kept using stones because:
1. they're basically free
2. I feel that rocks are "the proper" sling ammunition

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Mersa

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Re: Stone ammo weight consistency
Reply #7 - Jan 28^th, 2020 at 5:51pm

I do a lot of my practice with odd stones, while it is definitely true that consistent ammo makes for a more accurate shot it is also true that when you only practice with that ammo that you lose accuracy with odd stones.

A few years back I practiced with a rubber ball. I was able to get my groups (multiple shots) the closest I ever have but when I changed ammo I was having trouble getting similar results unless I used the exact same stone over and over, so then I practiced with a honkey nut (Corymbia callophylla fruit) this gave me a range of almost identical shaped projectiles but at slightly different weights I didn’t achieve the same grouping as I was with the bell but I was happy but again when using odd stones I sucked.

Now I practice with almost anything and have found that I’m more accurate with odd stones than if I practiced with consistent ammo but I can also move onto consistent ammo and achieve good groups, I personally feel that odd stones make your accuracy as a whole improve, not just your accuracy with a specific ammo. So when I find a spot with consistent size and weight stones I perform but I’m also not disappointed if I’m throwing random stones. Also saves searching for stones.

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Kick

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Re: Stone ammo weight consistency
Reply #8 - Jan 29^th, 2020 at 5:16am

Slyngorm wrote on Jan 28^th, 2020 at 4:55pm:

I once considered golf balls but kept using stones because:
1. they're basically free
2. I feel that rocks are "the proper" sling ammunition

One thing to watch for with golf balls is rebounds. Don't sling against a hard flat target because they'll come right back at you with a vengeance.

Mersa wrote on Jan 28^th, 2020 at 5:51pm:

I do a lot of my practice with odd stones, while it is definitely true that consistent ammo makes for a more accurate shot it is also true that when you only practice with that ammo that you lose accuracy with odd stones.

I was doing basically all my practice with tennis balls last year and got somewhat good with them but when I went back to rocks I sucked (and still kind of do... Still got some time before Mallorca...). I agree that practicing with different weight stones can help with overall but I usually limit myself to 3 or 4 when I go out slinging. This is also because I have a limited number of stones and don't want to lose too many in the bushes.

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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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Mersa Interfector Viris Spurii Offline Druid Posts: 2598 Australia Gender:	Re: Stone ammo weight consistency Reply #9 - Jan 29^th, 2020 at 5:41am I really hope you do well at the competition kick, keep on practicing, and slyngorm I think the more you sling the better you will get regardless of the ammo, some of it is practicing the initial motions
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Kick Forum Moderation Offline Posts: 4451 Finland	Re: Stone ammo weight consistency Reply #10 - Jan 29^th, 2020 at 11:40am Mersa wrote on Jan 29^th, 2020 at 5:41am: I really hope you do well at the competition kick, keep on practicing Thanks!
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Slyngorm

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Re: Stone ammo weight consistency
Reply #11 - Jan 30^th, 2020 at 3:40am

Kick wrote on Jan 29^th, 2020 at 5:16am:

[quote author=457A6F787179647B160 link=1580165541/6#6 date=1580248538] This is also because I have a limited number of stones and don't want to lose too many in the bushes.

I (kinda) solved this problem by spray painting my ammo yellow. I still loose them, but over longer time as they are infinitely easier to find.

Mersa wrote on Jan 29^th, 2020 at 5:41am:

I think the more you sling the better you will get regardless of the ammo, some of it is practicing the initial motions

I'll be sure to remember that.
If a little inconsistency doesn't matter think I will use rocks within 50-80 grams. I have no shortage of those.

Mersa wrote on Jan 28^th, 2020 at 5:51pm:

A few years back I practiced with a rubber ball. I was able to get my groups (multiple shots) the closest I ever have but when I changed ammo I was having trouble getting similar results

Happened to me a few days ago with a marshmallow Tongue

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Kick Forum Moderation Offline Posts: 4451 Finland	Re: Stone ammo weight consistency Reply #12 - Jan 30^th, 2020 at 3:56am I have a few I spray painted red and blue but yellow would probably stand out better.
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Mersa Interfector Viris Spurii Offline Druid Posts: 2598 Australia Gender:	Re: Stone ammo weight consistency Reply #13 - Jan 30^th, 2020 at 4:01am Also a reflective tape or paint and a flashlight at night . Little trick from the archery guys
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Curious Aardvark

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Re: Stone ammo weight consistency
Reply #14 - Feb 5^th, 2020 at 6:54am

The biggest problem with competition slinging in mallorca for us foreigners is stons consistency.

What happens is that the locals who bring their own special stones - break all the good communal stones in the practice sessions and leave the dregs for the actual competition for everyone else.
They of course have saved their own special stones for the comp.

Special thanks goes out to Marcos from ibiza, who has ALWAYS generously shared his weighed stones with us foreigners.
he throws around the 100-110 gm mark - which I find ideal.

But generally you get the crap.
Hell, one year I gave up on the beach rocks and just picked stones up from the area itself. Didn't do too bad either.

Christian and uwe have been using baked clay glandes for a few years - so the precedent has been established.
I was going to bring a lot of my little clay skulls this year.
But, I guess some things weren't meant to be Sad

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Do All things with Honour and Generosity: Regret Nothing, Envy None, Apologise Seldom and Bow your head to No One - works for me

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