Hi im new here, name's Paul.

I was reading alot about clay balls and wondering if you mean small balls you made then fired them or just raw clay made into a ball and letting it dry?

Welcome Paul

I know that one guy together with friends has built the special furnace for burning the clay projectails and the dishes. He writed in e-mail that the only dried projectails (not burned) are compact enought, but they are not moisture-proof. They are one-shot of course.

However I have no my own experiences with such projectiles, I use the stones.

Jurek

Hi Paul and Yurek, I find clay missils so good and their main feature is than you can shape them as you want, with good ballistic features. They are better if only dried at sun, as they are heavier than beaked ones because of the water retained. Stones are better  if they have the appropiate shape, but is more difficult and each stone are lightly diferent in weight and shape even if selected. Clay balls can be standardize and this is the advantage that made them de war missils in antiquity, before lead missils.
The clay must contain a proportion of sand to be shock resistant, and if you don´t shoot against rocks or walls, you can reuse the missils.

Salud
Jesús

Ok thanks for the info guys. I'll make a few balls tonight and see what its like throwing them. I cant really fire them at this time of the year because I put my fireplace away for the winter. I usually fire small pots I make from natural dugup clay in the summer.

Ive been only using the sling on and off for about a year now (mostly the last week lol). I throw at an old apple and pear orchard so my ammo is thousands of slowly rotting apples and pears under every tree.

I can hit a tree sometimes with them, out to 50 yards. Alot better than 5 days ago :)

Welcome Paul,

I used clay projectiles for quickly testing projectile shapes.  You can read about it in the articles section, Titled "Roman glandes, projectile tests".

Chris