Post by Slyngorm on Mar 25th, 2021 at 4:16pm
I recently realized how perfect a weapon the slingshot is.
It utilizes eyesight aiming unlike a sling and is small enough to carry in a bag. It uses pebbles as ammunition but also arrows.
But it has an enormous flaw: rubber
Vulcanized rubber is extremely difficult to make.
In the wild you will make a gun from scratch sooner than you will make a slingshot. And for that reason slingshots aren't primitive weapons.
Luckily an alternative exists.
The pellet bow
This is the only traditional alternative to the slingshot that I have come across (I don't count the stone bow). It is basically a bow with a pouch on the bowstring that holds a pebble. It is used by twisting the handle so the projectile flies past the bow frame.
Construction
Bowstring
The bowstring must have a pouch somewhere near the middle. The less easily the string rotates around itself the more accurate the bow will be. It can be constructed in several ways.
[list bull-blackball]Split string
The bowstring consists of a circular string with a pouch suspended between each side. The string is separated by two small wooden pieces between the strings.
The wooden pieces must be tightly stuck in place. An easy way to do this is to simply jam a toothpick through the rope under each wooden piece.
It is important that the two sides of the rope is of even length otherwise the bow will tend to shot to one side.
[list bull-blackball] Single string
A pouch on a single string. The string is often very thick. This is to prevent the pouch from spinning around itself.
[list bull-blackball] Something in between
The Bow
The bow frame is just a regular bow.
When using certain techniques the bow must be modified a little. Further explanation below.
The pouch is either placed a little bit higher than where you grip the bow or have the pouch on the middle of the bow while you hold slightly below it.
In some versions the bow is curved or shaped asymmetrically for easier departure of the pellet.
Some really advanced pellet bows consist of two bows joined together or split in the one end.
This thread is a nice read and details someone making and configuring a pellet bow
http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php?topic=50771.0n
Usage
Warning: pellet bows can misfire and shoot in all directions. Starting off using light ammunition and eye protection is advisable.
There are at least two ways of using it.
This one I most often see described and used.
Flinch technique
1. Hold bow frame straight
2. Place pellet in the pouch, gripping top to bottom
3. Aim above the pouch
4. Draw pouch back
5. Shortly before/after you release the pouch swiftly move/twist the bow frame towards the side of your arm holding the bow
The last step is akin to slinging in that you must intuitively feel how to flinch the bow. It is however miles easier to learn than using a sling.
I learned it by watching this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpVO8iaIY4w
This one was inspired by an instruction I found here
http://www.atarn.org/letters/letter_summaries.htm#pellet
Twist technique
1. Hold the bow frame at an angle
2. Place pellet in the pouch, gripping top to bottom
3. Aim above the pouch
4. Draw the pouch straight backwards, with the pouch perpendicular to the target
5. Let go
This technique relies solely on eyesight aiming.
It doesn't make a difference at what angle you hold the bow in terms of power and accuracy though small angles are easier to hold. If your grip is not strong enough the bow will consistently shot to the right of your target (if you hold the bow with your left hand).
When drawing, make sure that you pull straight backwards. Avoid this by aiming at the target from before you draw and until you let go.
[list bull-blackball] Extra construction for twist technique
It is difficult to grip a regular bow handle at an angle. Solve this by tying a piece of wood to the bow, which must have a flat side, making a handle. The pouch can be placed in the dead centre of the string if you hold your fingers and thumb on the same side of the handle.
The more your bow curves when strung the less angle you have to hold it at for the pellet to be able to shot past the bow.
You can also use the flinch technique with a bow designed for the twist technique.
I read somewhere that a bow to be used with this technique can with benefit be constructed asymmetrically so the ends stick out to one side. Though this is not necessary.
My bows
I have used these bows with the twist technique and for regular archery. Each end of the split string is collected in a knot below the limb. They both work fine though aren't powerful enough to fire anything but pebbles a reasonable distance.
Conclusion
No matter what technique you use the pellet bow may be a little bit trickier to use than a slingshot but honestly I haven't used one very much.
It is of course, still miles easier to learn than a sling. After using either technique for about 3-4 days I became infinitely more accurate at pellet bowing than I currently am at slinging.
Now, MAYBE I have simply grown on this idea so much and practiced with the pellet bow so much that I have simply deluded myself into thinking I am solely using eyesight aiming using the twist technique. But I really do believe that is NOT the case.
And if so, there you have it: a primitive weapon that can launch blunt objects utilizing NOTHING but eyesight aiming. A true primitive slingshot.
However, even if it is true there is still a lot to be learned about the pellet bow.
Now I wonder how big projectiles can be used with this. Obviously a more powerful bow can shoot heavier objects. Considering the issue of pellet bows being larger than slingshots I wonder how you can make the smallest bow that still is as powerful as a slingshot.
Altogether, a completely awesome weapon that has definitely become my new favourite.
It utilizes eyesight aiming unlike a sling and is small enough to carry in a bag. It uses pebbles as ammunition but also arrows.
But it has an enormous flaw: rubber
Vulcanized rubber is extremely difficult to make.
In the wild you will make a gun from scratch sooner than you will make a slingshot. And for that reason slingshots aren't primitive weapons.
Luckily an alternative exists.
The pellet bow
This is the only traditional alternative to the slingshot that I have come across (I don't count the stone bow). It is basically a bow with a pouch on the bowstring that holds a pebble. It is used by twisting the handle so the projectile flies past the bow frame.
Construction
Bowstring
The bowstring must have a pouch somewhere near the middle. The less easily the string rotates around itself the more accurate the bow will be. It can be constructed in several ways.
[list bull-blackball]
The bowstring consists of a circular string with a pouch suspended between each side. The string is separated by two small wooden pieces between the strings.
The wooden pieces must be tightly stuck in place. An easy way to do this is to simply jam a toothpick through the rope under each wooden piece.
It is important that the two sides of the rope is of even length otherwise the bow will tend to shot to one side.
[list bull-blackball]
A pouch on a single string. The string is often very thick. This is to prevent the pouch from spinning around itself.
[list bull-blackball]
The Bow
The bow frame is just a regular bow.
When using certain techniques the bow must be modified a little. Further explanation below.
The pouch is either placed a little bit higher than where you grip the bow or have the pouch on the middle of the bow while you hold slightly below it.
In some versions the bow is curved or shaped asymmetrically for easier departure of the pellet.
Some really advanced pellet bows consist of two bows joined together or split in the one end.
This thread is a nice read and details someone making and configuring a pellet bow
http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php?topic=50771.0n
Usage
Warning: pellet bows can misfire and shoot in all directions. Starting off using light ammunition and eye protection is advisable.
There are at least two ways of using it.
This one I most often see described and used.
Flinch technique
1. Hold bow frame straight
2. Place pellet in the pouch, gripping top to bottom
3. Aim above the pouch
4. Draw pouch back
5. Shortly before/after you release the pouch swiftly move/twist the bow frame towards the side of your arm holding the bow
The last step is akin to slinging in that you must intuitively feel how to flinch the bow. It is however miles easier to learn than using a sling.
I learned it by watching this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpVO8iaIY4w
This one was inspired by an instruction I found here
http://www.atarn.org/letters/letter_summaries.htm#pellet
Twist technique
1. Hold the bow frame at an angle
2. Place pellet in the pouch, gripping top to bottom
3. Aim above the pouch
4. Draw the pouch straight backwards, with the pouch perpendicular to the target
5. Let go
This technique relies solely on eyesight aiming.
It doesn't make a difference at what angle you hold the bow in terms of power and accuracy though small angles are easier to hold. If your grip is not strong enough the bow will consistently shot to the right of your target (if you hold the bow with your left hand).
When drawing, make sure that you pull straight backwards. Avoid this by aiming at the target from before you draw and until you let go.
[list bull-blackball]
It is difficult to grip a regular bow handle at an angle. Solve this by tying a piece of wood to the bow, which must have a flat side, making a handle. The pouch can be placed in the dead centre of the string if you hold your fingers and thumb on the same side of the handle.
The more your bow curves when strung the less angle you have to hold it at for the pellet to be able to shot past the bow.
You can also use the flinch technique with a bow designed for the twist technique.
I read somewhere that a bow to be used with this technique can with benefit be constructed asymmetrically so the ends stick out to one side. Though this is not necessary.
My bows
I have used these bows with the twist technique and for regular archery. Each end of the split string is collected in a knot below the limb. They both work fine though aren't powerful enough to fire anything but pebbles a reasonable distance.
Conclusion
No matter what technique you use the pellet bow may be a little bit trickier to use than a slingshot but honestly I haven't used one very much.
It is of course, still miles easier to learn than a sling. After using either technique for about 3-4 days I became infinitely more accurate at pellet bowing than I currently am at slinging.
Now, MAYBE I have simply grown on this idea so much and practiced with the pellet bow so much that I have simply deluded myself into thinking I am solely using eyesight aiming using the twist technique. But I really do believe that is NOT the case.
And if so, there you have it: a primitive weapon that can launch blunt objects utilizing NOTHING but eyesight aiming. A true primitive slingshot.
However, even if it is true there is still a lot to be learned about the pellet bow.
Now I wonder how big projectiles can be used with this. Obviously a more powerful bow can shoot heavier objects. Considering the issue of pellet bows being larger than slingshots I wonder how you can make the smallest bow that still is as powerful as a slingshot.
Altogether, a completely awesome weapon that has definitely become my new favourite.
