Hi all, just putting it out there that the distance competition is going on again. This year (as every year) it is in Austin, NV and it on the weekend of August 24-25 (weekend before labor day). I'm meeting up with the flight archers once again.

See this post for the details of location and rules.
https://slinging.org/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1717194029

Hope to see you there. If you are planning on coming, please message me and I can give you a better way to contact me.  I can give you all the details of where to stay and fly in/drive, etc. Now that I've actually been there and stayed in the local hotel and camped out on the lakebed, I am better suited to tell you about the options.

I shall look into flights . Not super confident but some small chance.

No worries man. If you could make it, that would be awesome, but it's reasonable if you can't.  Joe and Channing expressed interest but nobody committed to anything yet. I get it. It's a long way to go, especially since there next to nothing out there.

I'd love to get there, but this year is not looking good. :(

I'll be demonstrating slinging at the Oakenmist Renaissance Faire the weekend before.  Which I'm excited about.  But unfortunately I don't think I'll be able to do two long weekends in a row.

I do want to get out there.  I'm certainly no long distance slinger.  But I wonder if I could get something out to the 200 - 250 meter range with the ideal sling, projectile, etc.

@Joe No worries. You certainly don't need to travel to NV to sling 200-250m... just find a long golf course. If you can get a golf ball to 200yards, you could probably do 250m with the right ammo.

FWIW, as a former nearby resident your two closest airports will be Reno or Las Vegas.  It used to be cheaper to fly into Vegas, but the drive will be a little further.  Reno to Austin is around a three hour drive.  Las Vegas to Austin will be closer to five and a half.  Assuming the speed limit is still 70 mph.  Also, fair warning, much/most of central Nevada is "open range".  Cows have the right-of-way and fences are not required.  Rarely is it an issue, however, there was/is a 5-10 mile stretch south of Austin on 376 where you needed to pay attention especially at night. 

Also, unless something has changed, I would highly recommend filling up on any supplies before Austin.  Gas and food were/are always more expensive there.  If coming from Las Vegas I'd recommend stopping in Tonopah.  If coming from Reno, Fallon is your last option.

If coming from Las Vegas, I'd highly recommend taking the long/paved way Hwy 95 to 6 to 376 to 50.  There is a shorter route going north out of Tonopah past the solar project, but I don't know how much of that is paved.  If you want to be a bit adventurous and drive a little longer I'd recommend going north out of Vegas on Interstate 15.  Get off at the Alamo exit (also Hwy 93).  After you pass through Alamo you will want to turn onto Hwy 375. This is the "ET Highway" that takes you through Rachel and north of Area 51. 

One more thing, at that time of year, it will be baking hot during the day.  You might have a breeze start around noon.  Between the breeze and lack of humidity 100 F isn't horrible.  When the sun goes down the temperature plummets.  The last summer I live there we got 3" of snow in the valley on Memorial Day and it snowed on top of the mountains Labor day weekend.  The temperature dropping into the 40's is very possible, especially if you stay at a campground higher up one of the mountains.   Lastly, for the flat lander's, the elevation of the lake bed is probably around 5000'.  So, if you're used to being at sea level or 450' like me, don't be surprised is you're a little sluggish/tired.  Between the time and elevation change it took me nearly two months to fully acclimate.

Hope that is useful info for someone.  I wish I could go.  Maybe next year.  I've been wanting to get back there for several years to visit old friends.

Now for the less useful information.

If coming from Reno, once you are past Fallon note sand mountain as you drive by.  It is briefly shown in the original Top Gun.  Which was mostly shot at Fallon Naval Air station.  I heard someone cut down the shoe tree but I think there might be a new one.  Decent place to stretch your legs if needed while driving Hwy 50 "the loneliest highway in America".  I've driven all of Hwy 50 a couple times. 

I've only driven the "ET Highway" route once and it was at night coming back from St. George, UT.  On one stretch before Tonopah I set my cruise at 92, drove for over, and hour and never passed another vehicle.

If coming from Vegas up Hwy 95 you could turn west at Beatty and do a quick side trip to Death Valley.  The gift shop at Stovepipe Wells is a little over a half hour away.  Rhyolite is also worth an extra 10 min.  Several movies have been shot there.  Most notably The Island.  It's where Ewan McGregor finds the rattlesnake.  There is also the (in)famous Clown Motel in Tonopah.

If interested I could probably recommend a few more stops depending on which direction you're coming from.  I lived and worked in Round Mountain/Hadley which is located in the middle of Smoky Valley.  It was 50 miles to Austin and nearly the same to Tonopah.  Tonopah was the closest McD's and Fallon was the closest Walmart (3hrs). 

I'd also love to come, but not sure if it's feasible yet. Taking a look at flight and car prices now.

Thanks for all the tips @TheLowlyEngineer! Definitely going to go back to these if it looks like I'll be able to make it.

Ahh, doesn't look like I'll be able to make it this year, sorry!

:(

Well, if anyone is interested, I haven't heard from them.

As such, I'm changing plans. I'll be joining the flight archers at Bonneville Salt flats the weekend of Labor Day. (weekend after, 30 August -1 September.)

Good luck IronGoober (and everyone else participating). I would like to be there, but can not make it possible.


I did a distance session today and managed to get a stone past 300 m, but I think you can beat that.  ;)

https://youtu.be/5fuKNas3fzk

Thanks! I haven't heard from anyone. So I think it'll just be me and the archers.

If anyone is interested, here was a short piece done on the organizer that I thought was well done.

https://youtu.be/0d1p1OratRg?si=dHkmaF8hB-6Hov7o

Wow that is positively fascinating! I had no idea you could get that kind of range out of a bow, even drawing it with your feet  ;D

Also, I totally figured it out. Larry Bray and Harry Drake.

You need a first name that ends in -arry and a last name with one syllable. Guess I'll never get a record myself!

So, Bonneville salt flats were a total bust. I didn't find a single one of the lead glandes that I threw (I did 10, 4 with a tail). I had some decent throws, but nothing that felt crazy good.  I looked for 2 days (in between when the archers were out looking for arrows/shooting). The ground was so chewed up from all of the people driving on it that spotting the impacts was very difficult. I need to remember that it is not worth the effort next year. 

So, instead of staying through Sunday, I drove to the salt flat near Austin. I threw 15 glandes, found 12 of them (that was all I had time for. If I'd had longer, I'm pretty sure I could have pushed out my result even farther.) I'm cutting together that footage now. After I left Bonneville, the archers found 2 of the glandes, but they were only at like 300m.

I didn't break the record, but I got close.

I am sorry to hear that Bonneville was not suitable. But at least you can claim to have won two distance competitions: Bonneville and Austin.

Haha. I should start signing my email. "2x Austin Distance Champion"

My best throw was 467m, and I had a 452m and 440m throw. I also had another that felt like a good throw that I think might have broken the record, but I didn't locate (didn't realize I missed it until I got home). I'll link the video when it finishes.

In other news, Alan aparently broke the long standing footbow record from the 70's this last weekend!

Long form video: (I'll post a shorter one once I figure out what to cut)
https://youtu.be/r9POij14Csc

Shorter one:
https://youtu.be/_sXxLn56tdA

IronGoober wrote on Sep 1^st, 2025 at 5:49pm:

My best throw was 467m

Holy heck man!  That's amazing!  :thumb:

I haven't had a chance yet to get into the website and (try to) update your distance throw with the details you sent me.  We'll need to get this one posted there too.

Dude!

Those numbers are crazy!

I've been looking out my window trying to imagine a 467m throw.
That's sooo many streets over!

The fact that you're using that style of sling honestly warms my heart. :)

IronGoober wrote on Sep 1^st, 2025 at 5:49pm:

My best throw was 467m

Wow! I had to adjust the x-axis on my ballistic calculator to simulate that throw.

Ahh yeah that's lame they were hard to find. I'll join you next year for sure! Maybe we can brainstorm on some easier ways to find landing zones.

FloatingFlint wrote on Sep 2^nd, 2025 at 6:42am:

IronGoober wrote on Sep 1st, 2025 at 5:49pm: My best throw was 467m Wow! I had to adjust the x-axis on my ballistic calculator to simulate that throw.

I'm curious what release speed your simulator said. I would guess my release angle to be about 35-37 degrees.

@Rhonan  Your sling design is still the best distance sling I've used!

@erricrice Bonneville sucks, but Austin is amazing. They are actually really easy to spot @ Smith creek (relative to bonneville).

Had those loose sunglasses not messed with your throws, you'd have gotten +5 m on every throw. :D


Also, I'd say get rid of the tails. It's a gimmick. You don't need 'em.

Next year you break it .
Tungsten glandes!!!  Get that tiny bit more .
So close goober!!  DSSC winner and 10m off a WR

IronGoober wrote on Sep 1^st, 2025 at 5:49pm:

My best throw was 467m

Wow! This is some kind of magic of numbers, exactly 10 meters from the record!
ONLY 10 meters!
Legend! 8-)

IronGoober wrote on Sep 2^nd, 2025 at 12:45pm:

FloatingFlint wrote on 02. Sep 2025 at 12:42: IronGoober wrote on 01. Sep 2025 at 23:49: My best throw was 467m Wow! I had to adjust the x-axis on my ballistic calculator to simulate that throw. I'm curious what release speed your simulator said. I would guess my release angle to be about 35-37 degrees.

I do not have simulation data of biconical projectiles. So the input for my calculator is based on simulation data of a 50 g leaden ellipsoid with an aspect ratio of 2.2/1. For the air density I estimated about 1.0 kg/square m (1800 m above sea level, 25°C).

The calculator says:
- 74.5 m/s when the angle of attack stays under 10° (projectile orientation is following the trajectory)
- 76 m/s when the projectile is heavily overstabilized and does not change its orientation throughout the hole flight path

airtime:
- 9.0 s
- 9.8 s

I think the real release speed (for the red option) might be a little higher than calculated, because in reality, even with a perfect release, the projectile will do its precession movement which means that it is also pointing left and right at times and that will cost a little bit of energy.

---

Ok, my 'simulations' also suggest mid 70's as the likely velocity. But I'm fairly confident that my best throws were about 80m/s. No way of really knowing though. My chronograph doesn't want to work anymore.

I wish there were a way to measure and quantify wobble. Getting rid of wobble really seems to be the key to distance.

I have been trying to pause and slow down the video to get a closer look at the slings you were using.

Is there any chance you might show us a few photos?
I'm really interested in the dimensions, adaptations and design choices you made for those slings.

I have a few new ideas of my own now that I'm making slings again.

My friend, I just copied your sling almost exactly and made it longer.
The only 2 differences were that I didn't tighten this one like you did (the 50" (127cm), red one). and the pouch had additional strands added so it was 5 strand braid per side instead of 3 per side. It was a pretty floppy sling, but it still worked.

I used another sling for the tailed glandes, and it was only 43.5" (110cm), but tightened like yours.  It probably would have been great, but was just too short. Took me ages to finish that sling. Wish I would have made it longer.