magnumslinger
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I don't sling a thing if I ain't got my sling!
Posts: 188
United Arab Emirates
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I have been checking bookshops today in Kuta, and haven't found the Guinness Wolrd record Book (for the slinging picture) yet. Some stores were on back streets before, and I haven't been able to find them yet. Stores here often open and close and reopen again sporadically, so it's hard ot tell whether a business is still here, but I may also have seen the book in Yogyakarta on Java, and I always visit both islands, so I'll look there, as well, and then look again here when I return on my way out if I don't find it here the first time. I'll also see, about the camera, etc. for the picture of what I like to use personally to sling rocks and bullets/glandes.
I have found that slinging three egg-sized rocks or three-to-four oz lead egg-shaped fishing sinkers is very effective from a fairly large-size triangular net pouch (about the size of my hand, only about half longer). When throwing very large bola-type weighs (+/-10 oz.), I only need two of these projectiles to give me the lateral spread advantage of a "shotgun" effect, but if hunting with the sling, I would recommend using the three 3-4 oz.-or-so stones. They group and triangulate well, covering a reasonable area to increase multiple, or at least single hit probability out to several meters. Since small game is generally engaged at pretty close distances, especially with primitive weapons, I would use a shorter 1.5-to-two foot sling, and a simple over-the-back centerline-preserved hanging carry while stalking the animal, with the pouch and stones/bullets resting dead center of my spine and near the small of my back, or slightly higher, and my thumb resting somewhere near my "rooster tail" crown or the center of the back of my neck. Then, when the time came, I would bring the slinging hand straight up overhead, then arcing down violently when the pouch had cleared the back of my head (OUCH! if you don't! you have been WARNED!!!), my knees bending, my front foot bending in a "falling" trigger step (as when executing a proper left jab in boxing to bring the body full weight violently forward, adding most of the force to the punch, or when using "gravitational marriage" when throwing a knife or spike) and bowing violently from the waist through the release, and bringing the throwing thumb directly down my centerline past the spot a couple of feet in front of the tip of my nose. All of this not only maximizes the power of the shot, but cuts the throwing/movement time down tremendously to prevent spooking the game/alerting an attacker thant you are not just scratching the back of your head or rubbing your neck, takes full advantage of instinctive gross motor movements in a self-defense or "deer/buck fever" situation when fine motor skills tend to go "bye-bye!" and is safer since it makes it harder for the stone(s) to fly out prematurely in a harmful direction with any power, thereby harming anyone or anything seriously. Furthermore, it increases the chances of consistent throwing, since the gross movement at the waste, shoulder and elbow is harder to unintentionally vary, deviating from the centerline. Therefore it is easier to concentrate on the vertical release timing, and therefore, tends to leave only the vertical timing/aiming point as the only remaining major variable in the equation. I have cut the training time and increased the safety factor tremendously when teaching new student slingers this method. But I use it, too, and would tend to prefer this method for many situations, anyway. It also gives the slinger a GREAT physical workout in all the right places for several other sporting activities, as well!
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