Matthias wrote:
" I'd have to argue that golf balls are a proper sling projectile for a lot of people! Particularily for those in the city"

Well, I agree golf balls are good sling projectiles, though a little light. In Australia they play a golf modality called cross-golf, or something so, and they use elliptic golf balls that are better for the sling. The versatility of the sling allows to use any kind of projectiles, and along the history they have been used many types according the circunstances or the availability of materials, being the most common the stones, and the best one the lead glandes.
If the sling were a modern sport it woul have an exclusive projectile, like in golf, baseball or tennis, and I wonder whow woul be such a projectile. Maybe the standard would be a cheap, heavy concrete ellipsoide, and of course another special for range made of lead. Then nobody would be trying tennis balls or golf balls, in the same way golf or tennis players don´t try stones or lead glandes . That doesn´t means that there is not a lot of fun throwing such funny things like eggs, potatoes, bottles or cats and dogs ... but to simulate it in a calculator or to train usually with them I think is to be a little  disorientated about what a sling is. Only in a first learning it would be excusable to use soft projectiles like tennis balls, etc.

Well, I think this opinion will have many objections, so I´ll stay on waiting some tennis and others softballs thrown against me

About historical projectiles I´ll try to define and average  for each one, though they have been used differents designs and weights and it´s not an easy task  

Hobb,
of course that one can sling whatever and wherever he wants and especially when he have problems to find the proper ammo and place, as being the sling an incipient sport there are not  specific courts and standardized ammo avalaible, as you say. It´s just that I´ve practise many years with the sling and sometimes forget that it is not comparable with golf or baseball, and I would like to use a simulator like those of them that not include anything but its proper balls. But about our incipient sling sport welcome then all the help the beginners can have.

Matthias,
here is an approach to the historical projectiles, that must be understood only like "typical" ones better than averages, what is very difficult to calculate without a extensive data collection and otherwise has no much sense as there are many shapes and measures for each type.

NEOLITHIC:
Shape: ellipsoidal 2:1 or biconical.
Material: Clay
Measure: 5.4 x 2.7 cm.
Weight: 35 gr.

BALEARIC:
Shape and Material: natural stones, spherical or ellipsoidal low ratio.
Measure: 7 cm aprox.
Weight: 436 gr. (1 mina)

ROMAN GLANS:
Shape: pointed ellipsoide 2:1
Material: lead
Measure: 3.4 x 1.7
Weight: 60 gr

MEDIEVAL:
Shape: spherical or ellipsoidal low ratio.
Material: smooth stones
Measure: 5.5 cm
Weight: 225 gr

PACIFIC ISLANDS:
Shape: pointed ellipsoide  1.75:1 (lemon shape)
Material: basalt
Measure : 5.5 x 3.15
Weight: 115 gr


Hope it will help

Quote:


Yeah... well, one must accept his own responsabilities  

It´s a good idea to include a picture of each projectile type. About Balearic one, Vicente posted good pictures of the local stones they use, one of them was around 400 gr and match quite well the ancient projectiles of one "mina".
The Pacific projectiles are all very similar and you have one in the Home page and others at the end of the Gallery, I think. As for Roman glandes, there are lots of pictures, I can send you hundreds, mainly this typical I said. Clay glandes pictures are also available, I´ll look for someone. And about medieval smooth stones nobody could diferenciate a modern one  . When I have the time I´ll try to make a "collage" with all the types in an only picture to compare the sizes and shapes.