Where I live the only projectiles considered weapons are those traveling at 500fps or faster.  Tennis balls won't do that unless shot from a potato cannon maybe and I don't think the stones I am throwing are either, but I don't know a lot about the speed of them.  Any object, (even a pen,) is considered a weapon or deadly weapon depending, when used to commit an assault or crime.  So as long as you are not throwing stones at the neighbors dog and do not use it where it may be unsafe, (throwing rocks in the park, near houses etc.) I don't see a problem.  I live on a small tourist island known for the fishing industries, people come for the lobster and to see the herring weirs.  There is only a Mountie on the island periodically, sometimes gone for a week even.  Thus we do not have to worry to much about what we do and don't.  But when I am on the mainland I often go down on the beaches at low tide and walk out as far as I can and throw stones out into the bay, (don't do it near docks,) and I just make sure I am out of sling range of any houses or roads in sight.

walter wrote on Apr 6^th, 2010 at 4:43pm:


Aka walking heavy, packing heat, strapped, etc.

same. i have a friend or two who i am tutoring on the usage of the sling... we are careful. one great projectile is rock salt. drill a glass window? no prob- the salt sprays everywhere. . here's my take (and my city/state i think): unless you carry deadly Ammo, then you have a nice piece of art. Deadly Ammo= hard/heavy/sharp objects. also, i have police officers on my street. i am actually good friends with them. i would probably be in jail now if the sling is a weapon. they come watch me sling sometimes. no prob, and they are still impressed with my power. ill hopefully post a tutorial soon on rock salt projectiles.

In France, the legal status of weapons is defined by the "Décret n°95-589 du 6 mai 1995 relatif à l'application du décret du 18 avril 1939 fixant le régime des matériels de guerre, armes et munitions" (concerning war materials, weapons and ammunitions) (125 articles...).

Weapons are classified in 8 different categories and the sling can be put under the 6th, Art. 2 §1 :
"6e catégorie : Armes blanches.
Paragraphe 1 : Tous objets susceptibles de constituer une arme dangereuse pour la sécurité publique, et notamment les baïonnettes, sabres-baïonnettes, poignards, couteaux-poignards, matraques, casse-tête, cannes à épées, cannes plombées et ferrées, sauf celles qui ne sont ferrées qu'à un bout, arbalètes, fléaux japonais, étoiles de jets, coups de poing américains, lance-pierres de compétition, projecteurs hypodermiques."
Anything that may be a dangerous weapon for public safety, including [...] crossbow, nunchuk, shurikens, knuckle dusters, competition slingshot[...]

The Art 46-1 state that you are free to buy and possess any weapon of the 6th category if you are over 18.
If you are a minor, you can't buy a sling (or a sword cane). But you can have one if you are over 16, your parent (or equivalent) authorised it AND you are a licenced of a sport federation having an official ministerial accreditation.

BUT, according to the Art 57 you cannot carry them without "legitimate reasons". One of those reason seems to be the practice of a sport, in a federation accredited. You also have to carry them in such a way they can't be easily used, either by using a security system or by taking it apart (or at least an important part).

So slings are legal to buy and own, maybe not to carry and not if you carry them with rocks or lead ammo. Of course, you can't be sent to jail for having shoelaces, but...

I would love to know and replicate the way archery became such a socially accepted and legal weapon in almost every country. Even Australia which arguably has one of the toughest sets of firearm and weapon restrictions in some states perfectly accepts the weapon as legal and unregulated to purchase and keep.

There's a reason why the bow isn't illegal and other weapons such as slingshots, blowguns and various weapons don't have legal clubs or avenues to legally use in most countries. Perhaps it's because high society adapted the bow into their culture or has rules and a regulated competition. Despite many accidents, illegal hunting and perhaps even murders with the bow it remains completely legal and unregulated. It seems to be such a solid part of culture that almost nothing can tarnish its legal standings or its image.

I believe slings, slingshots and blowguns should all have a legal avenue to which you can practice and shot them as part of a hobby or interest. I would like to live in a world where the sling is treated with the same respect and legal organization as the bow. I'm not sure how such an organization would come into existence but I hope that one day it will exist before the sling is recognized and exploited by questionable individuals. I'm guessing meetings with the law would be necessary to establish such a club.

The US definition for "Weapon of Mass Destruction" or WMD is anything nuclear, biological, or chemical capable of causing "high order destruction" and/or "mass casualties" and specifically excludes the delivery method. Shoot a glow-in-the-dark potato and it may be called a WMD, but the potato gun won't be. There is no formal agreement over how much destruction or how many injuries constitutes a WMD. I've found a lot of weapon laws are written to be this broad, so as to fold new ideas and concepts in with minimal changes. That and lawmakers don't usually know much about what they are legislating.

Camo-sling wrote on May 15^th, 2013 at 10:25am:




I wouldn't speak too loudly with regards to bows mate. It is currently in the system to have bows registered and bow owners licenced along the same lines as firearms. It's just a matter of how soon it makes it to legislation.


Mick