Many years ago during a canoeing rally I got an occasion to use the sling for self defence. One night when we were siting around the fire, some bad guys started to lob stones, quite big stones over our heads. The stones were landing badly close to us hitting the ground, trunks and a few canoes. It wasn't funny at all. We immediately took shelter behind the tries.

After a moment I noticed that they are were using slings as they were able to toss big stones so far and high. To me it was a kind of gentle lobbing. I recalled that I had a sling in my backpack (I hadn't used this before there and no one knew about it). I grabbed my backpack, a few poor shaped stones and a big potato that were around of the fire and went a few dozen meters along the bank in order to hide myself in the dark.

When I found a good place between tries I started slinging in the direction where I heard noises they were making. I was slinging hard and straight but aiming high under the rascals' heads - not directly against them. The bad shaped stones were making scary noises and loud crackles and ricochets among the treetops. There was only three or four shots - I had no more stones. The potato was too huge for my sling so I hurled it by hand with full power directly into the place where I detected them. Just after the throw we heard something like "o... f**k!" And it was finish of their bad action. We quickly launched some canoes in order to catch the hooligans but there was nobody on the other bank when we got there.

After the adventure I was asked asked by my fellows what I had done. My only answer was - "secret of Shaolin" It was funny to keep them curious. Just a little story.

In this case the sling was effective because of a psychological effect. But I think the sling isn't a good tool of self defense in close attacks. Sometimes in stress even handgun can't help. Some years ago they showed a real movie where a bank robber wasn't able to hit a bank guard which was struggling on the floor just 2 meters away. The robber run out whole magazine and didn't hit the guard. I agree, the best way is to avoid direct confrontations as long as possible. Self defense is an extremity.

You are Shaolin Yurek. Cool experience.

That's a good one shaolin Yurek! I think in that case i wouldn't minded to sling directly at them.If i hit them,it's god's will
In such a case an H-1 or H2 projectile would be very useful.If you jusst sling one or two by them,they would crap their pants.

Thanks guys. I am glad you liked my little story It was an exciting adventure and fortunately no one wasn't injured or killed on the both sides. I believe the bad guys had got a chance to grow more reasonable. And yes, it's a great pity that H1 and H2 hadn't been invented in that time but remember it was stone age

It must have been a strange experience, not only to be randomly attacked like that, but by slings of all things. Most of us have never met (or very rarely meet) any other slingers, and really most of us who do are just people passing by mentioning they know how

I think you definately did the right thing, scare the crap out of them but dont hit them. Even if they where out of order and a danger to you and your friends, the damage a well thrown sling stone can do is horrific and it would really have to be a last resort to do that to any person. Well done for keeping a good head and knowing how to react.

Always cool to hear stories like these though

Nemo

I remember when CA was standing in the landing zone when we were distance shooting at a slinging meet a few years back.  He said it was pretty un-nerving to be there.  I can well imagine what it must have been like to have Yurek "screaming" sharp edged missles over those guys and having the missles banging off the trees.  When I am out in the woods doing such stuff, about every third (or so) rock will knock a branch off and you can hear that falling down after the initial impact.  You'd have to be pretty "smashed" to not take off running away as fast as you could with that going on...

I recommend anyone who "carries" (handgun) also arm themselves with a small can of "above 10%" concentration pepper spray.  If you present a lethal response to a non-lethal threat, in most states in the US you can be charged with "assault with a deadly weapon"... and that's even if there was ten of the thugs to just you and your sweetheart.

NL ammo for slings... there are several different densities and durometers of small rubber balls available throughout the world...  might be worth experimenting with a few...

GOW

Yup... knives are considered "lethal" by most states and even if they're not, a jury would likely agree they are.