This is on my list of things to make. Ive wanted one for a long time. Always worried I would break my hand though lol. Ive seen some people that are extremely good with them.

Yeah it's ridiculous. Slings struggle with even light armor? Imagine being so off the mark. 

That video is super old now though. I would love for him to talk about it again and in more detail.

Hey here are some updates.
I made a new bow and this one is really powerful. Unlike the previous bows this one could very well be used for bird hunting and something like that.

When trying an alternative string design I realized how important string stability (i.e. the less easily the pouch spins around itself) is so here are some thoughts on that. All this discussion was made in relation to the twist technique.


String stability
Basically, the more stable pouch the more accurate the pellet bow is.
Some sketches of possible string designs.



My two first bows had design #1. Starting out this time, the new bow had design #4. This was VERY unstable, it constantly fired in all directions and was the reason I added the warning the usage section. #3 was also bad, but less so, and #2 was better. My take is that long, or even short, stretches of thin string is VERY susceptible to twisting around itself and must be avoided.

Now all these 4 designs have the string being unified in a pair of knots. I made this because I figured that it would evenly distribute the pull from the pouch onto the bow limb and that it would make twisting the pouch more efficient. Getting rid of this all together, like in #6 and #7, would make the pouch even more stable but I don't know the overall effect of these designs.

Design #5 would basically be a hybrid between these two designs.
#8 is a thick, single string.

I don't know what effect placement of the wooden dividers have on accuracy.
Currently, I favour design #2 because I use the alignment of the dividers to aim making it beneficial to place them close to the pouch. #1 works but it is more difficult to aim with. Design #3-4 is bad.


SerKraus wrote on Mar 27^th, 2021 at 11:14am:

Since making this thread I HAVE actually become interested in making a stonebow if simple and easy crossbows exist.




The picture shows the new bow when it still had string design #3. I also had to secure the dividers with additional string.

I definitely haven't gotten to do any modifications on the pouch but I do have some ideas on the subject.

This guy says that smaller pouches are more accurate.
http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,50771.0.html
On the same link are some designs similar to what you envisioned, with very scant pouches.



When I first started making these I weaved a pouch with string like a simple sling. That worked ok. 
I do think that how firmly the pellet sits in the pouch without rolling around is a big factor in accuracy. My solution would be to make a pouch that has a slight cone shape but this is all just speculation right now.

Morphy wrote on Apr 9^th, 2021 at 11:16am:

Oh yeah, you are right. You do need to make one. And you don't know that you need to do it until you have already done it.

Morphy wrote on Apr 10^th, 2021 at 7:17pm:

Yeah, one definitely can. I do wonder how big and heavy of a pellet one can use with a sufficiently large bow and in turn how large the animals you can hunt are. Birds are viable target for sure.
The upper limit of pellet weight must be similar to that of the heaviest arrow in use methinks.

Morphy wrote on Apr 10^th, 2021 at 7:17pm:

That is the BEST part of the pellet bow. It feels so nice to pick up a pebble and hit right dead on target on your first try. You still need practice but it is miles upon miles easier than slinging. Sorry sling, I have a new rock hurling favourite.


Morphy wrote on Apr 10^th, 2021 at 7:17pm:

I haven't had many issues with that. The biggest challenge to me is holding the bow still. But that is just training of arm muscles and having the right posture. I just realized recently that you have have to stand with your side to the target like when doing regular archery. Makes it so much easier.

Ok, three new things.

Firstly, I made a pouch that was half the height of the previous and it certainly improves accuracy.
Secondly, I drew a couple of lines on the top wooden divider so you can more easily aim. When the lines align with the target you are pointing dead at it. This could further be improved on by attaching two small sticks on the back and front of the wooden divider so that when they align you are aiming at the target. Almost like a gun scope.
Thirdly, by mistake I made and used a bowstring with sides of uneven length, the right side being longer. While I originally advised against this I found it to improve accuracy if anything. I did find my previous symmetrical bow string to have a tendency to fire to the left on my new bow, so maybe this evened it out?

Honestly, point #1 and #3 happened sorta in the midst of each other so I'm not sure how much each has affected the other.
Anyways, there still are tons of aspects to the pellet bow that needs further testing.



Archaic Arms wrote on Apr 11^th, 2021 at 12:25pm:

I disagree.
I have so far used little finger nail sized clay pellets and fired them a reasonable distance. Now I have also used thumb nail sized clay pellets and found that they fly longer if anything. And that is with my novice home made bow, made with a bad bow wood that has been fire hardened way to much. Finally, I probably haven't made a max draw yet (cause I don't know how long that is). A professional bow definitely could fire a golf ball sized rock several tens of meters at a pretty low angle.

A problem with bigger ammo though is that it misfires much more easily. I think this is because it more easily rolls around in the pouch.
Your pouch design sounds very good and I might look into it someday. I think a simpler solution is to make a pouch that is wider than the width of the string split so it acts like a slingshot pouch.