After reading a bunch of posts on this forum in the first year and a half or so of my slinging journey, I decided I just have to join! It's fascinating to be able to see so many of us gathered in one place, and moreso, that this forum is still alive and kicking.
I've come in contact with the sling a while ago through media like video games, but discredited it on accounts of being hard to use and impractical(how wrong I was). But after developing an interest in ancient weapons, I came across the staff sling, which took me right back to the sling. Therefore, I've been practicing on and off for a year or two. I've got some decent area accuracy, but I'm still kind of struggling with point targets at close range. Still, I'd say I've shown some serious improvement in this time. I've never properly measured my range outside of using google maps(which seems quite inaccurate) but I'd guesstimate it to be around 200m,even with longer slings. Disappointing, but then again, most of the long range shots are made with lead, aren't they?
I've managed to teach a good friend of mine to be around my level( he says I'm better, I say he is), and we gift each other the occasional sling, but there's a serious lack of slingers in my country. I'm not aware of anybody else. Now, this would be sad, if I couldn't tell myself I can throw a rock the hardest in my region, if not my country(or so I'd like to think, there's probably some veterans out here.)
Either way, I won't plague you with too much unnecessary information, but I hope this forum will help me become even better (I've started reading all the advice posted). I don't know how much I have to teach, but I can definitely ask the occasional question.
Thanks for having me!