How to make a slingshot from improvised materials. Powerful do-it-yourself steel slingshot

No matter how trivial it may sound, our childhood was much more interesting than that of today's younger generations. After classes, the girls hurried to the yard with rubber bands and skipping ropes, and the boys, having abandoned their briefcases after school, did not let go of their slingshots at all. And no one then bought them in the store, but everyone made his own. Today, children have become homebodies, spend more time at the computer or with a tablet. Maybe some boy will come across this article and find it interesting and use the tips given in it. And we will talk about how to make a slingshot with your own hands.

You can make a slingshot from the simplest improvised means. The most common and simplest option is wood.

How to make a slingshot out of wood

Required materials and tools: stick Y-shape, gum, piece of leather (rubber), knife.

You ask how to make a slingshot quickly so that you can use it right away? Of course, from the branch.

To do this, you just need to find a suitable stick on the street, the correct shape and strong enough so that it can withstand the load and not break. The stick will be the basis for the future slingshot.
Excess branches and knots will need to be cut with a knife.
Next, you may need to dry the workpiece if the branch is fresh. To do this, you can use a conventional oven.
The next step is to prepare the rods. You need to take any elastic band, measure the required length and make two pulls.
On the edges of the horns of the branch, in the places where the rods are attached, it is necessary to make indentations so that the elastic does not slip off.
Next, you need to make a platform for the projectile. It can be a piece of leather or rubber. It is necessary to give it a rectangular shape and make holes for the elastic at the edges. It is convenient to use a hole punch, but if there is none, you can make cuts with a knife or scissors.
This is followed by very elementary actions - the connection of all parts into a single structure.

Homemade slingshot from a board or plywood

You can go on a more difficult path - to cut out the base for a slingshot with a jigsaw from a board or plywood.

Sharp corners will have to be rounded off with emery or sandpaper, or wrapped around the handle with something. Most likely, every house has electrical tape. An excellent slingshot will come out, given that electrical tape comes in various colors. You can also use soft leather or other material that needs to be easily fastened, it will not slip on the handle. great idea will make a name inscription or some kind of symbol on the handle or horns. It used to be fashionable to burn out various patterns on wooden products using a soldering iron on wood. In the case of a slingshot, it can also come in handy.

Wire slingshot

Since making a slingshot out of wire is also very easy and fast, any boy can use this method as well.

Necessary materials and tools: a wire with a diameter of 2 mm and a length of 30-40 cm, an elastic band (cash or fishing), pliers and a knife.

As you may have guessed, the wire will serve as the basis of the slingshot.

The wire must be folded in half.
Approximately in the middle, take both ends of the wire in different directions and bend up. Next, you will need to use pliers to make the horns even. The lower part of the workpiece - a wire folded in half - will be the handle.
At the ends of the horns, about a centimeter or more from the edge, using a clerical knife or a regular one, you need to carefully cut off the insulation so that it can be removed and then put back on.
In the obtained cylinders from the insulation, you need to thread the ends of the elastic band and return the cylinders to their original place. Now they fit snugly enough, preventing the elastic from slipping out.

Here's how to make a DIY slingshot using wire.

How to make a slingshot from a bottle

An unusual option, but also a very simple design.

Required materials and tools: regular plastic bottle, ball and knife.

To make such a slingshot, you need:

Cut the neck out of the bottle
Attach a ball to it.

All! It's faster to do than to tell how to make a slingshot.

What can you shoot

All these slingshots are used for entertainment purposes. Any round berries, such as elderberry or mountain ash, can serve as projectiles for them. You can also make homemade bullets from thin aluminum wire. To do this, cut the wire 2-3 cm and bend the letter V.

You may also be interested in how to make a powerful slingshot.

Powerful slingshot

This design is no longer so simple, but also within the power of everyone.

Necessary materials and tools: metal wire with a cross section of 5 mm in diameter and a length of about 70 cm, 2 medical catheters No. 22, a piece of leather, a stick, electrical tape, pliers and tweezers.

Using pliers, you need to give correct form wire. Bend it in half and form an emphasis, handle and horns.
Then, if there is a soft rubber or dense foam cylinder, making it through hole in the center, thread it onto the wire and pull it to the stop. This is necessary so that the wire does not press the hand. You can also just wrap it well with iso or any other tape.
Next, you need to cut the stick of the required length, trying it on own hand. On the sides of the stick, make grooves for the wire.
Insert the future handle into the workpiece and wrap it with electrical tape or fix it with other material.
The ends of the horns also need to be insulated.
Now you need to prepare a platform for shells. Two holes must be made in the leather rectangle.
Next, you need to cut off the tips of the catheters and make small holes in them along the edges, put the catheter into a leather jacket. Through the hole made, using tweezers, push the other end of the catheter into the hole and tighten. Do the same with the other pull.
The free ends of the catheter must be put on a slingshot, after wetting them with any alcohol.

The article contains the most best options how to make a slingshot at home. Use one of them, but do not forget that you cannot shoot at people and animals! It is better to make your own small shooting range, where the targets will be cans. Invite more friends and have fun together. At the same time it will be possible to boast of "personal weapons".

"Carving with a knife. crafts from branches” is a book that will definitely come in handy this summer for boys and those adults who do not consider a folding knife a dangerous prank in the hands of children. First of all, having mastered the basic ones, it is worth making a slingshot - a real, well-aimed and very durable one. Today's master class on making a slingshot with your own hands will show you how to do it.

I became interested in slingshots as a child, quite naturally, as well as bows and arrows, various traps, tree houses and blowguns (we used small clay balls to shoot through our wonderful bamboo pipes). Although not everything I did with my many slingshots, I can be proud of, it was exciting, and useful too - for example, you could get a mango that hung far out of reach on a thin branch.

This work, of course, was for two. One stood under a huge, beautiful, ripe mango, and the other stood aside, armed with a good slingshot with charges of hard unripe guava or nuts. Naturally, the target was not the mango itself. Hitting the fruit would mercilessly damage it. The target was a long stem over a mango. If the “bullet” cut it off, then the mango fell directly into the hands (hopefully) of the waiting catcher.

So, here are the components of a Brazilian slingshot, brand "Mato Grosso", model of the 1950s (modernization of 2005, author Lübkemann): a fairly symmetrical slingshot made of deciduous wood; high-quality rubber medical tube (thickness depends on the tension you need), a piece of durable leather for leatherette and dental floss (yes, yes, dental floss! - you can use menthol, you can use it without smell, but I usually use waxed).

Here I must confess that as a boy in the jungle I used the good old rubber of car inner tubes, the tongues of old boots and laces! But I suspect that today it is difficult to find a car inner tube made of real rubber and it is not at all easy to find a leather boot tongue. As for flossing, I don't remember how I started using it, but it works great! It is very strong and does not slip when you tie it.

You will need:

Symmetrically (within reasonable limits) branching branch of a deciduous tree
Grinding sandpaper - a couple of types from fine to very fine (150 and 220).
rubber medical tube good quality
Leather for leatherette (saddle, heels)
Dental floss

Cut the handle to your preferred length. Round off the tops of the ramifications.

In this particular slingshot, we will remove the entire bark. On some of my slingshots, I left part of the bark - depending on the look I wanted.

Cut out a shallow "neck" at the top ends of the slingshot.

Cut the tubes to the required length, making an allowance for the fact that their ends will both wrap around the ends of the slingshot and fold through the holes you carefully cut in the skin.

When cutting these holes, proceed very carefully, making sure that the edges of the hole are smooth, without burrs and cuts that can lead to tearing of the skin.

It is necessary to tie the elastic bands to the slingshot together! One holds the slingshot and pulls the elastic (its “tongue” should be outside the fork), and the second, pulling the thread, tightly winds the thread around the elastic and ties it.

Don't skimp on the thread! Fold it in half and use a long thread. And tie several knots in the process of winding.

As an additional fastening, I cross the thread several times on the front side of the female part of the gum and around the neck of the slingshot.

Securely tie the elastic bands (also pulling them) to both holes in the leather.

Ready! Slingshots can be a lot of fun and rewarding if used correctly. In some places (eg. summer cottages) there are special restrictions on slingshots as throwing weapons. Be sure to check before use. That says it all!

The branch that we used for this slingshot, although of strong wood, is still probably a little thinner than I usually took for the rubber we used. A thicker branch would be more suitable - the one in the photo below.

Next time we will make a wooden fork for frying something tasty on a fire.

Discussion

The main thing is to be careful with such toys)) the kids are smart now, you never know what .. (

Dear dads and moms ... you don’t need to give your children slingshots ... since childhood I have had a scar just below the navel because of the slingshot ... the boys from the neighboring yard were naughty ...

Although I am a girl, but as a child, I loved to shoot cats and dogs from a slingshot)) as I remember ... I will shudder. Poor animals! What did they just not tolerate from me (

Comment on the article "Do-it-yourself slingshot: crafts for boys. Master class with a photo"

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Once upon a time, hunting was one of the main human activities. Successful results provided people not only with food, but also with clothes, shoes and even jewelry. In our time, commercial hunting has practically disappeared, and now it is more of a hobby. Expensive, requiring not only desire, but also certain skills. Weapons and devices have been invented in such quantity and quality that the hunter often only has to aim and pull the trigger. But real professionals do not recognize such tactics. Some of them also disapprove of such a type of weapon as a slingshot for hunting, considering it ineffective. However, this statement is controversial and in order to understand who is right, one should take a closer look at this ancient weapon.

No man needs to be explained what a slingshot looks like. Homemade slingshot, made from improvised materials, was in the hands of almost every boy. But remembering, still does not hurt. Moreover, modern hunting slingshots have undergone some improvements, and manufacturers have long ceased to use forked branches specially looked out for on a certain tree. Although the principle remains unchanged.

So, a slingshot for hunting consists of three main parts:

The base, which simultaneously serves as a handle and a place for attaching the harness.
Harness. From the elasticity and elasticity of which depends on the power and range.
Kozhetok. A specially selected piece of dressed leather in which a projectile is inserted.

Previously, the process of making a slingshot began with the search for a suitable branch. The type of wood also mattered. Oak, ash, cherry or apple tree were best suited for this purpose. A dense forked branch was tied with twine and left for a while so that it would take desired shape. Only after that the blank for the slingshot was cut off. The bark was removed from it, polished and fired.

A multi-layer elastic tourniquet was attached to the upper ends, in the middle of which a skin was fixed - a small piece of dressed leather. Then it was necessary to shoot the slingshot, because it is impossible to make products identical in strength, range, accuracy and lethality.

IN modern models other materials are used. More durable and flexible.

Shooting principle

A projectile is laid in the skin. The tourniquet is pulled strongly. The distance of the target in this case does not play a role. The projectile must receive the maximum charge of kinetic energy. Not only power, but also the accuracy of the shot depends on this. Aiming is carried out. Then the skin is abruptly released, the tourniquet instantly contracts and sends a projectile. At the same time, the speed can reach 70-90 m / s, and the range is 200-250 meters. These indicators are not applicable to all types of slingshots. Everything will depend on the material from which it is made, the design features and the type of projectile.

Ammunition

There isn't much variety here. But after many years and even centuries practical exercises, three types of projectiles for hunting slingshots were chosen:

Plastic balls, various weights and sizes. On the hunt, they are not very effective, or rather, too light, but they are ideal for training.
Metal buckshot and shot. This one is just combat options.
And, of course, small-sized and suitable-shaped pebbles. This type of shells can be easily found right on the spot.

Advantages and disadvantages

The controversy on this topic will never subside. Some consider the slingshot to be the ideal weapon for hunting. Others, on the contrary, do not put it in any comparison with the same bow or hunting crossbow. And there is nothing to say about a good branded gun or carbine. However, not all so simple.

The undeniable advantages of a slingshot:

Possibility of use under any circumstances. Even if you went to the forest for mushrooms or go fishing in the river, you can make an aimed shot at any time.
With certain skills, preparation for a shot takes only a few seconds. Which, coupled with noiselessness, makes it possible for a second attempt to hit the target, if the first one was unsuccessful.
The slingshot is easy to carry and even with a supply of shells is quite light.
Relatively high power. There are slingshots, the lethal force of which reaches 70 meters or more. Of course, it cannot be compared with a gun, but in a dense forest sometimes there are even ten meters left.
Noiselessness.
And the last argument is cheapness.

What other arguments could there be in favor of hunting slingshot? They, of course, are, as well as disadvantages:

It takes many days of training to learn how to use a slingshot correctly and successfully for hunting.
Big game is not available for this type of weapon, although wild boar have been reported.
No matter how high-quality the tourniquet is, its service life is very limited.
Not a great aiming range. This point was also noted in the merits, so it all depends on the circumstances in which the slingshot is used.

Having considered both lists and estimating what outweighs the advantages or disadvantages, it remains to make a choice: will you take a slingshot into service and go hunting for hares, squirrels and other medium-sized game. Or you will prefer a more lethal weapon that will provide an opportunity to get a bigger beast.

Proper shooting technique

This concept includes two components: aiming and the hunter's stance. If you do both correctly, you can achieve amazing results. Experienced hunters are able to hit a target that is not standing still. Yes, and shoot yourself while on the move, too, is not uncommon.

In this light, there are two aiming techniques worth considering.

instinctive shooting

This method is based more on imagination and feelings, although it does not change the laws of physics. Aiming is done with both eyes, and the slingshot is controlled by sensations, because it is completely outside the direct gaze. When the hunter feels that the direction of shooting is chosen correctly, by lowering the hand with the leatherette clamped in the fingers, the trajectory and range of the projectile are regulated.

The undoubted advantage of this method of aiming is that the shooter does not care which eye he sees better. But the minuses include two facts:

If the hunter is not good at imagining the trajectory of the projectile, he is unlikely to achieve any success. This is the same imagination on which the method is based.
The second is the fact that after replacing a worn harness, you will have to spend some time zeroing in.

Mastering this method requires a lot of practice. But having mastered it, the hunter is unlikely to leave the forest without trophies.

Aiming with an eyeball

Installing a target on a slingshot for hunting can significantly increase the efficiency and accuracy of shooting even for an inexperienced shooter. But here there are some nuances:

You will have to aim with one eye, the one that is sharper.
The reference point should be set a little to the side, since the hand with the leatherette will be in close proximity to the face, and this fact may adversely affect accuracy.
When choosing an overlay for a landmark, you need to make sure that it matches your individual color sensations.

The essence of aiming with an eye is as follows: three points must be lined up on one line. Eye, sight and target. The flight range is determined in the same way as in the previous method.

A well-made and individually shot eye gauge can be easily used with several types of slingshots, simply by rearranging it from one to another, which can significantly increase hunting results.

Hunter Stance

When hunting with a slingshot, sometimes there is no time left to take the correct stance. Find support for the legs, fall on one knee, or vice versa straighten up. All these movements in the forest, where any movement means danger to the animal, can frighten off the prey, and you will have to spend some more time searching for it. Therefore, the hunter's stance is reduced to two concepts, from which the method of aiming follows.

In move. Experienced shooters advise not to try to keep the sight exactly on the target while moving. It is almost impossible to do this, and by and large it is not required. The sight can move along a certain trajectory, perfect example which will be the sign of infinity - the eight that fell on its side. The junction of the imaginary lines will be the aiming point. As soon as the shooter feels that the movements have converged at this point, and it, in turn, coincided with the target, a shot is fired. "Infinity" is not the only option. The trajectory of the movement of the sight should be selected individually.
Fixed aiming. At first glance, nothing complicated. Aim the sight at the target, make sure that all three points coincide and release the skin. But there are subtleties here too. Learning to hold a stretched slingshot smoothly throughout the entire time of the sight is not easy enough. And one more thing: between the moment when the sight found the target and the shot, the delay should be 5, maximum 7 seconds. In the forest, this method is rarely used for hunting, since you can’t sit in an ambush with a slingshot, so it is more suitable for aiming for sports competitions and shooting.

In general, there are nuances. However, having mastered all these skills, you can safely take a slingshot into service.

How to make a slingshot for hunting with your own hands

The hunting equipment store presents quite a wide choose slingshots, but remembering childhood and making it yourself is also not difficult. To do this, you will need a very small set of materials and tools:

A suitable piece of branch. Can be replaced with a plastic or metal part.
Rubber or special harness.
A piece of tanned leather.
Jigsaw.
Drill.
Scissors.
Sandpaper.

The algorithm of actions is the same as in a cheerful happy childhood.

A carefully selected horned branch should be cleaned of bark and treated with sandpaper.
On each horn of the sighting part, about two centimeters below the ends, we remove the annular chamfer under the elastic band.
The elastic is wrapped around the horns, tied with knots, and the knots are wrapped with threads.
The center of the gum is measured and cut.
In a piece of leather selected under the skin, holes are made along the edges.
The ends of the elastic are passed through these holes and tied with a knot.

The homemade slingshot is ready and the drawings were not needed. The main thing is that the ends of the elastic bands are the same in length, otherwise the skin will be shifted to one side. It remains to pick up suitable shells and start shooting.

Overview of several popular models

But back to the store. It is rather difficult for an inexperienced person to choose a truly high-quality slingshot for hunting, and even a strong, accurate and durable one. Therefore, here are a couple of the most popular models:

Model FS-1 from Truemark. Very light. The kit includes a clip for projectiles. Removable hand rest. Designed almost 50 years ago, but is still one of the best-selling models.
Survival Slingshot Archer Complete. Purely hunting model. The kit includes a flashlight. Arrows may be used.
The so-called combat slingshot. Demountable model in anodized aluminium. There is a large spread when shooting, since the aiming part is too wide.
The base is made of aircraft-grade aluminum, which makes it lightweight. Due to the thin rubber, the accuracy of hitting the target is increased.

The list is far from complete, but the listed models are enough to understand that it will not be difficult to find a slingshot in your hand.

Safety

Shooting, no matter where and from what it is made, is a rather dangerous business. Especially when the view is blocked by densely standing trees, low shrubs or peeking out from behind a cloud Sunbeam. Therefore, hunting safety precautions must be observed.

The first danger is ricochet. A projectile from a slingshot flies very fast and can change its trajectory by hitting a stone, a tree trunk, or just a thick branch.
Protective goggles must be worn when shooting from a slingshot.
Carefully monitor what is on the trajectory of the projectile and especially in the immediate vicinity of the target.
And never aim at an animal unless it's going to shoot.

This is where we can finish the review of this familiar and at the same time such an unusual weapon for hunting. Good luck on the fishery.

After the invention of rubber. Abroad, they use a slingshot for hunting birds and small animals - hares, rabbits and other raccoons.

Those slingshots that are sold in Russia are very weakened and are intended for casting bait during fishing, in order to bring the slingshot into a combat state, it is necessary to change the rubber band to a more powerful one.

How to make a slingshot with your own hands

Making a homemade slingshot is a very simple task. We made slingshots as 6 year old boys.

The simplest slingshot is a homemade wire slingshot.

Here they are in the photo above. Such a slingshot is made from ordinary aluminum wire for electrical wiring, they took it at a construction site, you need a little, and in those days there were an unlimited amount of scraps around the construction site.

The wire is bent, the insulation in the upper part is neatly trimmed in a circle, removed, an elastic band is put in, pulled out of shorts or taken from a rubber-motor model, and the insulation is put back.

Slingshot bullets were made from the same aluminum wire using pliers or wire cutters. During the evening it was possible to make a couple of hundred bullets, which were shot in a day.

Homemade wooden slingshot

The easiest way to make a wooden slingshot is from a Y-shaped tree fork. You will need a hacksaw for metal or wood and a knife. The cut part must be peeled and dried. It would be nice to dry for a month, but in childhood we didn’t bother with this, as the outer part of the slingshot dries up after the bark is removed, we put it into action.

And what is there to do then? Cut the grooves for attaching the elastic band and fasten the latter, well, put a leather jacket for the shells. Delov then for 10 minutes.

You can cut a homemade slingshot from plywood, any piece 2-2.5 cm thick will do. You should not take thinner, it can break if the rubber is powerful.

metal slingshot

You can also make slingshots from metal, look at the photos of slingshots below - what they are not made of!

The principle of making slingshots is the same - they cut out a Y-shape, put on an elastic band and the slingshot is ready to shoot. You can braid it with a cord, paracord or soaked leather, soak it so that when it dries, the skin tightens and tightly braids the slingshot.

How to shoot from a slingshot

Usually they shoot pebbles from a slingshot, it is desirable to pick up rounded pellets. Just keep in mind - different weights of pebbles give different behavior of the projectile in flight. However, in childhood, they shot 200-300 shots every day and from 15 meters they hit a bottle with any stone.

But for accuracy competitions, balls from bearings were used. Whoever won in shooting from a slingshot could go and collect all the balls from the targets, this was the prize, because it was difficult to get balls from bearings.

They shot from a slingshot and nuts, they also fly well and predictably at the target, but the balls are still better.

Today you can buy steel balls for shooting from a slingshot and a homemade crossbow at a hunting store. The balls are the same.

Many complain that it is difficult to shoot from a slingshot and it is impossible to hit a bottle from it at 10 meters. Laugh in their faces! Shoot every day 100 shots and in a month you will be able to shoot down from 10 meters Matchbox from 10 meters 9 times out of 10 shots!

Where to get rubber for a homemade slingshot

As a child, we used rubber from the cameras of cars and bicycles - it was necessary to carefully cut off the tourniquet of the desired thickness without burrs. It's not easy, they cut with scissors, wetting them in diluted soapy water(cuts better, less chance of burr).

Today you can buy a ready-made rubber cord. Only in hunting shops it is weak. It is better to use a cord for tightening model gliders.

You can buy a harness for a slingshot.

Stretching 6 times, designed to tighten the airframe to 5 kg. If you fold the tourniquet in half and put it on each side, then 4 “lines” will give a tension that is enough to launch 20 kg to a height of 50 meters :)

The calculation, of course, is very ironic, but my converted slingshot with this rubber easily breaks champagne bottles at a distance of 15 meters. Look at what kind of rubber cord was on it regularly (black lies on the bottom) and what kind of bay (10 meters) was left for use in other entertainment!

Just as interesting.

Attention! Hunting with a slingshot is prohibited on the territory of the Russian Federation, this information is provided for informational purposes only. Follow the hunting rules and laws of your country.

Many experienced hunters have a rather contradictory attitude towards such a type of weapon as a hunting slingshot. And there are reasons for this, because without understanding this type of weapon, it is difficult to imagine how it can be better than a gun and a carbine. However, hunting with a slingshot has a number of advantages, one has only to study the “subject” in more detail. For example, with the help of shooting from a slingshot, you can successfully hunt squirrels, hares, muskrats and otters. There were cases when a small boar was even shot from a slingshot. Therefore, very often the choice of hunters falls on this type of weapon.

What is a hunting slingshot?

First you need to figure out what parts the slingshot consists of.

At first glance, it may seem that its device is elementary:

Handle or base. A tourniquet is attached to the handle, which helps to hold the slingshot in the hands when fired;
Harness - while pulling, it saves energy for a shot;
Kozhetok - keeps the projectile in the grip during the shot.

The first material that was used to create homemade slingshots was wood (cherry, oak, apple tree and others). To do this, they chose the densest and tightest branch in the tree, then with the help of twine they tied the supports of the slingshot. This design was left for three months in order for it to acquire the desired shape and fix it. Only after acquiring the form, the branch was sawn off from the tree, the bark was cleaned. The form was fired on an open fire and polished with a cloth.

The main element is an elastic band, it is necessary that it quickly returns to its original position after the shot. An elastic band up to 30 cm long was put on the base, and it was pulled not in one, but in several layers. The tourniquet is attached in small strips to the base, they are called "harnesses". The ends of the elastic are attached to the leatherette. A leatherette is a small piece of leather with two holes for a tourniquet. Skin fit dressed, for example, from an old belt.

Advantages and disadvantages

Each hunter will ask a question, what are the advantages of this type of weapon?

The advantages are enough to choose this type of weapon for hunting:

This is a very inexpensive weapon.
High shot power with minimal noise.
The radius of destruction is up to 10 meters, and there are models with a radius of destruction up to 70 meters.
A gun or a bow is difficult to carry unnoticed by people, and a slingshot for hunting, with its small size, few will notice.
If the hunter is well prepared, then a shot from a slingshot can be done in an instant, and due to the lack of noise, a second attempt can be made in a few seconds.
A hunting slingshot can be used in any conditions, even while walking or fishing, because you can hit any target within reach.

But there are several disadvantages of this type of weapon:

A short aiming range and a small lethal range compared to a gun.
Due to the small force of the shot, it is not possible to hunt large animals.
The harness wears out very quickly.
For a successful hunt, the hunter must have a lot of experience and good aiming skills.

Principle of operation

So, on what principle does this compact and rather powerful type of hunting weapon work? Slingshot classic sizes can easily fit in a hunter's fist.

What the slingshot consists of, we have already figured out, but how it works needs to be studied in more detail. A projectile is placed in a tourniquet or elastic band. After the projectile is inserted, the elastic on the sides must be stretched, then aim and release the leather insert with the projectile with one movement.

The shot itself occurs according to the following principle: with a sharp reduction in the gum, the kinetic energy from it is transferred to the projectile. This energy is enough for the projectile to reach speeds of up to 80 m / s, and the range can develop up to 200 m. These figures will depend on what material the slingshot is made of, what its design and type of ammunition are.

The types of ammunition are quite diverse. It can be:

Plastic balls of various sizes - used for training and practicing shooting skills. Multiple use.
Shot, buckshot from metal of various sizes. Used directly for hunting.
Small and medium stones.

shooting technique

How to properly use a slingshot for hunting and make the most successful shots that hit right on target? Hunting with a slingshot can be a pleasure if you know the shooting technique.

The main thing in hunting with a slingshot is aiming and the hunter's stance. That is, you need to understand the essence of how to shoot from a slingshot. Let's look at the aiming technique first. Basically, there are two techniques: instinctive and aiming.

instinctive shooting

The essence of this method is that the hunter aims "by eye". At the same time, two eyes are focused on the target, the hunter sees the slingshot and skin only with peripheral vision. In this way, the goal is reached by intuition rather than sight. If, according to the feelings of the hunter, the direction of the weapon and rubber bands is correct, then the skin itself goes down. The advantage of this type of aiming is that the projectile flight range is automatically calculated. And on the hunt, the calculation of the flight range is a very necessary quality.

It will also be an advantage that it does not matter which eye sees better. The downside of this type of aiming is that changing the slingshot or rubber band on it, you will have to re-learn the aiming technique, because the trajectory of the projectile changes from the qualitative characteristics of this type of weapon. In order for shots with intuitive aiming to be accurate, it is necessary to be able to mentally represent the trajectory of the movement of the ammunition. And this requires experience in shooting, which can be accumulated by shooting at cans or targets. In the process of learning, you need to constantly imagine which line the projectile will fly along, try not to blink during the shots, and see the point where the projectile hits after the shot.

Aiming with an eyeball

When shooting with an eye gauge, the results are more effective. The sight can be any landmark on the slingshot, which aligns the eyes, the shooting device itself and the target along one line. You can make your own guide. The meaning of aiming will be that the aiming eye, the sight of the slingshot will be built strictly in a straight line. For this kind of aiming, it is better to use one eye, which has sharper vision. The other eye can be closed for convenience.

Most often, when using an eye gauge, the skin in a taut position will be in the area of \u200b\u200bthe face from the side of the leading eye. But we must not forget about convergence, which can significantly spoil the quality of shooting. Therefore, the sight of the slingshot must be placed at some distance so that the lines intersect at the location of the target. It is convenient to use the sight when several models are used for hunting, with different pulling forces and shot quality.

Depending on the hunter's stance, and also depending on whether he is moving or standing still, several types of aiming and shooting can be distinguished:

Aiming technique while moving- to keep the sight still while moving is a very difficult task, almost impossible. But this type of technique does not require the hunter to be completely immobilized. The sight during movement should move along a line similar to a figure-eight laid on its side, or along the line of the infinity sign. The point where the circles will intersect must be the target point. In fact, the meaning of aiming will be that the skin will be released when the line of sight coincides with the location of the target. It is important to act quickly here, because how quickly the skin is released is of great importance. With the accumulation of experience, shots will be accurate and accurate. The line of sight can move along other trajectories. Some use horizontal or vertical movement of the sight.
Fixed aiming technique. With this technique, the sight must be aimed at the target, fix it and make a shot. With the accumulated experience, this technique gives a very high result. To achieve high results in this technique, the main thing is to learn how to keep your hands with a weapon in a stationary position for as long as possible, and when shooting, make a minimum delay, up to about 6 seconds. Basically, this tactic is used when shooting from a sports slingshot.

Safety

When shooting from a slingshot, it is important to observe safety precautions so that you do not get hurt instead of the beast:

when hunting with a slingshot, you should always wear goggles;
do not aim at animals if you are not going to shoot them;
you always need to see who or what is behind the animal you are aiming at;
do not shoot into the air over hills and buildings if the target is not visible well;
beware of ricochet.

The same rules apply when shooting from a sports slingshot.

Hunting tactics

You can hunt small animals or birds, such as hares, ducks, squirrels.

The tactics of hunting with a slingshot is somewhat different from hunting with other types of weapons and has some features. In this case, the hunting tactic is to get as close as possible to the animal, or to lure it out of the hole. In this case, the ammunition is released silently and at the first unsuccessful attempt there is a great chance to make a second, more successful shot, since the animal may not notice or hear the first shot.

Overview of popular models

Nowadays, there is a huge selection of slingshots for every taste on the market, but among them there are the most popular factory-made models, and not home-made slingshots:

Slingshot for hunting manufactured by the company Dankung- This is a powerful slingshot for hunting. Simple in design, perfectly performs its functions. Made from aircraft-grade aluminum, it weighs about 200g. Its main advantage is its accuracy, which is ensured by a narrow horn. Ideal for hunting.
Combat slingshot company Gloveshot Made of anodized aluminum, it can be disassembled for easy portability. The spear is wide, which reduces the accuracy of shooting, however, with constant training, the accuracy increases significantly.
Pocket Predator Hathcock Target Sniper- this combat slingshot fits perfectly in the hand, and when shooting it does not cause discomfort. The base is made of steel, which is surrounded by a layer of rubber on top. It can be attributed to a sports slingshot.
Survival Slingshot Archer Complete is a tactical slingshot designed for hunting. It is distinguished by its equipment, which includes a flashlight that helps with night hunting. You can also use arrows as ammunition.
Model FS-1 by Truemark on the market for over half a century. Lightweight, has a clip for charges. The hand rest can be removed.

Do it yourself

You can make a slingshot for hunting with your own hands, it's not very difficult.

Materials needed to make a slingshot:

wood, plastic, metal for the base of the structure;
rubber for a slingshot;
a piece of leather.

Tools you will need to make your own slingshot :

jigsaw (if the slingshot is made of wood).
sandpaper;
scissors;
drill.

Stages of work

How to make a slingshot for hunting without spending a lot of money and time is described below. This is the most common and elementary model for hunting.

The best wood for a hunting slingshot is walnut, oak, ash or maple. You need to find a forked branch of the required shape or cut a slingshot of the desired shape and size from solid wood. If the choice fell on a branch, then you need to clear the rock from the bark.

By using sandpaper workpiece is polished. Next, a place is prepared for attaching the gum. Two slots are made on the handle, according to the size of the gum. The distance from the end of the horns should be about 2 cm. The elastic is wrapped around each horn and tied in a knot. The ends of the elastic are superimposed on the horns so that they are a continuation of each of the horns, and in place of the slots in the handle, they must be tied with a thin elastic band. It is better to sand all holes and slots perfectly so that the gum does not wear out too quickly.

The “saddle” of the slingshot is best made of leather 3x5 cm in size. Small holes are made along the edges, through which an elastic band is threaded and a knot is tied. The rubber band is the main detail in this device. The elastic can be replaced by using a tourniquet for a slingshot. The hunting slingshot is ready!

You can also make a slingshot with your own hands from other materials - for example, make a blank from metal or plastic. You can make a powerful slingshot with your own hands if Special attention devote to the quality of the gum, sparing no expense for it. It is better to buy rubber for a slingshot from a branded manufacturer that has all the necessary physical characteristics. A homemade slingshot can become worthy alternative factory model. Plus, a do-it-yourself slingshot can be perfectly made to fit the size of the hunter's hand.