Drawing of a slingshot for hunting. How to make a real dagger. How to make a slingshot for hunting with your own hands

Today, many experienced hunters are conflicted about using a slingshot for hunting; it is considered exotic rather than commonplace. There are reasons for this statement, since without studying this type of weapon, it is difficult to imagine its advantages over a gun and a carbine. For example, with the help of a slingshot you can successfully hunt hares, squirrels, otters and muskrats; there have also been cases when a small wild boar was even shot with this weapon. Therefore, in the arsenal of many hunting enthusiasts, a powerful slingshot for hunting occupies a worthy place, ranking alongside crossbows and bows.

Toy or dangerous weapon?

Based technical characteristics such products, one can understand that a hunting slingshot is a completely reasonable and justified means. Hunting with a slingshot has some features and is somewhat different from hunting with other types of weapons. The tactic is to lure the animal out of the hole or get closer to it, which turns such a hunt into an exciting training in camouflage and concealment skills. In order to fire an effective shot from a gun, many hunters use it to scare away a marten or squirrel from a nest, or to catch a wounded animal.

In this case, the ammunition is released absolutely silently, and if the attempt is unsuccessful, there is a chance to fire another, more successful shot, since the animal may not hear or notice the first shot. In areas rich in game, hunting for pheasant (especially at the beginning of the season), duck, various waders and even black grouse is famous. As for its direct use, first of all it is shooting with shot or balls various diameters for small game located at a short distance from the hunter.

Presented today big choice such products for every taste, Russian market filled with “different caliber” and different quality factory-made products, among which there are models that are quite difficult to pass by. You can also find a lot of information on how to make a slingshot for hunting yourself.

Slingshot made of wood and powerful elastic band

A slingshot is a wooden handle Y-shape(V classic version), to which rubber strips are attached. A “projectile” is placed in its central part, the rubber bands are stretched to the maximum, released, the “projectile” flies out and a “shot” is fired. This tool can be easily made independently from any available materials. Homemade slingshots for hunting are a worthy alternative factory models and meet all the necessary physical characteristics. However, before you make it yourself, you should familiarize yourself with its structure.

The simplest weapon in design consists of only a few elements:

sling. Used to secure harnesses and to hold the slingshot during a shot or aiming;
bowstring (harnesses, cords). Strips of rubber that are used for accumulation potential energy when pulling and quickly recoil “to the projectile” during a shot;
saddle (leather). This is the central part of the slingshot, most often made of leather and serves to capture and hold the “projectile”.

When making a slingshot with your own hands, as a rule, they use natural wood, but you need to take the choice of species very seriously. The tree must have the following qualities:

hardness;
elasticity;
resistance to splitting.

The only ones considered most suitable for this are deciduous trees– mountain ash, apple tree, walnut, maple, acacia. When choosing a suitable branch for a homemade slingshot, you need to pay attention to the presence on it of two symmetrically located branches of equal thickness. Since rubber bands will be attached to them in the future, they should be almost the same size. After the branch is cut down, it must be thoroughly cleared of bark and dried.

The resulting “semi-finished product” of the handle must be polished, adjusted to the dimensions and proportions depending on your engineering and taste preferences. One of the advantages of homemade slingshots is that they can be made to fit the hunter's hand.

But there are certain logical criteria: the handle should not be too thin and short, and the horns should have the same height.

Also great importance for homemade weapons has material for making a bowstring. Previously for self-made rubber medical bandages were used for such devices, but today they use rubber bands for slingshots natural latex high quality, which quickly restores its original size. The cords made from it have maximum performance contraction speed and will last quite a long time.

Improvements in shooting practice have brought minor changes into the design. Over time, it became clear that the gun would shoot better if the strands had different thickness. Well-known manufacturers of sling rubber for hunting or sports make their cords conical or wedge-shaped, and they must taper towards the skin. The leather jacket must also have a certain rigidity:

medium hardness – perfect option;
a soft leather jacket is more comfortable to hold, but there is a possibility that it may slip out unevenly and this will affect both the strength and accuracy of the shot;
in a hard leather jacket it is quite difficult to hold the projectile.

A home-made slingshot is quite versatile, and the types of ammunition for it are quite diverse. It can be:

shot or buckshot made of metal of various sizes;
small and medium stones;
plastic balls of various sizes - usually used to practice shooting skills. Multiple uses.

All types of ammunition must be used directly for hunting.

Advantages of a slingshot

compactness and light weight;
damage radius up to ten meters (there are models with a damage radius of up to 70 meters);
noiselessness of the shot (often this is important);
high shot power with minimal noise;
easy repair or replacement of any part;
versatility in relation to ammunition;
noiselessness of the shot (often this is important);
with good preparation of the hunter, a shot can be fired in an instant;
an excellent product for training the eye, concealment skills, “silent hunting”, studying the habits of game, understanding the basics of ballistics;
on the territory of Russia, a slingshot is not considered a weapon and does not require a license, registration or any other legalization;
a hunting slingshot allows you to hit any target, it can be used in any conditions - fishing or walking;
low cost of products.

Safety rules during hunting

To prevent you from getting hurt instead of the prey, when shooting from a slingshot you must follow safety precautions:

when hunting you need to wear safety glasses;
you always need to see what or who is behind the animal;
if you are not going to shoot at animals, you should not aim at them;
do not shoot into the air through buildings and hills if the target is not clearly visible;
beware of ricochet.

The same rules apply when shooting from a sports slingshot.

Slingshots - multifunctional throwing devices small size. Long years They are used for a variety of purposes, ranging from hunting to accuracy games. Slingshots can vary in size and design, as they can be made from a number of various materials. However, all slingshots have common features: A strong frame, rubber bands and projectiles that are sent flying when the rubber band is pulled and released.

Steps

Classic wooden slingshot

Find a strong Y-shaped spear. Pay attention to the branches lying on the ground that can be broken off or trimmed to the desired shape. Branches from almost any tree will work for your slingshot, as long as they are strong enough to hold their shape when you pull your slingshot. However, for convenience and simplicity, it is best to use a spear about 15–20 cm long with branches 2.5–5 cm thick.

Look for branches on the ground in a wooded area. There you will have a noticeably greater choice among suitable materials.
If you prudently remove the flaking raw or mossy bark from the slingshot, you will get a slingshot that will be more convenient to hold in your hands.

Dry the spear. Hang the found branch over a heat source, such as a fire or burner, and turn it over periodically. Dry the branch for several hours. As it warms up, it will gradually come out of the branch. excess moisture. This is necessary so that the slingshot bends less at the time of the shot.

Make grooves at both ends of the fork. Take a pocketknife or a sharp stone and scrape out shallow circular grooves at the ends of the spear. Each groove should be located about 2.5 cm from the ends of the forks. The grooves will ensure reliable fastening of the rubber bands (weights) with which you will shoot.
- If you make the grooves too high, the pressure of the tensioned rubber band may cause the slingshot to break. If you make them too low, then the shells you shoot may constantly cling to the base of the fork.
Cut the elastic for the slingshot weights. Any thick, springy material you have on hand can make an effective throwing mechanism. Thick rubber bands or strips of latex and even medical tourniquets are all great options for making a fairly powerful slingshot. Having picked up suitable material, fold it in half and cut it to get two identical strands. Each string should approximately correspond in length to the length of the fork of the slingshot.
- The specific length of the draw weight will depend on your preferred shooting style, as well as the materials you are working with. Shorter pulls will allow you to make more powerful shots, but it will be more difficult to draw the slingshot.
- Longer strings will allow you to adjust the slingshot to your liking or even completely redo it if you make a mistake somewhere.
Attach the heavy ropes to the spear. Take one of the two strings and wrap the end around one of the grooves on the slingshot that you prepared earlier. Tie the tie securely in this place. Do the same with the second weight. Trim the tied ends of the strings shorter so that they do not get in the way. Your homemade slingshot is almost ready!
- To ensure that the slingshot shoots accurately, make sure that its lengths are as equal as possible. Otherwise, your weapon will turn out skewed.
- Check the tension knots for strength. If one of them comes undone at the moment of firing, the slingshot can whip your arms quite painfully.
Make a skin. Take a scrap of durable material and cut a strip about 10 cm long and 5 cm wide from it. At a distance of about 1.5 cm from the ends of the strip, make holes through which the free ends of the ties can be threaded. The resulting skin will serve as a nest for your shells, in which they will sit securely immediately before firing.
- It is best to use durable material having some resistance, such as leather or thick burlap.
- To make holes in the skin, use the tip of a pocket knife or similar object. You can also simply make slits in the material, but they can break after just a few shots from the slingshot.
Tie the skins to the ties. Insert the free end of one string into one of the holes on the leather cover. Tie the string in a knot on outer edge skin. Repeat the same with the second weight. Now the slingshot trigger is a single unit and consists of a skin in the center and two weights attached to its ends.

Piston slingshot made of cardboard tubes

Make a longitudinal cut on a cardboard tube from toilet paper. Take scissors and cut the toilet paper tube on one side so that it can be unrolled into a sheet. You only need to make one cut, as the tube should remain an intact sheet piece.
Roll the cardboard into a narrower tube and secure with tape. Place the edges of the cut cardboard tube on top of each other, and then roll it up the way people usually roll newspapers. As a result, the tube should become half the diameter it was before. Wrap a long piece of tape around it to secure it, leaving only an inch of cardboard sticking out at one end.
- This part will serve as the internal piston of the slingshot, which you will use to launch projectiles.
- The inside diameter of the tube should be small enough to hit the projectiles you intend to shoot without allowing them to slip through. It will be helpful to compare the dimensions of these parts before you tape the tube together. If it is too wide, twist it a little tighter to get the right size.
Make two holes on opposite sides of one end of the tube. These two holes should be large enough to fit a pencil. Place them at one end of the tube strictly opposite each other, and not at opposite ends. In order not to skew the holes relative to each other, it will be more convenient to look at the tube from above.
- To carefully punch holes, use a hand-held single hole punch. But if you don't have a hole punch, you can make holes with scissors or the tip of a pencil.
Insert a pencil into the holes of the cardboard tube. Insert a pencil into one hole of the piston and out the other. Place the pencil exactly in the middle. To do this, adjust it until the ends of the pencil of equal length stick out on both sides of the tube.
- It's best to use a short, thick pencil, as you'll be less likely to accidentally break it.
- Be careful not to damage the holes in the cardboard when inserting the pencil. They should only be large enough to accommodate a pencil. If one of the holes breaks, rotate the tube and make two new holes in it.
Take the second whole toilet paper tube and make a series of cuts on it. Using a pencil, draw two vertical lines 1.5 cm deep from one end of the tube. Leave a finger-width of space between them. Turn the tube and make two more similar marks on the opposite side of the same end. Then take your scissors and carefully cut the cardboard along the marks.
- This tube will be the outer cylinder piston slingshot, accommodating the thinner piston you made first.
Hook a money rubber band on both sides of the tube. Hook the elastic bands over the paired cuts, lowering them to the very bottom of these cuts. In order for this type of slingshot to shoot properly, you will need to use an elastic band on both sides.
- You will achieve the best results if you take two identical rubber bands. If you don't have special choice, try to check that the rubber bands used are the same size and thickness.

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 this type of weapon, such as a hunting slingshot. And there are reasons for this, since without understanding this type of weapon, it is difficult to imagine how it could be better than a gun and a carbine. However, hunting with a slingshot has a number of advantages, you just need to study the “subject” in more detail. For example, using a slingshot you can successfully hunt squirrels, hares, muskrats and otters. There were cases when a small boar was even shot with 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 structure is elementary:

Handle or base. A tourniquet is attached to the handle, which helps to hold the slingshot in your hands when firing;
Tourniquet - when pulled, it accumulates energy for a shot;
Kozhetok - holds the projectile in its 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 selected the densest and tightest branch in the tree, then tied the slingshot supports together with twine. This structure was left for three months in order for it to acquire the required form and secured it. Only after acquiring the shape, the branch was sawed off from the tree and the bark was cleared. The form was fired over an open fire and polished with a cloth.

The main element is the elastic band; it is necessary that it quickly returns to initial 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. Tanned leather, for example, from an old belt, is suitable.

Advantages and disadvantages

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

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

This is a very inexpensive weapon.
High shot power with minimal noise.
The damage radius is up to 10 meters, and there are models with a damage radius of up to 70 meters.
It is difficult to carry a gun or bow unnoticed by people, and a slingshot for hunting, given its small size, few will notice.
If the hunter is well prepared, then a shot from a slingshot can be carried out in an instant, and due to the lack of noise, a second attempt can be realized 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 to this type of weapon:

Short aiming range and small killing range compared to a shotgun.
Due to the low shot force, it is not possible to hunt large animals.
The harness wears out very quickly.
For a successful hunt, the hunter must have extensive experience and good aiming skills.

Principle of operation

So, on what principle does this compact and fairly powerful type of hunting weapon work? A classic-sized slingshot can easily fit in a hunter’s fist.

We’ve already figured out what a slingshot consists of, 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, you need to stretch the elastic on the sides, then take aim and release the leather insert with the projectile in one movement.

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

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

Plastic balls of various sizes - used for training and practicing shooting skills. Multiple uses.
Shot, buckshot made of 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 the target? Hunting with a slingshot can be a pleasure if you know the shooting technique.

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

Instinctive shooting

The essence of this method is that the hunter aims “by eye”. In this case, two eyes are focused on the target, the hunter sees the slingshot and skin only with peripheral vision. In this way, the goal is achieved more by intuition than by sight. If, according to the hunter’s feelings, the direction of the weapon and the rubber bands is correct, then the skin itself goes down. The advantage of this type of aiming is that the projectile range is automatically calculated. And when hunting, calculating flight range is a very necessary quality.

Another advantage is that it does not matter which eye sees better. The disadvantage of this type of aiming is that when changing the slingshot or the rubber band on it, you will have to re-master the aiming technique, because the trajectory of the projectile changes from quality characteristics this type of weapon. In order for shots to be accurate when intuitively aiming, you must be able to mentally imagine the trajectory of the ammunition. And this requires shooting experience, which can be gained by shooting at cans or targets. During the learning process, you need to constantly imagine which line the projectile will fly along, try not to blink during shots, and see the point where the projectile hits after the shot.

Aiming with an eye

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

Most often, when using an eye gauge, the skin will be in a tense position in the area of the face on the side of the dominant eye. But we must not forget about convergence, which can significantly deteriorate the quality of shooting. Therefore, the slingshot sight must be placed at some distance so that the lines intersect at the location of the target. The sight is convenient to use when several models are used for hunting, with different strengths tension 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- keeping the sight steady while moving is a very difficult task, almost impossible. But this type of technique does not require the hunter to be completely immobilized. When moving, the sight 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 should be the target point. In fact, the point 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 plays a big role. As you gain experience, your shots will be well-aimed and accurate. The sight line can move along other trajectories. Some use horizontal or vertical movements of the sight.
Fixed aiming technique. With this technique, you need to aim the sight at the target, lock it and fire the shot. With experience, this technique gives very high results. To achieve high results in this technique, the main thing is to learn how to hold your hands with the weapon in a stationary position for as long as possible, and when shooting, make a minimum delay, up to about 6 seconds. This tactic is mainly used when shooting from a sports slingshot.

Safety precautions

When shooting with a slingshot, it is important to follow safety precautions so that you don’t get hurt instead of the animal:

When hunting with a slingshot, you should always wear safety glasses;
You should not aim at animals if you do not intend to shoot at 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 clearly visible;
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, and squirrels.

The tactics of hunting with a slingshot are somewhat different from hunting with other types of weapons and have 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 if the first attempt is unsuccessful, there is a high chance of making a second, more successful shot, since the animal may not notice or hear the first shot.

Review of popular models

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

Slingshot for hunting produced by the company Dankung is a powerful slingshot for hunting. Simple in design, it perfectly performs its functions. Made of aircraft-grade aluminum, its weight is about 200 g. Its main advantage is shooting accuracy, which is ensured by a narrow spear. Ideal for hunting.
Company's fighting slingshot Gloveshot Made of anodized aluminum, it can be disassembled for ease of carrying. The rod is wide, which reduces shooting accuracy, however, with constant training, accuracy increases significantly.
Pocket Predator Hathcock Target Sniper- this combat slingshot fits perfectly in the hand and does not cause any discomfort when shooting. The base is made of steel, which is surrounded by a layer of rubber on top. Can be classified as 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 from Truemark on the market for more than half a century. It is lightweight and 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 slingshot;
a piece of tanned 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 basic model for hunting.

Best for hunting slingshot A wood such as walnut, oak, ash or maple is suitable. 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 bark from the rock.

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

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

You can 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 pay attention to the quality of the elastic, sparing no expense on it. It is better to buy rubber for a slingshot from a branded manufacturer that has all the necessary physical characteristics. Homemade slingshot can be a worthy alternative to the factory model. Plus, you can make a slingshot with your own hands to perfectly fit the size of the hunter’s hand.

Video

From our video you will learn how to make a slingshot with your own hands at home.

A desire is born do an attribute of any hooligan from the times of the USSR, namely a slingshot.

My first thought, even though I love doing everything their hands, it was easy to go and buy a slingshot. But after weighing all the pros and cons of this idea, I decided that it would be more advisable to make it myself.
So began the sleepless nights and endless searches on blogs about how and what to make under the tree. In fact, I learned from them that a standard slingshot consists of three parts: a skin, two rods, and a spear. In this article I will tell you how do skin and attach rods to it. Let's get started)

If anyone didn’t know, I’ll tell you that the skin is the part of the slingshot into which the projectile is placed before firing. There may be some skin different forms and sizes. To make it, I purchased a piece of leather 80*35 mm from a shoe shop. The requirements for a skin are very simple: it must be large enough to accommodate decent-sized projectiles. Must be strong enough to withstand the tension of the elastic around the edges.
So, first we take a piece of leather and outline the contours of the skin on it.

Next, cut out the blank. A utility knife or large shoemaker's scissors are best for this. Holes for the rods can be made using a nail or knocked out with a pointed tube. The holes should be located no less than 5 mm from the edge of the skin, otherwise the skin will not hold up.

It looks like we've sorted out the skin, now let's move on to the traction.

Rods are 2 elastic bands due to which the projectile flies out of the slingshot. To make rods, you can use several types of elastic bands, we will talk about each of them now.

Probably the most famous and widespread is the tubular tourniquet.

The advantage of such a tourniquet is that it is easy to attach to the spear, but the disadvantage is that when stretched well enough, it returns very smoothly to its original position. I discarded it and decided to look further. It has also been discontinued and is quite difficult to obtain.

The second type of tourniquet is flat.

Honestly, this is the worst rubber band I've ever seen. It stretches terribly and very smoothly returns to its original position, and besides, it is impossible to attach it to the skin.

You can use elastic bands for fitness; they have excellent stretch and return well to the reverse position.

The next candidate is the Martens bandage. It stretches well and quickly returns to its original position. This is exactly what I chose. To make rods, take a bandage, cut a piece about 30 cm long and cut it lengthwise into two even parts.

In principle, the rods are ready, but for ease of fastening I recommend narrowing them a little at the edges.
Now let's put it all together)

You need to fasten the rods so that the tail from the knot is on the outside of the skin and does not interfere with shooting.

The second part of the article will be published when it’s a sunny day and you can go planting and break out a good spear.

OK it's all over Now. Good luck to you homemade.

The slingshot is a familiar bully weapon from many boys’ childhoods. Especially those whose childhood passed during the Soviet era. Few people know that a modern powerful slingshot is a fairly serious weapon that is used for hunting small game. A hunting slingshot, which uses special steel slingshot balls as projectiles, easily penetrates a protective construction helmet or motorcycle helmet.

Design and principle of operation

The device of a simple slingshot is quite simple and consists of several parts:

The “flyer” itself or the frame on which all other elements of the slingshot are attached;
Rubber bands or “strings” that serve as a string for a slingshot;
A casing or saddle into which a throwing projectile is inserted.

A homemade slingshot (classic) is a simple wooden handle, forked at the end, like the horns of an animal. A tourniquet is attached to these “horns,” which sends the projectile to the target. The projectile is inserted into a skin made of durable leather. Slingshots can be used for various purposes, depending on their design and the use of various materials during their assembly.

Types of slingshots:

A lightweight slingshot is mainly used for recreational shooting or mastering shooting skills. These are basically small slingshots of a classical design;
The medium slingshot is a more advanced model and can be used for sport shooting. A slingshot for hunting from this group is unlikely to work, since the average slingshot does not have the necessary power reserve for this;
A large slingshot (also called a fighting slingshot) can be used for hunting small game. It may look like your average slingshot, but the quality of the materials used to create it is noticeably higher.

In addition to dividing by size, slingshots are also divided by purpose:

The hunting slingshot is an expensive factory model. To use it you need sufficient experience in using slingshots. If handled carelessly this model may cause significant injury. Although the average slingshot is also dangerous, a cool slingshot for hunting is already a weapon (although not legally subject to this definition);
A sports slingshot is a fairly expensive and powerful model. Shooting from a slingshot intended for sport is very exciting activity, developing the eye. For professional sports shooting, both a medium and large slingshot can be used.

How to make a slingshot with your own hands

If you are thinking about how to make a slingshot with your own hands, the first thing you need is to find suitable tree for its manufacture. A slingshot made of wood is classic model from childhood. Only suitable for making slingshots hardwoods trees with good combination hardness and elasticity. Acacia or rowan are ideal. One of the main criteria when choosing a blank for a future slingshot is the same thickness of the “horns”.

The workpiece should be cleared of bark, sanded and thoroughly dried. You need to make grooves at the ends of the “horns”, where the rubber for the slingshot will be attached. Some craftsmen, when asked “how to make a slingshot,” will answer that for a slingshot, in addition to wood, you can use steel rods, thick plywood or plastic. However, steel slingshots are considered the best, and you can turn a slingshot into a work of art only by using wood with a beautiful structure.

A rubber medical bandage is used as “strands”, although now the most optimal material is surgical latex. If you want to be one hundred percent confident in the quality of the rubber bands, the slingshot construction scheme should include branded rubber kits for slingshots. Products from Trumark (USA) are distinguished by stable quality and reasonable prices.

Manufacturers of modern slingshots

It’s not enough to find a slingshot that fits the shape and parameters. It is very important to choose a quality product, because the modern slingshot market is filled with fakes, which often completely copy famous brands. It must be remembered that good manufacturer will always give a guarantee for its slingshot, and the sellers’ assurances about the quality of their product are not a document that will help in case of a defect. There have been numerous cases when a broken tourniquet led to injuries to the eyes or face, and a broken one when pulled steel slingshot(of an unknown alloy) can be stuck in a broken piece into the hand or face.

If funds allow, it is better to choose a slingshot manufactured by “Marksman” or “Combow”. The Italian slingshot brand “Advance” is also of good quality.

Ammunition and slingshot shooting

To shoot from a slingshot, you can use different objects, from stones under your feet to special “slingshot” projectiles.

Rocks, rubble and other suitable objects are traditionally used for slingshot shooting. Due to their different sizes, shapes and weights, they fly along an unpredictable trajectory and are unsuitable over long distances;
Glass balls allow you to track the trajectory of your flight; they are ideal in shape and weight, but flying fragments and high price do not make them popular enough;
Hunting buckshot is cheap option steel balls. Quite convenient projectiles, the disadvantage of which is their toxicity to the environment;
Steel balls are ideal for use in slingshots. Their only drawback is their high price;
Steel nuts can also be used as slingshot projectiles. Some hunters press lead into the middle of the nuts, making these projectiles deadly.

You can shoot from a slingshot at a distance of up to 25 meters, although this is not the limit. The main criterion for shooting accuracy is systematic training. There is a book that describes in detail the theory and practice of slingshot shooting (“Slingshot Shooting by Jack Koechler”).