What to make a slingshot from. Do-it-yourself powerful steel slingshot. “Slingshot” made from elastic on fingers

How to make a simple slingshot

Hello, friends.

I missed this original throwing weapon like a slingshot. Despite its apparent simplicity, this weapon deserves close attention. IN in capable hands this mini catapult can become a very formidable weapon. I don’t know a person who, as a child, didn’t make slingshots and shoot at sparrows (yay!), bottles and lanterns. However, no matter how simple it is, slingshot manufacturing technology may be different. Depending on the power of the rubber used, it can be made with or without a hand rest. Some fans of originality adapt sights and stabilizers to it. Below we will look at how to make a slingshot correctly using various material. It is usually made from wood, but metal, animal horns (rarely) and other available materials can be used. The pictures below show examples of slingshots made from tree branches and glued boards.

Straps can be made from various rubber: bicycle inner tubes, elastic medical tourniquet, twisted rubber bands, etc., 10-12 mm wide and 25-30 cm long.

We make the skin from any suitable rectangular piece of leather 6-7 cm long and 18 mm wide, however, we choose the size depending on the charge used. Use a drill to drill holes with a diameter of 9 mm

The rods are attached to the ends of the spear in various ways:

1. A groove is cut around the circumference a centimeter from the edge. The ties are thrown over the end in a taut state and screwed with thread or an elastic band, as shown in the figure.

2. Two grooves are made at each end depending on the strands used

The strings must be tied to the leather correctly, preferably with an elastic band, since, unlike a thread, it does not cut through them when the slingshot is pulled.

So, in principle, we have all made the simplest slingshot and now we can shoot at targets for our own pleasure. The targets may vary depending on your inclinations. Someone will limit himself tin cans, someone will begin to destroy garden pests: crows and rodents. But in any case, you must follow safety precautions, as when using . You need to be able to hold the slingshot correctly in your hand when shooting, in order to avoid injury to yourself. Carefully monitor the surrounding area so that if you miss the target, you do not leave your neighbor without an eye. By the way, it is recommended that you shoot with safety glasses yourself, you never know what might happen, the rubber band breaks there or the slingshot is on the other side. Good luck to all!

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Using a slingshot for hunting may seem like a novelty and is not taken seriously. But with enough practice, hunting will become interesting and successful. Of course, no one uses a slingshot to hunt large animals, but birds and small animals can be shot quite successfully.

Slingshot for hunting - what is it?

A hunting slingshot can be very similar in appearance to a regular slingshot, or it can have a modern ergonomic design and be equipped with additional options, such as an adjustable handle and a comfortable hand rest.

Differences between a hunting slingshot and a regular one:

• noiselessness of the shot;
• simplicity and convenience of design;
• high shot speed;
• using special metal balls or arrows instead of pebbles.

Homemade slingshot for hunting

Metal, plastic and wood can be used to make such a slingshot. Hunting slingshots differ in a wide variety of shapes, this is especially true for wooden slingshots.

To make a slingshot, just pick up an ordinary branched branch. In the most simple version the bark may not be removed.

Making a slingshot for hunting with your own hands

Regardless of the manufacturing method and material, the width between the horns should be between 4 and 7 centimeters. The length of the horns and handles are selected individually. These values ​​do not in any way affect the success of shooting, but the convenience for the shooter depends on them. Please note that a slingshot for hunting should not be too thin, because it will have to withstand shooting quite heavy balls. The horns should be the same thickness and at the same angle to the handle.

Wooden slingshot

The following trees are suitable for making a slingshot:

• ash;
• maple;
• nut.

You will need a forked branch or a piece of board if you want to carve a slingshot from wood with your own hands. Using a jigsaw, a slingshot of the required shape is cut out. Please note that the slingshot should not be flat - it will lie awkwardly in your hand. If you find a good branch, you need to clear it of bark. Be sure to sand the workpiece with sandpaper.

There are several ways to attach an elastic band.

• At a distance of 1.5 millimeters from the ends of the horns, small slits are made the width of the elastic band. An elastic band is wrapped around the horns and tied in a knot.
• We make the same slits as described above, but apply elastic bands so that they become a continuation of the horns.
• At a distance of 1.5 millimeters from the ends of the horns, small holes are drilled into which elastic bands are threaded. The elastic band must be tied tightly so that it does not jump out.

Epoxy glue slingshot

You need to buy any epoxy two-component adhesive and mold it into a slingshot of the desired shape and size. When fashioning a handle, take the workpiece in your palm and squeeze lightly. If you squeeze the slingshot too tightly, you will find it awkward to hold when shooting.

After the glue has hardened, we proceed to pasting the slingshot with 5 layers of paper. It is best to alternate newspaper and plain paper - this way you will see whether the entire surface has been glued with a new layer. After all the layers have dried, you should drill holes at a distance of 1.5 millimeters from the upper edges of the horns for the elastic. On one side, you can widen the hole a little, so the knot will hide in the recess and will not stick out.

The product is sanded with sandpaper and primed with a mixture of chalk and PVA. Then it is sanded again with fine-grained sandpaper and painted. This slingshot looks very attractive and is in no way inferior in quality to a wooden one.

Rubber bands for slingshots - making the right choice

The destructive power of a slingshot depends on a correctly selected rubber band. The fastest contracting and most powerful is flat latex. The most popular manufacturer for slingshots is Thera band. You can buy this latex at any sports store - athletes use it in their training. A strip 1.5 centimeters thick is cut from purchased latex.

What do you shoot with a hunting slingshot?

It is customary to use 8.5 mm buckshot as shells. It is always on sale, it is quite cheap, and you can shoot quite far with it.

Slingshot for hunting - who to hunt

Such a slingshot is used to kill birds and small animals. The slingshot has shown itself to be excellent when hunting game that rises almost up to your feet, namely:

• pheasant;
• grouse;
• partridge;
• woodcock;
• great snipe.

As the distance increases, the effectiveness of the slingshot decreases sharply, so it is possible to shoot a duck, but it will be difficult.

Before you go hunting with a slingshot, it’s a good idea to practice well, adjust the length of the elastic band and choose a comfortable position for shooting. If you have never shot from a slingshot, then at first you are unlikely to hit the target. But with practice, you can safely use a slingshot for hunting.

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

Those slingshots that are sold in Russia are very weakened and are designed for throwing bait while fishing, in order to bring the slingshot into combat condition, you need to change the rubber band to a more powerful one.

How to make a slingshot with your own hands

The most simple slingshot- This homemade slingshot made of wire.

Here they are in the photo above. Such a slingshot is made from ordinary aluminum wire for electrical wiring, it was taken at a construction site, you don’t need much, and in those days there were countless scraps lying around the construction site.

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

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

Homemade slingshot made of wood

The easiest way to make a wooden slingshot is from a Y-shaped fork in a tree. You will need a hacksaw for metal or wood and a knife. The cut part must be cleared of bark and dried. It would be good to dry for about a month, but as children we didn’t bother with this, how will it dry out? outer part the slingshots, after removing the bark, were put into action.

What should we do there? Cut the grooves for attaching the elastic and secure the last one, and also put on a leather jacket for shells. Delov for 10 minutes.

You can cut a homemade slingshot from multilayer plywood, Any will do a piece 2-2.5 cm thick. You shouldn’t take anything thinner, it may break if the rubber is strong.

Metal slingshot

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

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

How to shoot with a slingshot

Usually they shoot pebbles from a slingshot; it is advisable to select rounded pellets. Just keep in mind that different weights of pebbles also result in different behavior of the projectile in flight. However, as a child they fired 200-300 rounds every day and from 15 meters they hit a bottle with any stone.

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

We shot with a slingshot and with nuts, they also fly well and predictably to the target, but the balls are still better.

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

Many people complain that it is difficult to shoot from a slingshot and that it is impossible to hit a bottle with it at 10 meters. Laugh in their faces! Shoot 100 shots every day 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 children, we used rubber from inner tubes of cars and bicycles - we had to carefully, without burrs, cut the harness to the required thickness. It’s not easy, we cut it with scissors, moistening them in a diluted soap solution (it cuts better, less likely to cause a burr).

Today you can buy a ready-made rubber cord. Only in hunting stores it is weak. It is better to use a cord to tighten glider models.

You can buy a harness for a slingshot.

6-fold stretch, designed to tighten the airframe to 5 kg. If you fold the harness in half and place 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 is, of course, 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 installed on it normally (the black one is on the bottom) and what coil (10 meters) was left for use in other entertainments!

Just as interesting.

How to make a slingshot with your own hands?

Finally, especially for crafting enthusiasts: how to make a slingshot with your own hands, where to get a good elastic band and how to securely fasten it.

Homemade slingshots are much inferior in power to professional ones, but they can also serve well - at least as training ones for beginners. For the base, a strong branch is most often used, less often metal or horn. Wood is the easiest to process, so this is what I recommend to you.

As an elastic band for the slingshot, you can use a medical tourniquet and other latex products from the pharmacy. No, we are not talking about condoms - they are too thin, which means they are not strong enough. Any tube will do, but best of all is a Pezzer catheter, No. 22 or 24. Many old-school shooters recommend rubber from a gas mask or bicycle inner tube: if you heard such advice from someone, you can be sure that the person has not made a slingshot with his own hands for a very long time . Modern inner tubes are not even rubber, but some kind of soot... You won’t be able to spoil a new gas mask, and the old one is of little use: rubber has an expiration date, after which it becomes rougher and brittle.

Shooting with a slingshot is not child's play

Shooting with a slingshot can be either a regular hobby or a way to get food, protect yourself from an aggressive dog, or even from a person.

Modern fighting slingshots They are not inferior in power to air pistols. Who is familiar with the subtleties practical application the latter, knows all the disadvantages of this type of weapon:

heavy and bulky, will not fit into any pocket, and in general it is better to carry it in a good holster - but choosing clothes under which it will not be visible is quite a task;
shooting with a pneumatic gun at a person in winter outerwear will only make him laugh;
activating a gas cylinder takes time: even just a few seconds, but they may not be enough to repel the aggressor;
the high price of the pistol itself, constant expenses for maintenance and consumables.
Slingshots, on the other hand, are usually compact (except for models with a rest on the forearm), light in weight and ready to fire as soon as they are taken out of your pocket. They don’t require any maintenance, they’re inexpensive, and some craftsmen know how to make a powerful slingshot from junk lying around in the garage. That is, without any costs at all. When shooting at thick clothing, they are just as useless as pneumatics - alas. In addition, pistols have a sight, but slingshots do not, so learning to hit accurately with the latter is somewhat more difficult.

However, there is an opinion that in any business you need to work furiously before becoming a master - this is also true for shooting with a slingshot.

Not many people know, but combat slingshots are even used by American special forces. In the West, this type of weapon is not at all associated with children’s fun: the childhood of the average foreign schoolchild, compared to our brother, is very, very safe. But competitions for adults are held everywhere - skeet shooting from sports slingshots. They are less powerful than combat ones - which is not surprising, since this variety is intended for peaceful purposes.

What about the city's most dangerous predators - stray dogs? Not only a combat slingshot, but also a homemade slingshot will effectively protect you from aggressive dog. It won't kill, of course. And it doesn’t even seriously hurt, but it will discourage them from attacking people for a long time. Stray dogs bite only those who are afraid of them - and when they receive a rebuff, they run away. One or two well-aimed balls can sometimes disperse an entire flock.

There are also slingshots for fishing. The uninitiated may rashly think that they are used to shoot fish - but no, they are fed with the help of this device. It is very difficult to throw a ball of bait with your hands over a distance of ten meters, and also to hit exactly where you need it. And with a slingshot the task is greatly simplified. Fishing ones differ from ordinary ones in one design feature: instead of a leather jacket, they are equipped with a basket - it bigger size and usually has a conical shape.

And now about what readers are probably most interested in: is a slingshot good for combat use against a person? We will not consider the heavy-duty slingshots of the American special forces, since it is almost impossible for mere mortals to buy them. As for the usual, available models, you can seriously injure a bipedal enemy with a ball only by hitting him accurately in the eye. The injury is unpleasant, but it is not a fact that it is guaranteed to stop the enemy. But you are absolutely guaranteed to run into problems with the law. From which a simple conclusion follows: the use of a slingshot as self-defense against a person is very limited.

When might this be useful? If you need to scare away small punks or homeless people: you don’t need to shoot, just point the slingshot at them and threaten to shoot. If you don't run away, you can release the ball along your legs in the area of ​​your knee (usually there is a minimum of clothing there). Shooting at more serious opponents will only anger them; it’s better not to take risks.

Where to buy a slingshot and consumables?

It is useful for a future shooter to know where to buy a slingshot and balls for it. And a few more lines about which balls are good for us and which are not.

In every city there are stores of legal weapons, where it is easiest to buy a slingshot: you tell the seller for what purpose you need it, and he will select a model of sufficient power. You can also order via the Internet: the price will be even cheaper, but you need to understand the technical and operational characteristics things you didn't hold in your hands are much more difficult. And online store operators sometimes have an extremely vague idea of ​​the product they sell. Get good advice I personally have never been able to do it over the phone, but in city stores they already know me by sight: sometimes it’s nice to run there even just to discuss some wunderwaffles with the sellers... and occasionally to look for something for yourself from the assortment there.

Slingshot balls - steel and lead shot 6-12 mm - can be bought at any hunting store. If you find glass ones somewhere, that’s also a good option: they are quite dense and heavy. But keep in mind that when they hit a hard target, they will fly into dangerous fragments. You need to practice shooting them with the utmost caution. The balls are not suitable for air pistols, they are too small. Pebbles - even more so. Body irregular shape flies along an unpredictable trajectory.

Even though many people consider a slingshot to be a child's toy, it can still be a powerful weapon. What distinguishes a toy from a combat vehicle is the tension force of the rubber and the strength of the body. A powerful slingshot for hunting is made from steel wire or a strong stick suitable shape. And excellent rubber will be from the inner tube of a football or volleyball, a rubber bandage, inner tube passenger car, medical tourniquets or catheter No. 22. This the best materials for really powerful slingshot, with which you can hunt both birds and small animals.

What rubber is most ideal for a slingshot?

Most the best option- these are catheters No. 22 or medical tourniquets. They can be bought at the pharmacy. They stretch well and contract very quickly, which allows the projectile to fly quickly and far. Their disadvantage is that when the slightest burr appears, they tear.

The most durable rubber for a slingshot is the inner tube from a passenger car. However, in order for the projectile to fly far (as if released with a catheter), you will need more power from the shooter when pulling. But when hunting, you can be completely sure that the slingshot will serve for a long time.

A ball inner tube or a rubber bandage stretches two or even three times stronger than a car inner tube, but neither option can boast of durability. All because of hangnails. They are formed if you cut strips with scissors. It's only a matter of time how long such a weapon will last. Usually very short. It is better to cut off parts with a blade, but no one can do everything perfectly the first time, it requires skill. Such rubber is a very delicate material.

Slingshot handle

If the weapon is planned to be powerful, then the body of the slingshot should be made with an emphasis. With this simple device, the holding hand will not get tired. If the hunting slingshot is not very powerful, and the shooter is confident in the strength of his hand, then you can do without additional support. In this case, the design becomes much simpler both in appearance and in execution.

What you need to create a slingshot

You need:

• 5 mm thick wire or wooden spear;
• suitable tires;
• genuine leather or a very durable leather substitute;
• insulating tape;
• nylon threads;
• good glue.

First you need to do metal case slingshots. As mentioned above, it can be with or without a stop. Or you can simply cut a branch that fits the shape. If the body is made of wood, then you just need to peel off the bark, give required size, make slots for the rubber at the ends of the horns and sand them. In the case when you will make a slingshot with your own hands from wire, you must first bend it, as shown in the figure, and insert a piece of hose into the forearm rest so that the surface does not cut into the hand. After this, you need to saw off a piece of wood, which will become the handle by which the shooter will hold his weapon. We split this workpiece in half, make slits in it where the wire will go, and then drill two holes for the bolts that will tightly tighten the steel body and both parts of the handle.

Making the rubber part of the slingshot

The throwing element of the slingshot consists of two elastic bands, which are connected by a leather heel. It is needed for good fixation, for example, of a stone at the moment of a shot. A 10 x 4 cm rectangle is cut out of leather. Holes are made at the edges, into which a tourniquet or piece of the camera is inserted, after which it is secured with nylon thread. In order for a hand-made slingshot to serve for a long time, all rubber parts must be attached carefully. And the nodes must be coated with glue.

Attaching the throwing part to a wire slingshot

A slingshot tourniquet or catheter is a thin hose that is placed on the ends of the slingshot, lubricated with glue. After this, for reliability, it is wrapped on top with nylon thread or electrical tape.

Attaching the lengths of the camera or rubber bandage is slightly different. The edge of the rubber piece is applied to a metal rod, after which it is simply wrapped with thread and the knot is secured with glue. Then they wrap the top with electrical tape.

Attaching the throwing part to a wooden spear

Everything is done very simply - rubber is placed in a loop in the slots at the ends of the horns, after which it is wrapped with thread and tied. And, of course, the knots are coated with glue so that they do not come undone during the shooting process. It is important not to use wire with such fasteners, because it can damage the rubber.

Slingshot sight

If you need a slingshot with a sight, then the latter can be easily made. You need to make an arc out of wire, in the middle of which there will be a front sight in the form of a notch. It is wrapped between the horns with electrical tape. When aiming, you should connect the front sight and the target, and then shoot. However, in practice, such additional attributes of weapons do not bring such the desired result. And for a person who knows how to shoot, such devices even get in the way.

Slingshot technique

This throwing weapon allows you to hit any target very clearly. However, for accurate hits you need to feel it well. Only practice will allow you to develop a sense of distance and target, as well as the strength to pull. Beginners often ask how to shoot a slingshot; they are trying to understand the technique itself.

In principle, everything is simple - you need to visually imagine the line between the fastenings of the elastic bands on the spear, and align the center with the target. After this you need to fire a shot. However, everything is not so simple here. When the rubber is pulled back, it can easily be dislodged, and therefore the projectile can go to the side. A beginner will not be able to feel such a displacement, and therefore the sight in this weapon is useless. The shooter is also able to move the leather heel vertically when firing, which will also lead to a miss.

Only practice will develop muscle memory that will allow you to feel these displacements and eliminate them. This is precisely the secret of accuracy from any type of weapon, and especially when shooting from a slingshot.

A do-it-yourself slingshot should be comfortable, and the less effort the shooter puts into making a long-range shot, the better. Some simple solutions will allow you to shoot longer, and your hand will get tired less. If the spear itself is long, then due to such a lever the load on the hand increases. This is especially true for those models that are not equipped with a stop. Therefore, you need to make the horns as small as possible - two centimeters is enough. Depending on the tires, you can even make it a little smaller.

When pulled, the rod rests strongly on the area of ​​the hand between the thumb and forefinger. Therefore, a thin handle will put a lot of pressure on this place, which is also not conducive to long-term hunting. To make the pressure as light as possible, it is worth making the handle quite thick - this will distribute the pressure over a larger area and reduce its force. By putting into practice these design nuances of geometry, you will get such an excellent weapon as a slingshot, improved with your own hands and very convenient. Usually, when you get your first weapon, you will understand when shooting what you need to change. And subsequently a new slingshot is created, more convenient and improved. However, the main nuances that should be followed during manufacturing are fully described here.

Safety precautions

There are some rules that will allow you to safely use a slingshot. To protect your hand from being hit by rubber and pressing pain during prolonged shooting, you should put a glove on the hand that holds the slingshot. It is rare, but it happens that the rubber can tear when pulled and hit your eyes. To protect yourself from this, you should wear