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

Necessary materials and tools: a Y-shaped stick, an elastic band, a piece of leather (rubber), a knife.

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

1. 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.
2. Excess branches and knots will need to be cut with a knife.
3. Next, you may need to dry the workpiece if the branch is fresh. To do this, you can use a conventional oven.
4. The next step is to prepare the rods. You need to take any elastic band, measure the required length and make two pulls.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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. A great idea would be to make a name inscription or some kind of symbol on the handle or horns. It used to be fashionable to burn various patterns on wooden products using a wood soldering iron. 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.

1. The wire must be folded in half.
2. 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.
3. At the ends of the horns, about a centimeter or more from the edge, using a clerical knife or a regular one, it is necessary to carefully cut off the insulation so that it can be removed and then put back on.
4. 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.

Necessary materials and tools: an ordinary plastic bottle, a ball and a knife.

To make such a slingshot, you need:

1. Cut the neck out of the bottle
2. 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.

1. Using pliers, it is necessary to give the correct shape to the wire. Bend it in half and form an emphasis, handle and horns.
2. Then, if there is a soft rubber or dense foam rubber cylinder, make a through hole in it 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.
3. Next, you need to cut the stick of the required length, trying it on your own hand. On the sides of the stick, make grooves for the wire.
4. Insert the future handle into the workpiece and wrap it with electrical tape or fix it with other material.
5. The ends of the horns also need to be insulated.
6. Now you need to prepare a platform for shells. Two holes must be made in the leather rectangle.
7. 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.
8. The free ends of the catheter must be put on a slingshot, after wetting them with any alcohol.

The article selected the best options for 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 tin cans. Invite more friends and have fun together. At the same time it will be possible to boast of "personal weapons".

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 cut 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 100 shots every day and in a month from 10 meters you will be able to shoot down a 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, cut with scissors wetting them in a diluted soapy solution (cuts better, less likely to 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.

Tension 6-fold, 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.

Despite the fact that many people consider a slingshot a child's toy, it can still be a powerful weapon. The toy is distinguished from the combat apparatus by the rubber tension force and the strength of the body. A powerful hunting slingshot is made of steel wire or a durable stick of a suitable shape. And excellent rubber will be from a football or volleyball ball chamber, a rubber bandage, a passenger car chamber, medical tourniquets or a No. 22 catheter. These are the best materials for a really powerful slingshot, with which you can hunt both birds and small animals.

What rubber is the most ideal for a slingshot

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

The most durable rubber for a slingshot is a camera from a car. However, in order for the projectile to travel far (as if it were to be released with a catheter), more force is needed from the shooter when pulling. But on the other hand, when hunting, you can be completely sure that the slingshot will last a long time.

The camera from the ball or bandage-rubber stretches two times, or even three times stronger than the car camera, but not a single option can boast of durability. All because of the burrs. They are formed if you cut off the 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, skill is needed here. This rubber is a very soft material.

slingshot handle

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

What you need to create a slingshot

You need:

• wire 5 mm thick or wooden horn;
• suitable rubber;
• genuine leather or a very durable substitute;
• insulating tape;
• kapron threads;
• good glue.

First you need to make a metal body of the slingshot. As mentioned above, it can be with or without emphasis. Or you can just cut a branch that fits the shape. If the body is made of wood, then you just need to peel off the bark, give it the required size, make cuts for the rubber at the ends of the horns and sand it. In the event that a slingshot will be made of wire with your own hands, you must first bend it, as shown in the figure, and insert a piece of hose into the forearm stop so that the surface does not cut into your hand. After that, you need to saw off a piece of wood, which will become the handle for which the shooter will hold his weapon. We split this blank in half, make slots in it, where the wire will enter, after which we drill two holes for the bolts, which will tightly tighten the steel case 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 time of the shot. A rectangle 10 x 4 cm is cut out of the skin. Holes are made at the edges, where a tourniquet or a piece of the camera is inserted, after which it is fixed with a nylon thread. In order for a do-it-yourself slingshot to serve for a long time, all rubber parts must be fastened carefully. And the nodes must be coated with glue.

Fastening the throwing part to the wire horn

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

Fastening segments of the camera or bandage-rubber is slightly different. The edge of the rubber piece is applied to the metal horn, after which they are simply wrapped with a thread and the knot is fixed with glue. Then wrapped with electrical tape on top.

Fastening the throwing part to a wooden horn

Everything is done very simply - in the slot at the ends of the horns, rubber is laid in a loop, after which it is wrapped with a thread and tied. And, of course, the knots are coated with glue so that they do not come loose 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. It is necessary to make an arc out of the 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, it is worth connecting the front sight and the target, and then make a shot. However, in practice, such additional weapon attributes do not bring such a desired result. And for a person who knows how to shoot, such devices even interfere.

Slingshot shooting technique

This throwing weapon allows you to hit any target very clearly. However, for well-aimed 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 with a slingshot, they are trying to understand the technique itself.

In principle, everything is simple - you need to visually present the line between the fastenings of the rubber bands on the spear, and combine the center with the target. After that, you need to make a shot. However, everything is not so simple here. When pulling the rubber, it is easy to displace it, and therefore the projectile can go to the side. A beginner will not be able to feel such a shift, and therefore the scope in this weapon is useless. The shooter is also able to take 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 shifts 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 makes for a long-range shot, the better. Some simple solutions will allow you to shoot longer, and at the same time your hand will tire less. If the horn itself is long, then due to such a lever, the load on the brush increases. This is especially true for those models that are not equipped with an emphasis. Therefore, you need to make the horns as small as possible - two centimeters is enough. Depending on the rubber, you can even do a little less.

Rogatin, when pulled, strongly rests on the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe hand between the thumb and forefinger. Therefore, a thin handle will put a lot of pressure on this place, which also does not contribute to a long hunt. To make the pressure as light as possible, it is worth making the handle rather thick - this will allow you to distribute the pressure, reduce its strength over a larger area. Putting into practice these constructive nuances of geometry, you will get such an excellent weapon as a slingshot, improved and very convenient with your own hands. Usually, after making your first weapon, you will understand when you shoot what needs to be changed. And subsequently a new slingshot is created, more convenient and improved. However, the main nuances that should be followed in the manufacture are fully described here.

Safety

There are some rules that will allow you to safely use a slingshot. To protect the hand from being hit by rubber and pressing pain during prolonged shooting, it is worth putting a glove on the hand that holds the spear. Rarely, but it happens that the rubber can tear under tension and hit the eyes. To protect yourself from this, you should wear

The use of a slingshot as a hunting weapon is more exotic than the norm. In fact, this, at first glance, a primitive weapon “comes from childhood”, evoking associations with the ringing of broken window glass and the word “hooligan”, now occupies a well-defined niche in a wide range of hunting arsenal, being next to crossbows, bows and others " ancient” (but by no means primitive) inventions of mankind.

Device and principle of operation

In its traditional, classic form, it is a very compact (a little more than a palm in size) Y-shaped piece of wood (resembling the horns of some representative of ruminants and ungulates), to which flat strips or round rubber bands are attached, with a leather, wider strip between them. A projectile is inserted into this part, then rubber bands are stretched and, aiming, releasing a leather jacket with a projectile clamped in it, a “shot” is fired.

Sharply shrinking, rubber bands transfer kinetic energy to the projectile, which is quite sufficient for them to gain speed from 45 to 80 m / s and a flight range of 50 to 200 meters. A very wide "scatter" of these indicators is explained by numerous options for both designs and materials for the manufacture of slingshots, and a wide choice of "ammunition" for them.

So, a simple weapon in terms of its technological device, a slingshot consists of several main characteristic parts:

● slingshot, or slingshot - serves to attach a rubber band, hold the slingshot when aiming and shooting;

● cords, throwing harnesses, string - rubber (latex) strips that serve to accumulate potential energy during stretching (pulling) and quickly transfer this energy to the projectile at the moment of compression;

● leather jacket (leather, saddle) - "charging" part, made, as a rule, of leather and used to capture and hold the projectile before firing.

Manufacturers of homemade traditional slingshots prefer natural wood for their manufacture. The choice of breed is quite serious. Just like in a rifle butt, a combination of such qualities of wood as elasticity, hardness, and resistance to splitting is required.

The best species are traditionally considered deciduous - mountain ash, walnut, maple, apple tree, acacia. Usually, a young branch of a tree is chosen and tied with a rope, drawing future “horns” to each other. Such a branch is left “for growth”, but most often it is cut down immediately if its dimensions already meet the requirements and tastes of the shooter.

An important criterion for the choice of the workpiece is the symmetrical arrangement and the same thickness of the two, working in the future, processes, to which the rubber bands will be attached. After cutting, such a workpiece is cleaned of bark and dried for two to three weeks in a dry room.

The resulting "semi-finished product" is processed - polished and brought to the size and proportions, depending on the individual taste and engineering preferences of the master and the future owner. Of course, there are general logical criteria: sufficient thickness and length of the handle, equal height of the tops of the horns, the distance between them. Recesses are also made for the seats of the rubber band.

The fantasies of craftsmen are limitless - there are slingshots made of steel rod, carved from deer antler, sawn from plastic or from thick multi-layer plywood, with a notch on the handle, decorated with the initials of the owner, with inserted rhinestones and artistic carvings.

There are lovers of various technical options and improvements: all kinds of sights, "amplifiers" of tension, unusual forms of leather jackets. Sometimes, in terms of ornate forms, this brings them closer to modern compound bows or crossbows, but more often, it unnecessarily complicates the design and hardly really improves the “combat” characteristics - after all, the very essence of a slingshot is compactness and intuitive shooting.

It is much more important to choose the “right” material for the manufacture of strands, which must have sufficient ability to restore its original dimensions as quickly as possible. For many years, the most affordable and popular material for this was a rubber medical bandage.

Now "professionals" consider such material natural latex. Rods made of this material last quite a long time and have the highest rate of contraction. Modern king of sling rubber - surgical latex, which enthusiasts get in pharmacies or Medtekhnika. A Russian achievement is the Pezzer catheter, which is produced in several standard sizes. Highly advanced shooters use only Trumark branded (USA) rubber, red, priced at $4.95 per set.

The leading manufacturers of horn rubber for sports and hunting models make their bands wedge-shaped or conical, tapering to a leather jacket, which, in turn, must be made of medium hard material:

• Too soft is convenient to hold with your fingers, but it can slip out unevenly when fired, which will definitely affect the accuracy of the shot.
• In too hard - it is difficult to hold the projectile without feeling it. According to the masters, good leather jackets are obtained from old belts and shoes, which speaks not only of creativity, but also of a very economical way of making weapons of this kind.

Designs and models

Moving from the basics and products of craftsmen to the industrial production of this type of throwing weapon, we will see an even greater variety of engineering and technical thought. There is a very wide range of slingshot companies on the market these days, for example, well-known companies such as Marksman or Combow(USA), which produce their products not only in sports and hunting versions, but also carry out orders for the armament of special forces - in the form of a real combat system.

Italian company “Advance” makes "ordinary" (to use the term for hunting weapons) slingshots - with the widest choice of models and prices.

Of course, Chinese manufacturers did not stand aside and filled the Russian market with countless "different-sized" and different-quality products. It is impossible to ignore such model names: “BlackWidow”, “ProDiablo”, “Wrist-RocketPro” or “Dragon”…

slingshots Marksman have a completely traditional look, but are produced using modern technologies and materials. For example, the handles are made of impact-resistant plastic of various colors, the flyers are pressed into the handle, the rubber bands are made in the form of cylindrical hollow cords with special tips for fastening, the leatherette (heel) is made of synthetics.

As a rule, the surface of the handle has grooves for fingers or corrugation. In more advanced models, the design includes a special screw for attaching flyers to the upper end of the handle, and, in turn, is attached to it. ball magazine (capacity 25 pcs.), made in such a way that it is also an emphasis and protection for the shooter's hand.

For aesthete hunters and sophisticated connoisseurs, slingshots are produced even in an elite version. In this case, the handle is made of precious wood, the flyers are made of high-strength steel with an anti-corrosion coating, the rubber bands are two-tone, and the heel is made of calfskin. For shooting, the manufacturer recommends and produces steel balls with a diameter 6.5mm, 8mm and 10.5mm.

In some models of the company's slingshots Combow, in addition to using standard balls, it is also possible to shoot special arrows, which makes them somewhat similar to a small crossbow. The kit also includes spare rubber cylindrical bands, a support for the elbow part of the arm, a holster, a quiver and a set of special hunting (short) arrows.

The body of the slingshot is made of aluminum alloy and has a noble matte finish, and the vinyl handle is adjustable in length. An interesting feature of the design of this sample was a kind of “Hi-Tech innovation”, which increases the effect of tensile cords on the projectile (as it is positioned in the instructions).

In an ordinary, average slingshot (without such a device), the rubber band is stretched for 460mm, and in the “Combow” slingshot by 740mm, which makes it possible to disperse a steel ball with a diameter of 12.7mm to a speed of 70 m/s, and a hunting arrow weighing 160 g - up to more than 60 m/s and an impressive flight range - 137-183 m! The holster and quiver for arrows are attached to the leg or to the waist belt. The price of such a “combat kit” is more than 150 US dollars.

Some foreign models can also be equipped with a kind of underbarrel flashlight, a laser sight and other similar options for deep connoisseurs and virtuosos who appreciate modern technological progress.

It is impossible not to mention also special hunting models that allow using not only a single ball as a projectile (as a prototype of a bullet), but also, thanks to the shape and material of the leather jacket, load the slingshot with shot, which allows it to be used already for purely hunting purposes - for shooting on small and, most importantly, moving targets.

Ammunition and shooting

As in firearms, the accuracy of a hit depends on the entire weapon-ammunition-shooter complex. And the flight of a projectile fired from any weapon obeys the same laws of ballistics. Therefore, the lower the resistance of the oncoming air flow, the more uniform and longer the “acceleration”, the more accurate and farther the projectile will fly:

● crushed stone, gravel and other improvised items are not suitable for the title of ideal ammunition: the difference in size, weight and shape will not allow you to achieve stable shooting results;

● glass beads are much better: they are symmetrical and rather heavy. One of the advantages is that the refraction of light makes the trajectory of their flight clearly visible, which is indispensable for practicing intuitive (without the use of aiming devices) shooting skills. Their disadvantages are still insufficient mass and sharp fragments in case they hit a solid obstacle;

● hunting lead buckshot is almost perfect. The heaviness of this metal allows the use of balls of a smaller diameter while maintaining quite a solid weight, so they experience less air resistance and fly faster and farther. Buckshot is available - sold in all hunting shops. There is only one drawback - lead oxide is poisonous (for those who care about their own health and the environment);

● steel balls are close to perfection. The almost perfect polished surface improves streamlining and reduces air resistance. Environmental friendliness of application. The only “but” is that it is lighter than lead ones, therefore, compared to them (of the same diameter), their flight distance will be less.

A confident shooting distance from a slingshot is the same as for pneumatic long-barreled weapons: 10-25 meters(although some trained shooters achieve good results at longer distances (30-35 m). As in archery, uniformity of tension and repeatability (uniformity from shot to shot) of movements are important.

The technique is individual: some shooters hold the slingshot vertically, others almost horizontally, and still others at a certain angle. The main thing here is to be convenient and efficient. Therefore, here arises the term "intuitive shooting", which means an instinctive correction (acquired by practice) for distance, trajectory, target movement, wind strength and direction, and other factors.

It is difficult to give advice here due to the unpredictability of various hunting situations, but the “father of the horn thought”, the mighty old man Jack Koechler tried to collect them in the immortal work “Slingshot Shooting”, after reading which, it becomes clear that with hard training it is possible to achieve a confident hit in the left compound eye of a flying tse-tse fly.

Slingshot and hunting

Based on the technical characteristics, it can be understood that the use of a slingshot for hunting is quite reasonable and justified. Many hunters use a slingshot to frighten a squirrel or marten out of the nest, in order to then fire a productive shot from a gun. To get a wounded animal (for example, a duck on the water) so as not to waste extra cartridges - in these cases, the help of a slingshot is in great demand.

As for the direct, hunting use, then, first of all, it is shooting at medium-sized game, located at a close distance from the hunter. It can be a hazel grouse that flew up to the whistle of a decoy and sat down on the nearest branch, partridges that took off from under your feet (yours or dogs), a woodcock on spring draft in a low forest (in these cases, when shooting at flying game, of course it is better to use in shot as a projectile), small animals (squirrel, marten, muskrat, ferret, hare) - balls of various diameters are quite suitable here.

The slingshot forces the hunter to get as close as possible to the prey, which makes such a hunt into a wonderful and reckless training in concealment and disguise. The noiselessness of the shot is also important - often the game does not disappear after the first miss and allows you to make a second shot.

In lands rich in game, it is quite possible to shoot various waders and even black grouse (especially at the beginning of the season, in broods) and ducks. Although you need to be aware that it will never be as effective as with a gun.

So, the pros and cons of this simple but unique invention in relation to hunting:

● compactness and low weight;

● "omnivorous" in relation to ammunition, up to the use of random, turned out to be at hand;

● silent shot (often this is important);

● "issue price" - the cost ranges from 130 rubles. up to 13000 rub. Goods of domestic production - an order of magnitude cheaper, not to mention the author's home-made copies;

● easy repair or replacement of any failed part;

● in Russia it is not considered a weapon and does not require registration, license or any other legalization (although do not forget the articles of the Criminal Code on hooliganism, poaching and causing bodily harm of varying severity);

● an excellent product for training the eye, understanding the basics of ballistics, stealing skills, studying the habits of game, "quiet hunting", which almost does not violate the ecology and the tranquility of wildlife;

● The effectiveness (productiveness) of hunting with a slingshot leaves much to be desired, but in terms of passion and physical activity it is quite comparable to rifle hunting.

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. A 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 not used forked branches specially looked out for on a certain tree for a long time. 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 took the 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.

Modern models use other materials. 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 of 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 can be in favor of a 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 slightly 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, the ideal example of which would be the infinity sign - an 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

A fairly wide selection of slingshots is presented in the hunting equipment store, 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, a low shrub or a sunbeam peeking out from behind a cloud. 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.