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What is needed for a slingshot. Slingshot for hunting: an effective weapon. Epoxy glue slingshot

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 classical form- this is a very compact (slightly larger than a palm in size) piece of wood, Y-shaped (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 made.

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 for their manufacture prefer natural wood. 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 multilayer plywood, with a notch on the handle, decorated with the initials of the owner, with inserted rhinestones and artistic carvings.

There are fans of various technical options and improvements: all kinds of sights, "amplifiers" of tension, unusual shapes 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 manufacturing weapons of this kind.

Designs and models

Moving from the basics and products of craftsmen to industrial production 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 Russian market countless "various" and different quality products. It is impossible to pass by 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. various colors, flyers are pressed into the handle, rubber cords, made in the form of cylindrical hollow cords with special tips for fastening, leatherette (heel) - from 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 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 grenade lantern, laser sight and other similar options for deep connoisseurs and virtuosos who appreciate modern achievements in technical 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, charge the slingshot with shot, which allows it to be used 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 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 situations on the hunt, 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. Product 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 eye training, understanding the basics of ballistics, stealth skills, studying the habits of game, "silent hunting", which almost does not violate the environment and tranquility wildlife;

● the effectiveness (productivity) of hunting with a slingshot leaves much to be desired, but in terms of excitement and physical activity quite comparable to rifle hunting.

Using a slingshot for hunting may seem like a curiosity and is not taken seriously. But having enough practice, hunting will become interesting and successful. Of course, no one uses a slingshot to hunt a large animal, 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 conventional 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;
• the use of special metal balls or arrows, instead of pebbles.

Homemade slingshot for hunting

For the manufacture of such a slingshot, metal, plastic and wood can be used. Hunting slingshots are distinguished by a wide variety of shapes, this is especially true for wooden slingshots.

To make a slingshot, it is enough to pick up an ordinary branched branch. In the simplest embodiment, the bark may not be removed.

Making a slingshot for hunting with your own hands

Regardless of the method of manufacture and material, the width between the horns should be in the range of 4 to 7 centimeters. The length of the horns and handles are selected individually. These values ​​do not affect the success of shooting, but the convenience for the shooter depends on them. Keep in mind that a hunting slingshot should not be too thin, because it will have to withstand firing with fairly heavy balls. The horns should be of the same thickness and placed 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 out of 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 be uncomfortable to lie in your hand. If you find a good branch, it must be debarked. Be sure to grind the workpiece with sandpaper.

There are several ways to attach a rubber band.

• At a distance of 1.5 millimeters from the ends of the horns, small cuts are made to the width of the elastic band. The elastic is wrapped around the horns and tied into a knot.
• We make the same cuts as described above, but we put the 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. Tie the elastic tightly so that it does not pop out.

Epoxy glue slingshot

You need to buy any epoxy two-component glue and mold it into a slingshot of the desired shape and size. When sculpting a handle, take the workpiece in the palm of your hand and squeeze it lightly. If you squeeze the slingshot too tightly, then when shooting it will be uncomfortable for you to hold it.

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 if the entire surface has been glued with a new layer. After all layers have dried, holes should be drilled at a distance of 1.5 millimeters from the upper edges of the horns for elastic. On the one hand, you can widen the hole a little, so the knot will hide in the recess and will not stick out from the outside.

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

Rubber bands for a slingshot - making the right choice

The lethal force of the slingshot depends on the right rubber band. The fastest contracting and most powerful is flat latex. Slingers love the manufacturer Thera band the most. You can buy this latex in any sports shop - athletes use it in their training. A strip 1.5 centimeters thick is cut out of the purchased latex.

What is shot from 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 far enough with it.

Slingshot for hunting - who to hunt

Birds and small animals are beaten from such a slingshot. The slingshot proved to be excellent when hunting game, which rises almost from the legs, namely:

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

With increasing distance, 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 will not be superfluous to practice well, adjust the length of the elastic band and find a comfortable position for shooting. If you have never shot with a slingshot, then at first you are unlikely to hit the target. But having trained, you can safely use a slingshot for hunting.

The slingshot is a familiar bully weapon from the childhood of many boys. 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 to hunt small game. A hunting slingshot, which uses special steel balls for a slingshot as projectiles, easily penetrates a protective construction helmet or a motorcycle helmet.

Device and principle of operation

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

1. The “flyer” itself or the bed, on which all the other elements of the slingshot are attached;
2. Rubber bands or "strands" that serve to be used as a bowstring for a slingshot;
3. Kozhetok or saddle, where the throwing projectile is embedded.

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 embedded in a leather jacket, which is made of durable leather. Slingshots can be used for various purposes, it depends on their design and application. various materials when assembling them.

Types of slingshots:

• A light slingshot is mainly used for recreational shooting or mastering shooting skills. Basically, these are 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 succeed, since the average slingshot does not have the necessary power reserve for this;
• A large slingshot (also called a fighting slingshot) can be used to hunt medium-sized game. It may look like an 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:

• A hunting slingshot is a factory expensive model. To use it, you need sufficient experience in using slingshots. This model can cause serious injury if not handled carefully. Although the medium slingshot is also dangerous, the steep hunting slingshot is already a weapon (although not legally defined as such);
• A sports slingshot is a rather expensive and powerful model. Shooting from a slingshot designed for sports is a very exciting activity that develops the eye. For professional sports shooting, both a medium slingshot and a large one 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 will need is to find a suitable tree for making it. The wooden slingshot is a classic model from childhood. For the manufacture of slingshots, only deciduous 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 cleaned of bark, sanded and dried thoroughly. At the ends of the "horns" you need to make grooves, rubber for the slingshot will be attached there. Some craftsmen, to the question “how to make a slingshot”, will answer that for a slingshot, in addition to wood, you can use steel bars, thick plywood or plastic. However, steel slingshots are considered the best, and turning a slingshot into a work of art can only be done 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 sure of the quality of the rubber bands, the slingshot construction scheme should include branded rubber kits for slingshots. Trumark products (USA) are of stable quality and reasonable price.

Manufacturers of modern slingshots

It is not enough to find a slingshot that is suitable in 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 producer will always give a guarantee for his slingshot, and the sellers' assurances of the quality of their product are not a document that will help in the event of a marriage. There have been repeated cases when a break in the tourniquet led to injuries to the eyes or face, and a steel slingshot (from an unknown alloy) that broke when pulled can stick a broken piece into the hand or face.

If funds allow, it is better to choose a slingshot made by "Marksman" or "Combow". Italian slingshot brand "Advance" is also of good quality.

Ammunition and slingshot shooting

For shooting from a slingshot, you can use different objects, ranging from stones under your feet to special "slingshot" projectiles.

• Stones, rubble and other suitable objects are traditionally used for shooting from slingshots. Because of various sizes, shapes and weights fly along an unpredictable trajectory and on long distances unsuitable;
• Glass balls allow you to track the trajectory of your flight, they are ideal in shape and weight, but flying fragments and high price don't make them popular enough;
• Hunting buckshot is a cheap version of steel balls. Quite convenient projectiles, the disadvantage of which lies in their toxicity to the environment;
• Steel balls - perfect option for use in slingshots. Their only drawback can be called a high price;
• Steel nuts can also be used as projectiles for a slingshot. Some hunters press lead into the middle of the nuts, making such 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 details the theory and practice of slingshot shooting (“Slingshot Shooting” by Jack Koehler).

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

Steps

Classic wooden slingshot

Find a strong Y-shaped horn. Pay attention to branches lying on the ground that can be broken off or cut to the desired shape. Branches from almost any tree will work for a 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 notice more choice among suitable materials.
• If you prudently remove exfoliating raw or mossy bark from the horn, you will get a slingshot that will be more convenient to hold in your hands.

1. Dry the horn. Hang the branch found 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, excess moisture will gradually come out of the branch. 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 penknife or a sharp stone and scrape out shallow circular grooves at the ends of the stalk. Each groove should be located at a distance of about 2.5 cm from the ends of the fork. The grooves will provide a secure fastening of the rubber bands (heavyweights) with which you will shoot.

   • If you make the grooves too high, then the slingshot may break from the pressure of the stretched elastic band. If you make them too low, then the projectiles you shoot with can constantly cling to the base of the fork.

2. Cut off the elastic band for the slingshot straps. Any thick springy material you have on hand can be an effective throwing mechanism. Thick rubber bands or latex strips and even medical tourniquets are all great for getting enough powerful slingshot. Picking up suitable material, fold it in half and cut it to get two identical strands. Each cord in length should approximately correspond to the length of the fork of the slingshot.

   • The exact length of the straps will depend on your preferred shooting style, as well as the materials you are working with. Shorter ropes will allow you to make more powerful shots, but it will be more difficult to pull the slingshot.
   • Longer straps will allow you to adjust the slingshot to your liking or even completely redesign it if you make a mistake somewhere.

3. Attach the straps to the horn. Take one of the two bands and wrap the end of it around one of the grooves on the slingshot you made earlier. Tie the tie securely in this place. Do the same with the second weight. Trim the tied ends of the tie-rods short so they don't get in the way. Your homemade slingshot is almost ready!

   • In order for the slingshot to shoot accurately, make sure that its weights are as uniform as possible in length. Otherwise, your weapon will turn out to be skewed.
   • Check the knots of the heavyweights for strength. If one of them is untied at the moment of the shot, the slingshot can whip your hands quite painfully.

4. Make a skin. Take a piece of durable material and cut out of it a strip about 10 cm long and 5 cm wide. At a distance of about 1.5 cm from the ends of the strip, make holes through which you can pass the free ends of the cords. The resulting skin will serve as a nest for your projectiles, in which they will sit securely until the shot.

   • It is best to use a durable material with some resistance, such as leather or thick burlap.
   • To make holes in the leatherette, use the tip penknife or other similar item. You can also just make cuts in the material, but they can break after a few shots from the slingshot.

5. Tie the skin to the cords. Insert the free end of one cord into one of the holes on the leatherette. Tie the cord in a knot at the outer edge of the leatherette. Repeat the same with the second weight. Now the trigger mechanism of the slingshot is a single unit and consists of a skin in the center and two cords attached to its ends.

   Make a longitudinal cut on the cardboard tube from toilet paper. Take scissors and cut the toilet paper tube on one side so that it can be unfolded into a sheet. You only need to make one cut, as the tube must remain a whole piece of sheet metal.

6. Roll the cardboard into a narrower tube and secure with tape. Lay the ends of the cut cardboard tube over each other, and then roll it up the way people usually roll newspapers. As a result, the tube should be half as large in diameter as before. Wrap a long piece of tape around it to secure it, leaving only 2.5 cm of cardboard sticking out at one end.

   • This part will serve as the internal piston of the slingshot with which you will launch the projectiles.
   • The inner diameter of the tube should be small enough to hit the projectiles you intend to shoot without letting them slip through. It will be useful to compare the dimensions of these parts before gluing the tube with tape. If it is too wide, twist it a little tighter to get the correct size.

7. Make two holes on opposite sides of one end of the tube. These two holes should be large enough to fit a pencil through. Position them at one end of the tube exactly opposite each other, 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.

   • Use a manual single hole punch to carefully punch holes. But if you do not have such a hole punch, holes can be made with scissors or the tip of a pencil.

8. Insert a pencil into the holes in the cardboard tube. Insert a pencil into one hole in the piston and out the other. Position the pencil exactly in the middle. To do this, correct it until the ends of the pencil of the same length stick out on both sides of the tube.

   • It is best to use a short, thick pencil, as there is less chance of accidentally breaking it.
   • Be careful not to damage the holes in the cardboard when inserting the pencil. They should only be large enough to fit a pencil. If one of the holes breaks, rotate the tube and make two new holes in it.

9. Take the second whole toilet paper tube and make a series of cuts on it. With a pencil, draw two vertical lines 1.5 cm deep from one end of the tube. Leave a finger-width between them. Turn the tube and make two more of the same marks on the opposite side of the same end. Then take scissors and carefully cut the cardboard along the marks.

   • This tube will be the outer cylinder of the piston slingshot, containing the thinner piston you made first.

10. Hook over a banker's rubber band for money on both sides of the tube. Hook the elastic bands on the paired cuts, lowering them to the very base of these cuts. In order for this type of slingshot to shoot normally, you will need to use an elastic band for both sides.

    • You will achieve the best results if you take two identical elastic bands. If you don't have much choice, try to make sure the rubber bands you use are the same size and thickness.
11. For good and safe fun, you can shoot marshmallows, foam balls and other soft projectiles from a cardboard piston slingshot.

• The durable slingshot can be used for hunting, as a survival tool, or as a interesting device for practice in marksmanship.
• To make the slingshot handle more comfortable, wrap it with foam tape or twine.
• Experiment with making slingshots different sizes who can shoot various types shells.
• Durable yet flexible woods such as oak, ash and maple are best material for slingshots. They have enough flexibility to keep the slingshot from breaking, but not too much to have a negative impact on the power and range of the shot.
• Strong Y-shaped horn
• Sharp penknife
• Several tens of centimeters of elastic material (elastic bands) for weights
• A small strip of leather or other durable material for the leatherette
• Microwave or other heat source
• Dental floss (optional)
• Small stones, glass or metal balls or other similar projectiles

Piston slingshot made of cardboard tubes

• 2 cardboard tubes from toilet paper (or one tube from paper towels, cut in half)
• Scotch
• Single Hole Punch (Optional)
• Short thick pencil
• 2 strong bank rubber bands for money
• Scissors
• Marshmallows, foam or rubber balls, or other safe projectiles

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

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

How to make a slingshot with your own hands

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

The simplest slingshot is a homemade wire slingshot.

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

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

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

Homemade wooden slingshot

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

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

Can be cut homemade slingshot from multilayer plywood, any piece with a thickness of 2-2.5 cm 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 Y figurative form, put on an elastic band and the slingshot is ready to shoot. You can braid it with a cord, paracord or soaked leather, soak it so that when it dries, the skin tightens and tightly braids the slingshot.

How to shoot from a slingshot

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

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

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

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

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

Where to get rubber for a homemade slingshot

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

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

You can buy a harness for a slingshot.

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

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

Just as interesting.