Great practice method for the mini and pocket size too!

[jeffrey]

I said long ago that a mini is best shot like a bow, instinctive.  Of course not everyone shoots a bow and they can get expensive.  Well how about using a small pocket size slingshot that shoots BBs.  This little guy can hit soda cans all day long at 33' and punches right through them.  Using a catch box you can reclaim the BBs to shoot again and again.  This kind of practice translates to a much higher hit factor as your shooting eyes learn to hit without depending on sights.  Besides they are very inexpensive and make almost no noise.

   

[calvin2]

I love it.. remindes me of the "O'l Red Rider" Action, shooting by watching the target not the sites, you could will the BB too it's destination.. Good idea!!

[doc_stadig]

Our instinct shooting instructor in basic training could hit an aspirin tablet out of the air with sights taped off on a BB gun at worst 9 out of 10 times. Well practiced, absolutely. But anyone that thinks you will be able to get a 'perfect sight picture' when engaging a bad guy with his own weapon, really has no idea. I will often, when I'm at the range, do some from the hip shooting as if under stress, it's hard to build the fear factor obviously, but I'll go through the stages of obtaining the firearm, "pushing" the firearm in the direction of my target, with a single action, I usually thumb the hammer back as I acquire my target, grip the trigger and fire the round, of course all this happens in a fraction of a second, much faster than I can pull the slide of my auto loader. My thought leans to not having "one in the pipe" as many others do with their semi-auto's, it's a personal thing for me, I'd rather take an extra 1/4-1/2 second to make sure that the target is, indeed, a bad guy, and not my wife, especially at night or in the early morning hours, when I'm not quite as alert, instantaneously, as if someone approached in the  evening when all my senses are alert.

   

   

   Doc

[bbgun]

Love them BBs, especially the shiny brass kind from Crossman.  I call 'em poor man's tracers!

[skarrd]

i like the grips on the 1 1/8,they work well on the Pugly[as far as *jump*]how are they on the 1 1/8?2nd ,most important who made your slingshot??i want one!!!

[yzingerr]

A+!

[jeffrey]

The slingshot is mande by A+ Slingshots out in CA. It's a small family business and each one is handmade.  They also make the bandsets for them.  The little BB shooter is the smallest they make and it was specifically designed for BBs.  Once you learn to shoot instinctive style, again like a bow, your hitting percentage sky rockets.  Here is a shot from a few months back.  The distance was 33' into my little catch box, the can suspended from a wire hook inside.  Talk about fun too!  Very inexpensive to shoot and I'm still using the same BBs time and again.  The BB Shooter runs 25 dollars from A+ the band sets run 5 dollars each.  I shoot every day just to keep the eye sharp.  Targets are basically free since the wife and daughter love their Coke products.  Besides I make it easy on the recycle folks since my cans are partially processed.

[pioneer]

Last week I "discovered" the concept of a "sling bow."  With minor alterations, a common, garden variety wrist rocket can be used to launch full sized arrows with pretty impressive accuracy and results on game.  I'm working on putting one together to include in my "SHTF bug out box."  

   

   For practice, most cities don't allow shooting firearms, air rifles or archery in city limits, but (at least where I live) sling shots are not mentioned.

[jeffrey]

I believe slingshots are making a come back.  The improvement in instinctive shooting practicing with one is awesome.  I had the chance to knock off a box of .22LR the other day and found that tin cats at 20 feet were in serious trouble.  All a credit to the daily dose of slingshot work in the backyard.  For a survival kit slingshots offer a way to feed yourself using rocks if you have to for ammo.  Ball bearings and hex nuts do unreal damage if required.  So far as shooting arrows I've tried that and it works very well.  In fact some states are allowing that type of gear for hunting now during archery season.

[lewiss]

I used a wrist rocket from Junior Hi on (they were probably very new then). We used to take Black Cat firecrackers, put them in the wrist rocket, pull back, and have someone light them. Then launch them into the treetops. Great fun! Can't imagine kids doing that today - would probably be against the Patriot Act or something.

[top dog]

Jeffrey,

   Thank you for posting this. I just started getting interested in slingshots (again) and after seeing this,ordered a BB shooter from A+.

   Can hardly wait for it to arrive.

   The regular slingshot ammo (ball bearings/glass marbles) can get expensive. This BB shooter seems to solve that problem quite readily.

   

                                Top Dog

[jeffrey]

A+ will treat you just fine.  The owner is a real gentleman and craftsman.  Making up the trap box is easy. I have maybe 2 dollars in cost since making it from a cardboard box some scrap wood and an old boat towel.  The current one is holding up just great after maybe 6 months of daily use.  Also get a small magnet for picking up the BBs. Makes getting back to shooting quick and easy.  Once you start shooting your accuracy and htting percentage should climb quickly.  Just be sure to have a nice selection of soda cans to fire at.  Have fun!

[kiawah]

You can pick up slingshots at Dicks Sporting Goods, or even our local Walmart had them for like 7 bucks.  I picked one up a couple weeks ago on a whim, and have been shooting the glass marbles.  Hadn't thought to try some bb's, they work fine (not as much Umpphh though).

[tom]

I once did some experiments with slingshot ammo and found that lead RB from about .35 up to about .45 give plenty of umphph,  Balls larger than that can't get enough velocity.  000 Buck works fine.

[jeffrey]

The BB Shooter I mentioned is made specifically for BB use rather than larger ammo.  The bands and the pouch are set up to give the best perfomance for ball that size.  When everything is set up specifically for a certain size projectile you get superb accuracy.  Shooting a slinghshot made by someone who knows the sport is a pleasure.  Many of the top slingshot shooters in the world can outshoot firearms folks a close range.

[jsan]

I made a couple slingshot bows in the past few years.  One used a Whisker Biscuit rest and the other featured a drop-away rest.  I changed out the stock tubes for some heavier black tubing and made a small section of bowstring complete with a D-loop for a release.  It was pretty accurate for instinctive shooting and I could put most arrows into the kill zone of a deer at about 15 yards.  It wasn't anywhere powerful enough for deer, but it would ruin a smaller animal's day just fine.  

   

   Thanks for posting about A+ slingshots.  I'll probably order the BB shooter.  Looks like a great little slinger for going out camping and passing the time.