[boomslang]

All band failures to date occur near my pouch ties...I've seen Nathan & Bill's videos of how they tie (thank you) but wondering if my rubber band ties may be too tight/stressful and if you have found a way to reduce stress at that point or is it nearly inevitable that that is where band stress is - and where most band failures are going to occur regardless...….

'Read in the new mag - someone suggested to always shoot tapered bands as breaks will occur at thinnest area and thus snapping bands will not result in face-slaps... ' Not sure 'bout this reasoning...

 

[Ordo]

This may help. A surprising stuff, better than everything i've tried.

Click the image for the link.

 

[boomslang]

Thanks O,

The link still has me wondering exactly - what it is....

 

[urbanshooter]

I'll second Ordo's suggestion as the elastic ribbon is a great solution for pouch ties as well as to tie bands to the frame. I use the ribbon for the latter and the elastic line type as shown below to tie to pouches. Either will work and both are inexpensive and abundant. Or you could simply use thinner rubber strips harvested from used bandsets to tie your pouches...

 

[Bill Hays]

You actually WANT the bands to always break at the pouch side... otherwise you're going to be prone to snapbacks in your eyes.

Tying the pouch to tightly can indeed shorten life span, but usually what happens is the slamming of the bands into the forks, a little roughness at the forks and shooting to heavy bands for light ammo will cause shortness of band life far more.

 

[mattwalt]

What Bill said. Though also dry firing (practice draw) will also very quickly chew through bands.

I use hair-tying bands which from what I understand is very similar to elastic ribbon.

You could also try a cuff.

 

[Pebble Shooter]

There are various issues here:

- The quality of the rubber being used to make flat bands;

- Band thickness;

- how the bands were cut i.e.preferably no fraying edges;

- how much taper there is;

- how much abrasion the inner surface of pouch holes causes to the band ends;

- how the bands are tied to the pouch and how much "play" there is at the connection points while drawing the bands and releasing these;

- how the bands are tied to the forks, and whether there is friction potential at the forks (good sanding is thus essential);

- Whether the ammo is too light for the band set concerned (hand-slaps are an indicator);

- Ambient temperature, exposure to UV in sunlight.

- Other possible causes.

I use band remnants to wrap & tuck flat bands, and get roughly 200-250 shots per set. The Chinese rubber ribbon looks very interesting.

Band failure should ideally always occur at the pouch side, hence the relevance of tapered bands. You do not want bands slapping in your face when they break, and should consider wearing safety glasses (nice modern designs) when shooting, just in case this were to happen.

I visually check my bands carefully before each shooting session, but also at intervals during the shooting sessions. If something feels "wrong", I change them for a new set.

 

[urbanshooter]

Just remembered this one that covers it quite well:

 

[SLINGDUDE]

That "crystal string" stuff is what I use at the pouch end. works really well for me.

 

[boomslang]

Thanks all - good info...........