[High Desert Flipper]

No mediocre video this time. But I did a bit of a throwback Friday this week.

I keep thinking back to all the fun I had as a kid with a wrist rocket. So I found an oldish one in the garage. Sadly not one that went all the way back to my childhood but one I got while camping maybe six or ten or whatever years ago. Got a set of replacement "high power tapered" tubes at the local big box store. Put them on so they would stretch 500% like I do for regular bands. Felt like they were stretching well and didn't have much more to give so called it good. Then got the chrony out.

First, after getting used to modern slingshots I almost choked laughing when looking at how big the pouch is on the wrist rocket tubeset. I bet it could take a 1.25" ball if the tubes could push it. Second, I had a really hard time aiming it. Not sure why but actually missed the catchbox on first two tries. But, all that aside the chrony was the moment, or moments, of truth.

I compared it to 0.5 Precise bands that pulled a bit easier. This set was tied a bit loose for easy draw / longer life. They put 3/8" steel out at 215 fps and 5/16" steel out at 246 fps in this session. The magnum tubes on the wrist rocket? They put 3/8" steel out at 174 fps. For kicks I tried it with 7/16" steel, and the wrist rocket tossed those at 144 fps.

But man-oh-man, did I feel like a bad a$$ with one of those as a kid. Amazing how far things have some since then. And a bit sad that modern slings and bands haven't gotten their foot in the door at big box stores. But then again, maybe just a fun little secret for the few of us that know. Still, it would be nice to see where Pocket Predator, Simpleshot, and a few of the other really great companies putting good stuff out could get to if they could replace the "regular" stuff on standard retail shelves. Then again it would cost a bit more, and people would have to learn how to optimize bands and change them every now and again, and... So maybe all is in order in the universe.

 

[Tobor8Man]

I suspect that Big Box stores do not carry modern slingshots b/c the bands do not last long and are concerned that people will complain and/or try to return them as "broken."

 

[High Desert Flipper]

I suspect that Big Box stores do not carry modern slingshots b/c the bands do not last long and are concerned that people will complain and/or try to return them as "broken."

I believe you are right. And I will consider their loss my (or our) gain.

 

[cromag]

I took surgical tubing from the chem lab in high school (60s) back in the day to tie to forked branches . Unless you left them n the sun you could count on that thing shooting rocks clear through college. The first thing I saw when I was turned on to this new stuff is how far the act of slinging has come. It has become way beyond the scope of box stores and I doubt will we see it happen. I would compare it to firearm ammunition , if you can find it , all the big box stores carry it in some form but only specialty "sporting good " stores sell reloading equipment and components.

 

[High Desert Flipper]

I used the same surgical tubing back then! Much better than paying for the bands. In middle school I scored a few feet from someboyd who worked in a university lab and it lasted me for years.

 

[Sandstorm]

Never got to use my wrist rocket much as a kid, my cats had a taste for the tubes lol! As I recall I don’t think I ever hit a darned thing with it. I’m glad you were able to get out and shoot, I live in NM too and the wind has just been a gusty mess down where I am in the Los Lunas area for the last couple weeks. Today was a dream though!

 

[High Desert Flipper]

Never got to use my wrist rocket much as a kid, my cats had a taste for the tubes lol! As I recall I don't think I ever hit a darned thing with it. I'm glad you were able to get out and shoot, I live in NM too and the wind has just been a gusty mess down where I am in the Los Lunas area for the last couple weeks. Today was a dream though!

Yeah, gotta love NM spring winds! Was something to get used to when we moved here 20 years ago. I shoot a lot in the mornings now before the wind comes up. And on days when it doesn't, I get a happy double.

Bummer about the cats eating the tubes. We have two and maybe a happy accident that I keep all my latex in the garage where the cats don't venture very often.

 

[Tag]

Lmao love the windsock and rain gauge

 

[Quercusuber]

Never got to use my wrist rocket much as a kid, my cats had a taste for the tubes lol! As I recall I don't think I ever hit a darned thing with it. I'm glad you were able to get out and shoot, I live in NM too and the wind has just been a gusty mess down where I am in the Los Lunas area for the last couple weeks. Today was a dream though!

Yeah, gotta love NM spring winds! Was something to get used to when we moved here 20 years ago. I shoot a lot in the mornings now before the wind comes up. And on days when it doesn't, I get a happy double.

Bummer about the cats eating the tubes. We have two and maybe a happy accident that I keep all my latex in the garage where the cats don't venture very often.

LOL!!!!

Shooting a slingshot for high precision accuracy in the wind is the worst experience.

Nevertheless, it strengthen your nerves and gives you a good training for a real life shooting situation, as in hunting, for example.

As for the "commercial emancipation" of slingshots, I would leave it as it is. Slingshots are not for those who want, are for those who can. As in most things in life.

Of course for us, slingshot maniac folks, would be a treat to have a slingshot store around the corner

But imagine everyone shooting a slingshot. I think they would be banned in a blink of an eye.

Anyway, it must be a lot of fun shooting near the desert!! I would love to have that experience sometime!!

Best regards ...Q

 

[cromag]

I was trying to shoot a couple of days ago but gave up when the bands at full draw were vibrating in the wind like the reed in a Jew's harp so much it was obscuring the sight picture.

 

[High Desert Flipper]

"

Never got to use my wrist rocket much as a kid, my cats had a taste for the tubes lol! As I recall I don't think I ever hit a darned thing with it. I'm glad you were able to get out and shoot, I live in NM too and the wind has just been a gusty mess down where I am in the Los Lunas area for the last couple weeks. Today was a dream though!

Yeah, gotta love NM spring winds! Was something to get used to when we moved here 20 years ago. I shoot a lot in the mornings now before the wind comes up. And on days when it doesn't, I get a happy double.

Bummer about the cats eating the tubes. We have two and maybe a happy accident that I keep all my latex in the garage where the cats don't venture very often.

LOL!!!!

Shooting a slingshot for high precision accuracy in the wind is the worst experience.

Nevertheless, it strengthen your nerves and gives you a good training for a real life shooting situation, as in hunting, for example.

As for the "commercial emancipation" of slingshots, I would leave it as it is. Slingshots are not for those who want, are for those who can. As in most things in life.

Of course for us, slingshot maniac folks, would be a treat to have a slingshot store around the corner

But imagine everyone shooting a slingshot. I think they would be banned in a blink of an eye.

Anyway, it must be a lot of fun shooting near the desert!! I would love to have that experience sometime!!

Best regards ...Q

"Slingshots are not for those who want, are for those who can."

Think you hit it dead on, couldn't agree more.

Maybe someday we can work out a swap- I think you would love shooting in the desert and I would love to give a few flings in Portugal.

 

[High Desert Flipper]

I was trying to shoot a couple of days ago but gave up when the bands at full draw were vibrating in the wind like the reed in a Jew's harp so much it was obscuring the sight picture.

I try not to wimp out too easily, but when the bands are vibrating at full draw due to the wind that is my cue to call it a day.

 

[Sandstorm]

I noticed the other day in the wind that my .05 bands hum under full draw. This, of course, led to me changing my draw length to see if I could play Sweet Home Alabama.

I definitely like to try and shoot in as windy of conditions as I can, otherwise I'd be shooting indoors most the year. And I agree I think I am becoming a better shot for it.

That being said, when you see a cow fly by, it's probably either time to look around for Helen Hunt or get your butt indoors!

 

[Quercusuber]

"

Never got to use my wrist rocket much as a kid, my cats had a taste for the tubes lol! As I recall I don't think I ever hit a darned thing with it. I'm glad you were able to get out and shoot, I live in NM too and the wind has just been a gusty mess down where I am in the Los Lunas area for the last couple weeks. Today was a dream though!

Yeah, gotta love NM spring winds! Was something to get used to when we moved here 20 years ago. I shoot a lot in the mornings now before the wind comes up. And on days when it doesn't, I get a happy double.

Bummer about the cats eating the tubes. We have two and maybe a happy accident that I keep all my latex in the garage where the cats don't venture very often.

LOL!!!!

Shooting a slingshot for high precision accuracy in the wind is the worst experience.

Nevertheless, it strengthen your nerves and gives you a good training for a real life shooting situation, as in hunting, for example.

As for the "commercial emancipation" of slingshots, I would leave it as it is. Slingshots are not for those who want, are for those who can. As in most things in life.

Of course for us, slingshot maniac folks, would be a treat to have a slingshot store around the corner

But imagine everyone shooting a slingshot. I think they would be banned in a blink of an eye.

Anyway, it must be a lot of fun shooting near the desert!! I would love to have that experience sometime!!

Best regards ...Q

"Slingshots are not for those who want, are for those who can."

Think you hit it dead on, couldn't agree more.

Maybe someday we can work out a swap- I think you would love shooting in the desert and I would love to give a few flings in Portugal.

That is a deal, sir!!! I would be most honoured.

Nevertheless, the way things are now, don't know if it's harder for me to go to the US or for you to visit Europe...

I wonder when we all have peace and liberty.

Thank goodness for this forum though!!!

Cheers ...Q

 

[Pebble Shooter]

I picked up this Barnett "Black Widow" slingshot umpteen years ago during a trip to the UK: very heavy draw weight tubes for rather limited power.

It simply comes nowhere near the performance and accuracy of a modern day slingshot.

 

[AKA Forgotten]

Amazing how things have moved on these days, I remember how cool or how big some cars looked back then. See them now at vintage rallies and county fairs and they are tiny like toy cars lol I think many retailers these days are partly oblivious to how popular slingshot is in many parts of the world, leaving aside China where they have stores with ranges to try them out before you buy. Certainly most are sold in the UK for launching bait when fishing or those impulse buys when we remember our childhood when we either enjoyed them or out dad wouldn't let us have one lol

 

[Alfred E.M.]

HDF - That was my exact rig mid nineties but I only shot quarters. The nasty thumb slap occurred about every 8-10 shots, but I didn't know about different size ammo back then - all I saw were those yellow plastic boxes with 250 count quarters with a flat spot on each. Someone speculated that since they were just ss ammo and didn't have to be a perfectly round bearing, they could be produced by the cheaper method of being dropped semi-molten on a steel plate, but I dunno.

I shot on my lunch break at 3:30 am ... took a long time but I finally nailed a soda can at 53 yards in the dim ambient light ,,, after a while, I could hit it about every other night or two.

It was uber windy here for days last week but I think it gains speed by the time you get it ... almost had to put rocks in my pockets and a little extra glue on the hairpiece.