[desert drifter]

The Chinese have a slingshot culture. My mind cant grip all the slingshot makes and models that come out China. I've made several orders to Dankung, GZK and other Chinese providers on ebay and been well satisfied with the products. It doesn't take much thought to see why they excel and dominate in slingshot shooting. Children start slinging at early ages. I've seen vids of slings being used in their military. There are so many slingshots in China it must rain slingshots there. The Chinese are very good shooters from the starting gate.

I'm not dissing our sporting providers here in the USA. We have a few world class slingshot designers and makers who make outstanding items available to those who look for them. But doing a check to see what is available to prospective shooters here in the US they don't have much of a selection to really spike their interest.

If you check Big 5, Walmart, Cabela's, Bass Pro, Sportsman Warehouse et. al. they carry Marksman, Daisy and a few others. If you take them all out of their encapsulated blister pack and lay them all on a table it would be hard pressed to tell them apart. The majority of them would be black wire frame, black plastic handle, black tube (which I find is much to strong for most beginners) and steel ammo. The marketers of these offerings think that high power is what they should provide. I feel that folks living in urban area cant really shoot outdoors and most shoot indoors. Some communities will allow shooting outdoors but the "missile, arrow or projectile must not leave property boundaries". So high power and steel ammo could be a bit much shooting indoors. New televisions and electronics don't respond very well in an environment like that.

I feel that the slingshot sport needs a lot more publicity. Some exhibition shooting. More slingshot imports of different designs showing up at gun shows, sporting goods and big box stores. I remember back in the 50's seeing Duncan Yoyos expert showing off skills in the playground of my school. I knew I couldn't live with out one had to have one! I know you can do that now. But more advertising and slingshot sports on some of the cable sporting channels would be a good start.

just my :twocents: , others will vary

edit: I guess I could have said all of that by just saying slingshot sports need more exposure and promoting.

'drif

 

[desert drifter]

BR your correct, China does have very rigid gun control.

Students of archery know that in the beginning of the 1900's archery was all but forgotten. One day the sole survivor of an ancient native american tribe (Yahi) wondered into civilization. He was brought to a university where a University of California doctor of anthropology studied Ishi and learned of his ways. He became a sensation of the time. Pope and Young became facinated in his hunting skills and learned how to hunt with bow and arrow. From that pioneers in the sport of archery like Howard Hill, Fred Bear and Ben Pearson took to the sport and promoted archery and hunting with bow and arrows. It took a hundred years but look where archery has gone from the day Ishi walked down into civilization. I think slinging has an excellent start and just needs a little nudge to become a favorite sport.

I too own firearms. I can shoot on private property when ever I want, but it is expensive to do so. I shoot a slingshot every day, recycle my ammo. Initial cost of getting a slingshot and shooting at home is cheaper than a single box of centerfire ammo. I think everyone on this forum knows that slinging is a challenge and can be very rewarding when mastered.

'drif