[juliusjonzon]

So I have seen a lot of talking about the different types of bands, forks and pouches and that is GREAT but what about the ammo. Round is not a perfect aerodunamic shape as far as I know (correct me if I am wrong). A Speed bicycle helmet is more of a drop shape. Maby the tail could go throug the pouch and the thicker part inside? Or what about the shape of a golfbal? With litle dents on it? Or scraped lines on it, to get it to sort of spin?
There must be somthing to gain from a lesser air resestant shape?

Anyone tried this?

Lets make the steel fly FAST

 

[whipcrackdeadbunny]

So I have seen a lot of talking about the different types of bands, forks and pouches and that is GREAT but what about the ammo. Round is not a perfect aerodynamic shape as far as I know (correct me if I am wrong). A Speed bicycle helmet is more of a drop shape. Maybe the tail could go through the pouch and the thicker part inside? Or what about the shape of a golf-ball? With little dents on it? Or scraped lines on it, to get it to sort of spin?
There must be something to gain from a lesser air resistant shape?

Anyone tried this?

Lets make the steel fly FAST

In slinging we use oblong shapes (or elliptical you could say) and when I catapult I do as much as possible, they fly excellently and fit in the pouch just lovely; favourite type of stones are the oblong flint-stones, they come in a variety of sizes and have a decent weight to them, because of the density of flint. They seem to work especially well over long distance. This was originally brought to my attention through slinging dot org, it's an old medieval way of molding lead for a melee weapon. Good question.

 

[JoergS]

The problem with non-spherical ammo is that it tumbles. That does not mean it will be unprecise, slingshots are quite tolerant in this regard.

To avoid tumbling, firearms use rifled barrels to give the bullets a stabilizing spin. Doesn't work with slingshots.

The only way to achieve that is shooting feathered arrows or flechettes (short arrows with a hook right behind the tip). Especially flechettes work really well, but I am a bit afraid of hand hits to be honest.

Maybe it IS time to work on flechettes! Will think about a protection system for the fork hand.

 

[ZDP-189]

After impact

 

[Tex-Shooter]

Shucks I had aome little anti-personal bombs from WWII that were only about 1 1/2 inches long. I have sold mine, but you can find them on Ebay sometimes or on the internet. -- Tex

 

[juliusjonzon]

Would it bee possible to moald a lead ball as a golfball? Or to make it like that after? According to mythbusters (allways a good source) a dimpled golf ball travels up to ca35% longer than a smoth... That is some major differnce! If one could make a ball with lesser air resestans, that would mean that it would go faster, that would mean fasterballs with lighter bands? or am i wrong in my conclusions here?
maby I should try fyrig golfballs... probably need a pritty big sling and bands for that=)

 

[ZDP-189]

I've been trying plastic beads with flat sides like dimples. They were too light. I was going to recast them in lead, but dannyhk told me that they were already commercially available.

You're shortly going to ask me if you can get them in tungsten or depleted uranium. The answer's no. The former requires sintering and the latter is effectively unavailable.

 

[juliusjonzon]

This is how the air behaves around a golfball, and gives it the extra speed. Now shorly this could be done with ammo aswell.

 

[smitty]

Dankung has some golf ball style ammo for sale with dimples in them.

 

[Flatband]

I think "Dimpling" may have advantages for use with slingshots as far as distance is concerned but,I think the speed advantages are probably minimal. Flatband

 

[ZDP-189]

Julius, you should buy some and do a bench test at 10m and report back on velocity at target, pattern and drop for a set of dimples and a control group.

 

[juliusjonzon]

Would gladly by some and test it, but I looked at there webpage and cant find it. Google it and found some people talking about it but not where they had seen it... If someone knows please tel me! Oh and how would I test it? I dont have à chrony is there some other way to do à serious test?

 

[picklepie]

whoops, didn't mean to quote... deleted it

I don't know if I'm helping with the conversation, but as a slinger(David and Goliath type) the sling puts extreme spin on projectiles, and that's why slingers like using dense, american-football shaped projectiles. They're aerodynamic, and spin and land point first. I don't think it'll work with slingshots, however. You might wanna look at these, though: http://www.golfcross...cross/ball.html
Darn they're expensive.