[Athena86]

I've been shooting TTF for a month now and so far I've only shot marbles and 3/8" steel, but I much prefer the steel. I'm looking for something about the same size as the smaller steel, but maybe a little heavier as I plan on hunting at some point. Any links for where I can find 3/8" steel in bulk would also be helpful, thanks.

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[Eldon 77]

.38 or .40 cal lead balls should be the same size.

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[StringSlap]

What Eldon 77 said is right on. If you want to stay with steel, maybe try 7/16. A little bigger than 3/8 and a bit smaller than marbles, so a good compromise. I believe they weight about the same as 5/8 marbles, so you should already have a good setup for them.

For bulk steel, search eBay or Amazon for pgnbearings or bctrade. In my experience pgn has a bit better pricing.

 

[StringSlap]

What Eldon 77 said is right on. If you want to stay with steel, maybe try 7/16. A little bigger than 3/8 and a bit smaller than marbles, so a good compromise. I believe they weight about the same as 5/8 marbles, so you should already have a good setup for them.

For bulk steel, search eBay or Amazon for pgnbearings or bctrade. In my experience pgn has a bit better pricing.

 

[SLING-N-SHOT]

Try www.bcprecision.com for bulk

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[BushpotChef]

@Stringslap I like the idea of a round similar to a 5/8" marble in weight but smaller diameter, have you used 7/16 to hunt at all? I'm sure it does the trick just curious what terminal effect they had compared to say 3/8" steel?

 

[BushpotChef]

@Athena86 the smallest clays we rolled lately were about 1/2" and they work just about perfect.

I've been curious about 1/2" steel for some time now..

 

[SJAaz]

I think the guys are right. 7/16 is the way to go. I weighed one came out not quite 4 grams. Compared to 3/8's 2 grams. My marble weighed
in at 4 grams. From your picture, looks like you are pulling those bands almost max. I would be willing to bet that with the setup that
you have now, you could shoot clear through a chicken breast. You might try it with a supermarket chicken. Let us inquiring minds hear the results.

 

[StringSlap]

@Stringslap I like the idea of a round similar to a 5/8" marble in weight but smaller diameter, have you used 7/16 to hunt at all? I'm sure it does the trick just curious what terminal effect they had compared to say 3/8" steel?

I have not hunted with a slingshot yet. I know Island Made hunts a lot and often uses 7/16. He just posted about two squirrels he took with 7/16. One was a complete pass through. I asked about using marbles for hunting and got good feedback. Check the thread in hunting section.

 

[Island made]

99% of my shooting is done with 5/8 marbles and 7/16 steel.

I find 7/16 steel is the perfect size for hunting, the diameter is small enough for penetration, but big enough that it's got some weight behind it. And you can get good power with relatively light bands.

My go to cut is 3/4 to 5/8 with 10" active length with .7 bands. This gives me a nice light draw and 290 FPS on warm days and 260 on cold days. Which is pushing around 15 foot lbs.

Also why these are my choice... as already stated here, marbles and 7/16 steel are the same weight. So I practice with marbles and hunt with the steel.

On my scale, 5/8 marble is 5.4 grams and 7/16 steel is 5.6 grams.

 

[Island made]

Not sure who put this chart together but this is what I Always refer to.

 

[skropi]

I hunt with 3/8 steel mainly, and find it adequate if shot placement is not an issue. I used to love 0.50 lead when I was shooting with a short draw, but now that speed is not an issue because of my 140cm draw, I would prefer 7/16 steel. I dont believe anything could survive 7/16 steel shot with a long draw at 240+ fps.
The only drawback to steel is that it is expensive, so I would prefer 0.40 lead though.

 

[Athena86]

Try www.bcprecision.com for bulk

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thank you I'll look into it

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[Athena86]

Not sure who put this chart together but this is what I Always refer to.

5C2B2256-840B-42DC-9BFA-9922AEF4C222.jpeg

thanks!

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[BushpotChef]

Some good info here, guess I'll be looking into 7/16 steel. @skropi I didn't know you were out banging heads last I read you were preparing to hunt I must have been away when you took something, how'd it go?

 

[BushpotChef]

I think the guys are right. 7/16 is the way to go. I weighed one came out not quite 4 grams. Compared to 3/8's 2 grams. My marble weighedin at 4 grams. From your picture, looks like you are pulling those bands almost max. I would be willing to bet that with the setup thatyou have now, you could shoot clear through a chicken breast. You might try it with a supermarket chicken. Let us inquiring minds hear the results.

Yeah man to hell with ballistic gel let's go old school and shoot something real meat lol!

 

[skropi]

Some good info here, guess I'll be looking into 7/16 steel. @skropi I didn't know you were out banging heads last I read you were preparing to hunt I must have been away when you took something, how'd it go?

I took some doves, but the last one was the one that made me stop hunting for a while. It was a long shot, about 16m, I narrowly missed two times, aiming for its head, the dove didn't move, to my surprise, and the third shot took its head off. After that I felt so sorry for it that I stopped hunting. That bird should be alive now, but it was so stupid not to see the danger

 

[SJAaz]

I think the guys are right. 7/16 is the way to go. I weighed one came out not quite 4 grams. Compared to 3/8's 2 grams. My marble weighedin at 4 grams. From your picture, looks like you are pulling those bands almost max. I would be willing to bet that with the setup thatyou have now, you could shoot clear through a chicken breast. You might try it with a supermarket chicken. Let us inquiring minds hear the results.

Yeah man to **** with ballistic gel let's go old school and shoot something real meat lol!

Ballistic gel...phooey! put the real thing out there then hold an autopsy like a good hunter should. You can't eat gel after the test but chicken soup don't care if you shot it!

 

[BushpotChef]

Some good info here, guess I'll be looking into 7/16 steel. @skropi I didn't know you were out banging heads last I read you were preparing to hunt I must have been away when you took something, how'd it go?

I took some doves, but the last one was the one that made me stop hunting for a while. It was a long shot, about 16m, I narrowly missed two times, aiming for its head, the dove didn't move, to my surprise, and the third shot took its head off. After that I felt so sorry for it that I stopped hunting. That bird should be alive now, but it was so stupid not to see the danger

That's rough man, I hear you. Long ago I adopted a Darwinian attitude towards hunting: if the critter is silly enough to sit there and let 2 rounds fly past it's head without becoming alerted - he was already someone's dinnner he just didn't know it yet. Some animals are predators and some animals are prey, IMO that dove showed he was o. The prey side of the gene pool. Don't let it distress you must friend, you have empathy - that's very admirable. Don't let your hunts be clouded by thoughts of how things wen to last time, every hunt is a new adventure.

Or stick to smashing cans and spinners - ain't nothing wrong with that!

 

[BushpotChef]

I think the guys are right. 7/16 is the way to go. I weighed one came out not quite 4 grams. Compared to 3/8's 2 grams. My marble weighedin at 4 grams. From your picture, looks like you are pulling those bands almost max. I would be willing to bet that with the setup thatyou have now, you could shoot clear through a chicken breast. You might try it with a supermarket chicken. Let us inquiring minds hear the results.

Yeah man to **** with ballistic gel let's go old school and shoot something real meat lol!

Ballistic gel...phooey! put the real thing out there then hold an autopsy like a good hunter should. You can't eat gel after the test but chicken soup don't care if you shot it!

Haha well put! Not to mention if you use say a thigh you get the added terminal ballistic feedback of striking bones!