Any primitive slingers? A great survival weapon.
 

This has got to be the best on the run survival weapon if you have time to practice. It won't replace a good rifle or handgun but It's light and concealable. Ammo is literally everywhere, and it's fun.



Ancient armies prefered it over the Bow.



It can sling a stone 2 1/2 times faster (250 mph) than a major league pitcher can hurl a fastball.



In modern times they have been used to throw grenades and molotov cocktails much further.



I've been playing with this for a few months and can hit a rabbit size target 1 out of 5 times from 10 yards. My goal is to be able to hit a rabbit size target from 20 yards regularly by fall. My 8 year old daughter practices with me everyday, so it adds fun time with the kids.



The next video shows how good some people can get from a distance. Check out the 2 minute mark when they show the throwing technique then they place a head cam on the manequin. I would hate to be facing those stones coming at me.






BTW I usually just throw it on the first spin.



http://www.youtube.com/user/asgesa2#p/u



Also, the longer the string, the faster the throw, but the less accurate you are. My EDC is 29 inches long (from the pouch to one end). I made my sling out of a piece of leather and paracord. You can use any string or cloth to make them. I carry mine constantly so I can practice regularly.



Here's a good place for info: http://slinging.org/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1260271797



Warning: Start practicing with a tennis ball. Your intitial shots WILL be wild! Rocks are deadly to yourself, others, and property!

Re: Any primitive slingers? A great survival weopon.
 

Re: Any primitive slingers? A great survival weopon.
 

What are you talking about. It's an eyepatch.

Re: Any primitive slingers? A great survival weopon.
 

Uhuh, just what I thought........

Concealed Carry, Out in the Open.

You are busted, hombre.

Boy, what a blast from the past.

Did a ton of slinging from about age ten thru my teens.

Got fanatic enough that I would cast

My own slingstones out of pure concrete

(Neolithic Reloading?)

Anyway, slings are a ball, and dammit,

Now I'm going to have to go out to my shop

And build me another'un.

Thanks for the wakeup.

scyth

Re: Any primitive slingers? A great survival weopon.
 

Any tips to improving accuracy for beginners or any other tips in general? Thanks

Re: Any primitive slingers? A great survival weopon.
 

That's cool. I want to make one. What are the most durable materials for string and pouch? How long should the string be? What are the little loops on the ends for?

Re: Any primitive slingers? A great survival weopon.
 

RJB -

Personally, I only use depleted uranium for my slingstones.........

OK. It was me and a couple best friends out in the hills.

What I remember - and its been nearly forty years -

We used baseball glove leather for the pocket

And braided parachute cord for the strings.

Soak the leather in hot water and put it over a form

To form the pocket.

Then grease it up good, so the pocket is supple.

As for the strings, I braided a loop to go around the wrist

On one string, and a small monkey's fist on the release string.

The monkey's fist went between the index and middle finger,

And you merely pointed your index finger straight out on the release.

We endlessly messed around with the length of the strings -

As you said, the longer the string, the higher the velocity,

And the less the accuracy.

I even got to the point of setting up the wrist string a

Little longer than the release string............

About accuracy - using a sling is a lot like flycasting.

You may have 40 or 60 or 80 feet of line in the air,

And your are gonna drop that fly into a 6" x 6" piece of water.

Most people will declare you insane.

However, I do know that you can do it,

And even make it look easy.

Nobody looks at the thousands of hours of casting.

Back to slings, the same thing happens.

"Aiming" a sling is entirely intuitive.

Couple other things, we used to compete a lot

On "one circle, two circle, three circle."

The number of times you spin the sling before you release.

Try it.

The only other thing is when you do release, you release from

The hips, and put the whole torsional whip of your body

From the hips up through the shoulders

Through your arm. Actually, it really starts in your thighs

And how your feet are planted.

Probably more than you ever wanted to consider.........


scyth

Re: Any primitive slingers? A great survival weopon.
 

there is a double sling with three strings, two stones are loaded in it,,each released independently,,,,????

Re: Any primitive slingers? A great survival weopon.
 

The loop goes over the middle finger. I've seen others say different fingers. The Assyrians used one where the loop went around the wrist. I use scrap leather for the pouch. I've heard of people in a survival situation use the back pocket off blue jeans for the pouch. The other end has a knot where you hold it in your hand. When throwing you release the knot.

8 inches from the loop to pouch might be good enough to kill a rabbit and it's accurate. I'm working with 18 inches now. People who are good seem to use between 2 -3 feet.

Also with shorter lengths it's easier to release on the first swing around. For me it feels like a natural throw. If I swing it around more than once I don't have much coordination.

I like the over hand throw, like throwing a baseball. There is the spin over the head which comes out like a side arm throw, then there is the underhand, like pitching a soft ball.

Here's a video for making a easy one. The braided ones look cooler, but they take some time.


Here's a video on using one. He likes the ring finger and the underhand throw-- not what I do, but the basics are there. I also like stones slightly larger than an egg.


Here is a guy discussing lengths. He uses a 5 foot sling at the end.

Re: Any primitive slingers? A great survival weopon.
 

The nice thing about a sling is you can braid one from almost anything that grows. I mean if you know how to braid. The lousy thing about a sling is that nobody knows the proper way to use it. In the movies they always show a guy whirling it in a flat circle above his head, with dramatic "whoosh whoosh" sound FX. That's not it, and when you try the correct method it will be pretty obvious that that is the only way to use it.

There are two lengths for the sling, for the two ways of using it. Use shorter or longer lengths if it suits you better. Usually one end of the sling has a loop that goes around your wrist, or thumb, or whatever is convenient. It's nice but not necessary. The pouch can be about the size of your hand or larger according to your own judgment. Ammo can be a nice wok (to thwow at a wabbit) or you can mold some. Armies always molded ammo from the densest clay they could find, or sometimes lead.

Method 1: Using an 18" sling, hold the sling in your dominant hand and hold the loaded pouch in front of you with the other hand. Toss the pouch up and sling it beside you three times. This is an underhanded toss, like softball. It is especially good for close quarters, such as bushes around you.

Method 2: Using a 30" sling, start as in method 1 but drop the pouch. Sling it once on this side, cross in front, once on the other side, cross again, once more on this side, and release the stone with an overhand throw. This will get you the best range, which is a few yards longer than a bow shot. (Historic pictures always depict the bowmen marching in front of the slingers.)

You can also throw the stone overhand without swinging it all the way around. That's good for a quick shot.

Re: Any primitive slingers? A great survival weopon.
 

Thanks Scyth. I shoot instinctively with archery. I'm pretty good now, but It was sad going from a deadly accurate from 50 yards with a sited compound to barely accurate from 5 yards with a long bow I made. The worse thing was when I realized I had better accuracy kicking a soccer ball that was bouncing to me than shooting a straight arrow. After a long time practicing I am just about as good or better with instinctive than with a sited bow. It looks like I have something to keep me busy for a while. :biggrin: Again thanks for the advice.

Re: Any primitive slingers? A great survival weopon.
 

Just out of curiosity; how does this device compare to a proper slingshot in terms of effective distance, overall velocity and complexity of use? I haven't used a slingshot in a while but I do recall being able to place any size stone up to just under a softball within a 2' circle within about 20 yards and definitely moving fast enough to kill a rabbit or knock a human unconscious.

Re: Any primitive slingers? A great survival weopon.
 

Primitives can hit a whole lot harder. They were used in Warefare and even prefered over archers in some cases. They hit with such a wallop they could kill even if they hit armor.

However, the sling shot is easier to master accuracy than the primitive sling.

Right now if I had to feed myself with either one, I'd rather have a slingshot because I know how to use it. Hopefully by spring, I'll be pretty good with the primitive one.

Re: Any primitive slingers? A great survival weopon.
 

RJB -

This is getting hilarious. I was out on the deck trying to remember

My sling moves, of course without sling, and my wife comes out with a

Really

Weird look on her face and several pointed questions..........

Its all coming back.

Remember that I'm a lefty.

Stand with your feet about 2' apart, right foot forward by about 18".

OK. So my upper left arm is hanging naturally at my side.

My forearm is cocked out at a 45 degree angle forward.

My right hand holds the pouch, crossbody and forward.

Right hand throws the pouch down as left arm whips back and down.

If the plane of my torso is zero degrees, then my throwing arm is

Rotating maybe at 30 degrees outboard of that plane.

Not sidearm, but not overhand either.

My right foot is planted.

At max velocity of the throwing arm I let go of the release string,

And my left foot, which is the floating foot, comes clear off the ground.

As I mentioned about flycasting, this is not a measurable thing.

My whole torso follows through, sorta like pitching hardball,

Planted on that righthand leg.

scyth

Re: Any primitive slingers? A great survival weopon.
 

Investigating the story about David and Goliath:


A search turns up a flood of fascinating information. You can make a sling out of leather, wool, sisal, hemp, cotton, nylon, just about anything flexible. Leather sucks. Hemp is very durable but wears a hole in your skin. Wool is probably the best material. The pouch can be two flat braids or a braided oval with rounded depression. It can't be flat because the ammo will roll out. I thought the loop went around the wrist, but it seems that it goes around the middle finger. The other end has a knot that you hold with your fingers. The shot can be a rock, but it has to be a carefully chosen rock. Molded ammo is more consistent. A double cone or football shape is preferred. Something that surprised me is a technique to catch the cord as it returns after the throw. With a bit of practice you can throw a stone every second that way.

Re: Any primitive slingers? A great survival weopon.
 

If it was good enough for David, it's good enough! Thanks all for the info, very interesting!

After watching the vids, one thing stands out to me about using a sling - the silence. Something to think about.

Re: Any primitive slingers? A great survival weopon.
 

very good, and interesting thread,,,thanks

Re: Any primitive slingers? A great survival weopon.
 

Oh....so you admit to possessing an unregistered, unprescribed medical device, do you? You DO carry a copy of the scrip for this medical device, don't you?:sarcasm:

Re: Any primitive slingers? A great survival weopon.
 

SLINGING.ORG

News and Information about the Ancient Weapon



just like Silver & Gold, used throughout the ages

Re: Any primitive slingers? A great survival weopon.
 

I may be over practicing, but today I was slinging terribly inaccurate. I tried this technique and liked it. It's the first 2 throws where the stone is slung around once.

Re: Any primitive slingers? A great survival weopon.
 

http://www.ssrsi.org/sr1/Weapon/thrown.htm

Slings/Slingshots Bolo/Bola Lasso/Lariat Whips
Stars/Staples/Rings/Boomerangs/Spears Staff/Cudgel
Knives/Spikes

interesting thrown weapons site

Re: Any primitive slingers? A great survival weopon.
 

Wow! That website deserves a thread of it's own. Great info!

Re: Any primitive slingers? A great survival weopon.
 

it's been awhile but i decided to make another sling

was thinking about cutting up some welding gloves for the pouch
and i use shoe laces

looking for the gloves, i came across an old bicycle tube
and i was just wondering, could i make a quicky sling from a bicycle tube ?

i'll play with the idea/tube while i'm watching the football game

Re: Any primitive slingers? A great survival weapon.
 

Here's my old sling. It took awhile to find it, as I haven't touched it in many years. This one goes on your wrist and you hold/release the knot. The cup is made from an old rubber boot and the rope is 3/8" manila. 30+ years ago I was pretty good with it. Today, I took it out back and slung a few rocks, bout threw my shoulder out! I'll stick to my rifles.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v5...MVC-088S-1.jpg

Re: Any primitive slingers? A great survival weapon.
 

Check out this video of Rufus, the bean shooter man. He was awesome with a slingshot.

http://www.maniacworld.com/greatest-...-man-ever.html

Re: Any primitive slingers? A great survival weapon.
 

Good thread. New hobby :).

Re: Any primitive slingers? A great survival weopon.
 

In the demonstrations I have seen there was a definite crack, same as a whip lash. I imagine that would depend on what material it is made of.

Re: Any primitive slingers? A great survival weapon.
 

Re: Any primitive slingers? A great survival weapon.
 

Check out the beginning logo* of this video.... THEY are practicing.





*hint: http://www.mexicauprising.net/

Re: Any primitive slingers? A great survival weapon.
 

sling part starts @ 4:30

i'm surprised by the size of the ammo balls they used



PRACTICE - PRACTICE - PRACTICE

Re: Any primitive slingers? A great survival weopon.
 

NICE!!!!

Advice and How-To's

• • <dfn>3.1.1: </dfn>Making a Simple Sling: An Illustrated Guide - Chris Harrison
  • <dfn>3.1.2: </dfn>Making a Braided Sling: An Illustrated Guide - Dan Bollinger
  • <dfn>3.1.3: </dfn>Making a Simple String Sling: An Illustrated Guide - Malik Lund
  • <dfn>3.1.4: </dfn>Chain Hitched Slings - S. A. Baldwin
  • <dfn>3.1.5: </dfn>La Honda Manchega (Sling in La Mancha) - Pio Santiago
  • <dfn>3.1.6: </dfn>Sierra Nevada Sling - Victor Escobar
  • <dfn>3.1.7: </dfn>Making and Using the Venerable Hand Sling - Lynn P. Ballard
  • <dfn>3.1.8: </dfn>How to Build and Use a Traditional Apache Sling - L.W. Forsyth
  • <dfn>3.1.9: </dfn>Netted Sling Instructions - Matthias Borstad
  • <dfn>3.1.10: </dfn>Building a Golf Ball Sling Pouch - Bob Anderson
  • <dfn>3.1.11: </dfn>Woven Pouch Sling - Cliff
  • <dfn>3.1.12: </dfn>Instructions for Making Your Own Cupped Sling - Jeb Bolling
  • <dfn>3.1.13: </dfn>Tennis-overhand (Weaver) Style Overhand Release - Mark Weaver
  • <dfn>3.1.14: </dfn>A Simple Braided Sling in 20 Steps - Jeff Holt
  • <dfn>3.1.15: </dfn>Sand Projectiles For City Slinging - Sean Badidles
  • <dfn>3.1.16: </dfn>Fifty-Second Bullets - Mark Findlay
  • <dfn>3.1.17: </dfn>Incendiaries - Douglas Meek
  • <dfn>3.1.18: </dfn>Making an Acorn Shaped Projectile - Ben Sumner
  • <dfn>3.1.19: </dfn>Making better Golf Ball Projectiles - Gunnar Watt
  • <dfn>3.1.20: </dfn>Slinging Advice for Beginners - Bill Blohm
  • <dfn>3.1.21: </dfn>Slinging Styles - David Taylor
  • <dfn>3.1.22: </dfn>How to Sling Underarm and Overarm - Chris Harrison
  • <dfn>3.1.23: </dfn>Ancient Weapon, Modern Version - George R. Leaich
  • <dfn>3.1.24: </dfn>Concrete Easter Eggs: Look Out Below! - Nick Martin
  • <dfn>3.1.25: </dfn>Braiding a Solid Pouch - Nick Martin
  • <dfn>3.1.26: </dfn>5-Strand Woven Paracord Sling Tutorial - Jeffrey
  • <dfn>3.1.27: </dfn>How to Make a Rockman Sling - Bruno Tosso
  • <dfn>3.1.28: </dfn>Bramble Fiber Sling - Shawn Noah
  • <dfn>3.1.29: </dfn>A Method for Reproducing a Sling Found in the Tomb of Tutankhamen - Timothy Potter
  • <dfn>3.1.30: </dfn>Making Clay Shot - Shawn Noah

Re: Any primitive slingers? A great survival weapon.
 

I find egg sized rocks or slightly larger to be more accurate. Also with lighter rocks I don't get the resistances so I sometimes over throw and hyper extend my elbow.

Re: Any primitive slingers? A great survival weapon.
 

ever try golf balls ?

Re: Any primitive slingers? A great survival weapon.
 

Not yet. I'll have to try some time.

Re: Any primitive slingers? A great survival weapon.
 

watching that video
i may try some larger sling ammo

i probably have a " small ammo " mindset from playing with slingshots

Re: Any primitive slingers? A great survival weapon.
 

Too light. Weight depends on your arm length and length of the sling. In other words, how it feels.

Think of a baseball bat. If you hit the ball too far out the speed of the bat is high and the force is low so you get a poor hit and the excess energy stings your hands and might break the bat. If you hit too far in the force is high but the speed is low so you get a poor hit and the excess energy stings your hands and might break the bat. When you hit on the sweet pot you get the right combination of speed and force, it feels nice, and you get maximum performance.

Slingers always used lead or very dense clay to make their ammo, or carefully chosen rocks.

Re: Any primitive slingers? A great survival weapon.
 

so what are the differences between a leather pouch and a braided pouch? Any advantages to one over the other?

I prefer the look if the braided pouch, will it hold the stone as well? It seems like the leather pouches would hold better? Also it would be easier for me to make a braided pouch one I think (I'm better at weaving then leather working...).

Any thoughts?

I'm going to start making on of these to give it a try...may be another hobby that I don't have time for :-)

Re: Any primitive slingers? A great survival weapon.
 

Re: Any primitive slingers? A great survival weapon.
 

following some instructions I found on the internets about making a sling I forged a simple sling from some paracord I had laying around...I actually have like 500 yards of the stuff and this didn't take much. I just wanted to get a quick sling and be able to give it a try. I'm going to get some materials to make a better sling and spend more then 25 minutes doing it next time. I threw a tennis ball in the house with this sling (at a wall) so that I wouldn't do any damage. I'll have to take it out and try it with some rocks or heavy projectiles into a hay-bale or piece of plywood later.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v8...3/IMG_2217.jpg


What do you guys think? I know I could weave the basket tighter, I cut too small a piece of rope to weave it tight so I had to loosen it half way through and I didn't want to waste what I had already cut off. I call this "Sling v0.5". The basket is tight enough to hold any reasonable sized projectile...

Hold the sling in my arm down by me it hangs about 2" off the ground if I'm holding it in a firing position.

Re: Any primitive slingers? A great survival weapon.
 

that looks like a nice first try :ok:

did you already know how to weave or just find a " how to " off the net ?

is all that a single piece of paracord ? how long ?

Re: Any primitive slingers? A great survival weapon.
 

its a single piece of paracord except for the "cross weave" in the basket and that is a separate piece.

Its about 7-8 feet long I would say. I cut some extra off so I should have measured it for exact length.

I followed this guide:
http://slinging.org/index.php?page=5...rial---jeffrey

I had a much tighter weave like in the guide at first until I realized my "cross weave" piece was too short so I opened it up a bit.

I have weaved a little in the past but I am by no means an expert or even an journeyman!

Re: Any primitive slingers? A great survival weapon.
 

Leather has two annoying tendencies. One is that it comes in flat pieces, and you really don't want a flat pouch: you want it cupped so the stone won't roll out. The other is that leather stretches, maybe. You don't know how long the cords will eventually be or whether all the laces will stretch the same.

Re: Any primitive slingers? A great survival weapon.
 

Thanks for the info on the leather. I may try making a leather pouched one in a couple of weeks when I have some more time.

I tried making a second sling tonight, this one is shorter so hopefully I can practice my technique and accuracy and then move up to a longer sling that fits me better. This new one hangs about 6" off the ground when held at my side.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v8...IMG_2217-1.jpg
---
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v8...3/IMG_2218.jpg
---
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v8...3/IMG_2219.jpg


I followed this guide. I thought he used hemp rope to make the sling in his guide at first glance, but I don't think it is. I used hemp rope that is about the same thickness as yarn, I think yarn might be easier but I don't know how it would wear. I may try some wool rope next about the same thickness as yarn if I can find it. That should make a nice soft sling for throwing lead weights (less abrasive then stones!)

I'm pleased with how this one came out, I'm having fun making them. If anyone wants one PM me and I'll see what I can do. There will be a cost, the hemp one took me most of the night. The paracord one I made a lot quicker, but if I wove the basket tighter it would take longer.

On my next hemp one I'm going to make it a bit longer and make the pouch a bit larger. It was an excellent learning experience though!