How many pounds do you draw your slingshot?

Stu, do you mean actually drawing out a real slingshot, or grabbing a handle (weightlifting equipment, crossbow string) and pull?

Slingshots are MUCH harder to draw as you have to do it with your hand in an awkward position, holding on to the pouch with thumb and index finger only.

On the "low row" machine in the gym, I can easily do 60 kg (132 lb) with one arm, 120 kg with both. The arrow shooter with the 58 lb bands, I can only draw it because of the mechanical release. A normal slingshot w/o release, 40 lb is my max. I can maybe do 50 lb, but bye bye accuracy.

 

At a rd. 100cm draw I draw a weight of rd. 2,8kg,
which is approximately 6lb. to accelerate my little
8mm steelballs to rd. 100m/sec. (Chrono cell-app)

I use double theraband black bands, 18 to 13mm tapered,
active length is 25 cm.

Next set is prepared with double TB blue, 20 to 15mm
tapered.

edit: 2.4kg, which is rd 5 lb.

I expect it to be even faster (it´s the old
TB recipe, 13,8cm wide bands, got almost three rolls
of that stuff now.. )

kind regards,

Be

 

I can pull about 65 lbs comfortably on a bow. Slingshot with hammer handle is about the same. However, a slingshot set that strong is not accurate and requires massive ammo to reduce bandslap. Basically, it's not practical. I set all of mine to comfortably shoot 3/4" to 1" steel ammo at half butterfly. Only the CONUS is set lighter and for full butterfly with 3/8" ammo.

 

Stu, you are right, it is efficiency we must seek.

The only problem is that the shooting position people normally prefer isn't well suited for the cocking motion.

Maybe the solution is to design a weapon that shoots well from the best possible cocking position? That will require some thinking outside of the box. Slingshot crossbows that look entirely different than gunpowder based rifles.

 

Remember, a bow pulls balanced top and bottom of the hand while a slingshot pulls only on the top (or to one side). Sometimes the hand cannot handle the force of the twisting motion being exerted. While compensating for the twisting force you lose accuracy control.

I must clarify, I only use a long bow which is continually "elastic" during a pull (similar to the way a slingshot performs). The compound bows do all sorts of funky things when you pull them which I have never cared for personally.

 

Stu, a pump action motion is just different than drawing out a bow. You use entirely different muscles for that.

The pump action method is NOT the way to go, believe me. Do not forget that it would not even be sufficient IF your 38 lb would be manageable with a pump sled once (which isn't the case), as you'll have to be able to do that again and again in quick succession.

The only way I see for the weapon you are after is the press-against-chest two handed cocking, in a rowing motion.

Much like my 9" nail shooter, with the exception that my new method to push up the ammo in the mag would allow you to use the entire length of the weapon for acceleration. That would dramatically increase the power.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95Xm-YT4FZ0[/ame]

Using front heavy bolts instead of these nails would make them fly true, and also they'd be heavy enough for serious damage.