slingshootist's log

I got out today and yesterday. Targets and cans. Here’s a clip of a can cut at 10 metres. I edited a lot but I had a surprising number of hits. I just love the sound of steel smacking aluminium and the tock of a clean hit.
Happy New Year

 

Christmas present?

 

What an afternoon. Got the usual targets out.

The first shot was a hit. Then the second. Third, fourth it was great. Then I lost the zone. 88% in the end.


I was too casual with the second target and scored 58% which is still not bad. I didn’t want to leave. Distant trees, different target distances it’s a good job there were no creatures about or I’d have had a go at them too.

 

I have one frame for each day of the week. And here it is:


Today I had another great shoot. The first target was 80%
I had 46 shots which came to 76%. What I noticed today was that if I let the elastic pull the ball out of my fingers the shot was better placed.
1. Confident draw to anchor with good solid grip of frame and ammo.
2. Sharp focus on point of aim honed to a mm.
3. Let the elastic pull the pouch into alignment.
4. Imagine a laser through the middle of the ammo hitting the pin point centre of the bull.
5. Keep that laser steady as you gently let the elastic pull out of your grasp.
When I do all these things I often find I’m only mm from the bull. But I don’t always do all these things.

 

Another great day. Not so accurate but the shots that felt good were really good. Have to keep remembering to let the elastic do the work.

Dark early so took a candle, a catapult and a bic lighter to a quiet spot. Hit the lighter on second shot. This is the video. No doctored images (as suggested by some).

 

Too dark to see a target so I set up a can cut. 43 shots later:

 

What a crazy shooting time. Cold, damp and chilly. First shot was a bull’s eye! The next missed by a foot. I presumed the cold was speeding up the loss of heat (and elasticity) so to compensate I drew the pouch back a few inches just before shooting.

And it went from hitting the wrong target:



to hit after hit:



I just wish I’d done that from the beginning. Later shots were not as good as I was chilled and shivering. But still.

 

You have looped tubes I see. How do they compare with flats? Noticed any difference?

 

A lot has been happening. I’ve now got so many variables it will take a few thousand shots to begin to assimilate. Some people are probably very accurate naturally and are hunting beetles at twenty paces within days. I’ve been shooting on and off for a few years and l lose as many steps as I gain.
1. Stable base. If your body is swaying about so is your ammo.
2. Geometry of frame to arm to earth to bandset needs to be right angles if possible.
3. Consistent release: let the elastic pull the ammo out of your grip right into the target.
4. Picture laser through the ammo to the target via the yoke all at 90°.
5. Keep frame steady until ammo hits target
6. Consistent anchor.
and that’s just for starters. I always forget something and I’ll just have to keep on till it comes together.

One day this week I was shooting from 25, 20, 15 and 10 metres. It was a blast and the target looked very large at 10m after shooting from 20-25.
7. Aim at the smallest atom in the middle of your target.
This is all just me. I have a condition which makes my arm shake so accuracy will always be compromised.

Today I got some good’uns and some utter fliers.