[eotwawki]

I recently aquired a nice slingshot, but I don't know what ammo I should use for hunting. I know I can use a small rock in a pinch, but if there's something specifically designed for maximum damage, I'd rather use those.

I did some research on hard materials and it seems like pellets made out of Boron, Rhenium diboride, Tantalum carbide or Porcelain would be very good at cracking skulls.

If someone wants to donate some diamond pellets's, I'm sure I could put them to good use as well

 

[DudeZXT]

They sell metal bearings right next to the wristrockets in Wally World...

Read the book Deathwatch ~ it has a great story about a guy with a slingshot...

 

[GreyOne]

Metal ball bearings are good, and so are cheap lil ol marbles ! Buy a bag of marbles in the toy department- they won;t survive well in hard impact- concrete, brick, etc. but on flesh and bone they work well.

 

[eotwawki]

So I got some of the pellets at walmart and went out and practiced today - I am pretty good at fairly short ranges (15 feet or so) - I did much better than I expected, anyhow.

 

[SeekHer]

Go to any parts store and get small ball bearings, buy a bag of buckshot--0000 is .38, marbles (both sizes) are very cheap and of course small river rocks...

 

[Garden_Knight]

Fun stuff to use at close range is washers, or wing nuts and the odd small bolt looks funny as **** as it flys threw the air and whacks a peogion on a ledge.

 

[Highlander]

Acorns are fun to use on your friends...

 

[eotwawki]

I just affixed a laser pointer to my slingshot.


Is that cheating?

 

[Tom Miller]

Practice practice practice and you can be as good as this

old guy.

 

[Airsekui]

.45 caliber lead balls used for muzzleloaders.

 

[swamprat1958]

Lead sinkers

Surprisingly egg shaped lead fishing sinkers are devastating when used in a slingshot. I bought a mold from "Do-It" mold company and cast my own from used wheel weights.

The same company should have molds for round balls as well.

 

[Hawkeye Alex]

I like to shoot lead fishing weights, you have a lot of different weights you can shoot and the little hole makes them fly faster,IMO.
You should see what it does to a rabbit.

 

[Hunter]

You can buy a whole bucket full of white marbles at wally world. Goto the "Sporting Goods" section and look for their sling shots. On the rack right next to them is a bag called "slingshot ammo." Environmentally Safe too. =))

 

[sean7278]

Surprisingly egg shaped lead fishing sinkers are devastating when used in a slingshot. I bought a mold from "Do-It" mold company and cast my own from used wheel weights.

The same company should have molds for round balls as well.

Great idea. I'll give this one a try

 

[Toad]

Any ball bearings should be at least 3/8" dia. The 1/4" I have seen at walmart is to small! For best accuracy all projectiles should be as round as possible. Lead, steel or other dense metal works great. Stones don't. I have killed starlings and robins with 3/8" dia. balls and I have no doubt that it would work OK on forest grouse, quail, dove and squirrels. On birds it will cave their heads in and when shot dead on in the back, my favorite shot, they will make it as far as a low branch and drop to the ground. Would like to try it out on small cottontails. This is with a wrist rocket sold at Walmart..

 

[redogman67]

Taconite Pellets are all over train tracks sometimes

 

[haha49]

I use small semi round rocks.. Dont really need ammo pratice with rocks then switch to the ammo and you be a better shot for it.. I did that and man rocks work well.. just need to pick the right one can usally find it if you know what to look for..

 

[chubbysurvivalist]

Watching that video of Rufus was amazing. It made me think about a lot of more "zen" approaches to skill where you train to proficiency, put that training in the back of your mind, and then just do what comes naturally. I've heard it mentioned with martial arts, fishing, spear hunting, etc. Rufus seems to prove that it works with slingshots, too.

The human mind is an amazing thing, and even if Rufus isn't consciously aware of it, his mind and muscles are angling that slingshot and varying the pull on their own, based on tens of thousands of previous shots. It's gotten me thinking, when I took my handgun basics class they taught us how to shoot a stationary target, from only one angle, with ample time. I guess that's why people who really need to shoot for survival go through much better training with targets that pop out at you as you walk around.

Proficient use of a slingshot seems like a great skill to have in your back pocket. I was considering getting a .22 rifle sometime soon in case I ever need to hunt my own small game to survive. Still not a bad idea, but slingshots require less maintenance, store-bought ammo is abundant, and natural ammo is unlimited.

 

[Prosailor64]

I work in an auto parts store, and made friends with the mechanics. They hang on to the old ball bearings for me. Doesn't cost me a dime, and some are just and smooth and perfect as the steel pellets you buy in the store. Sometimes a bit of a task to get them out of their bearing casing, but a good cold chisel does the job.

 

[montiegear]

Ammo

3/8" bearings or steel balls work great for practice, then shift to 1/2" steel balls or bearing for practice.

Montie