This is a fun wrist rocket. Sold at Dicks or Bass Pro shop for about $8.00.
I use 1/4 inch steel shot usually sold in the same isle. $5.00 for 100.
Posted on 11/17/2012 4:01:21 PM PST by Chuckster
I am considering picking up a slingshot, or wrist rocket for plinking and possibly hunting small game. I thought I would solicit the advice and commentary of my esteemed fellow FReepers on the subject. I am especially interested in your thoughts on the type of device to purchase and on ammo. I am thinking of something a bit more sophisticated than a forked stick, old bike inner tube and rocks.
Chronographs are pretty common nowadays, so this is a way shooters could have some cheap and silent fun, and maybe actually come up with a useful survival innovation.
This is a fun wrist rocket. Sold at Dicks or Bass Pro shop for about $8.00.
I use 1/4 inch steel shot usually sold in the same isle. $5.00 for 100.
Sounds like you are talking about Judo points.
http://www.fsdiscountarchery.com/browseproducts/Zwickey-Judo-Point.html
I second that ... with a sling shot - practice - practice - practice is required ... I use 3/8 inch steel nuts as projectiles ... when exercise walking to ward off the occasional dog. The hollow center steel nut seems to whistle at a sound beyond human hearing hearing. Even when I miss the dog is more than willing to retreat even upon my mere appearance on the road... Pavlov’s dogs...
With practice many small mammels or birds could be prey... but it takes a lot of practice ...
Instead of using a wrist rocket, snares are much better for small game. Even so, you might catch one animal or bird for every 20 snares you set up. And then, likely only in season.
This is a big motivator to raise your own domesticated food animals, and why there are chickens all over the world.
Wrist rocket shooting an arrow. It’s call a “slingshot arrow” very effective against small game if you have any stalking skills.
Flounder and crabs in Texas bays at low tide, and if not careful, a stingray.
Definitely better than a slingshot. Crosman brought its old pneumatic pump .22 pistol back with a carbine stock - as part of something called the "Doomsday Backpacker Bugout Kit" with backpack, water bottle, first aid kit, etc. All good marketing fun, but that pistol has been dispatching rats and bagging rabbits since the late '50s.
I haven't used such things since I was a kid. I don't think you can easily take small game with that. There are tons of problems with this thing, but to name just two, its energy is miniscule, and stability of the projectile is nonexistent.
As others already indicated, get an air rifle and/or an air pistol (both break barrel) and two pounds of ammo. Those little projectiles will be pointed, and they will fly the pointy end first, entering the game. Hunting pellets expand, they have some decent energy and they drop a small game (like a squirrel) within 25-30 yards well enough. The barrel has rifling, so the pellets will be spin-stabilized. Air rifles usually produce negligible noise, but some - like Gamo Whisper - come with integrated silencers. I have one, and it is pretty good. The rifle that I have is equipped with a scope (it was part of the kit) and it works pretty well. If you are hungry in the forest, with such a rifle you will have something to eat within minutes. Note also that it will shoot upward, at the bird in a tree, with the same efficiency; pellet drop is small and it's easy to compensate. Outside of cheap low-tech pellets, no ammo is required. This is a pretty useful survival tool.
Finally, here is one more reason to avoid low accuracy weapons. You always want to be reasonably sure what you are about to hit. Primitive weapons require a lot of training; archery, it is said, is an art that one has to study his whole life - and a bow is nearly a point and click weapon, compared to a slingshot. Problem #1 is that you miss your dinner. Problem #2 is that you hit what you shouldn't be hitting. Modern weapons give you far better control over the placement of the shot.
I see you’re in Hawaii? If you haven’t already, check the law—In my state slingshots and wrist rockets are illegal, along with crossbows and throwing axes.
Good for chucking rocks at f e m a troops?
Not in Hawaii anymore. Alaska now. Much better for that sort of thing.
I recommend a 22 air rifle. Not a springer.
I have a crossman Nitro Venom Dusk or some such thing. Maybe $150 with scope from Wal Mart.
Trigger was awful, pulled it out & honed everything, now it is just bad, but liveable....
Squirrels out to 30 steps are clean one shot kills, every time. I admit I’m going deaf, but it is not loud.
Use the heaviest pellets that will group. Expect to run 250-300 shots to get it to settle in.
Yep I think I remember that or heard of it lol.I have not hunted with this setup but I can attest to its accuracy it is sort of incredible knowing how much punch is in such a small package!
Snares hunt 24/7. You can take any game, even a moose (A good source is buckshotscamp.com). In true survival in Alaska (lived, hunted and fished there for 25 years) the moose population will be wiped out very quickly so hunting will not be productive. Squirrels? Snare or live trap. Not many rabbits. What are you going to shoot anyway? In any “grid down” in the NW, Alaska will not get food shipped. You better have a whole lot of food stored and hidden along with gear. Get a gill net sized for trout & dollies (In Anchorage: donalsoncompany.net). Slice open a porcupine and hang from a limb over water, the maggots will fall and attract fish. Put floats and weights on the gill net and run it out at night pulling it in before light. Gill nets also work through the ice with chumming.
A 177 break barrel pellet gun or 22 is also my recommendation, forget the slingshot, I have used them a lot and they are not accurate.
Spend the $8 and get a slingshot. They are fun and easy to use. Spare rubbers are plentiful, or buy surgical tubing in large rolls. When I was a kid I got a couple of gallons of marbles at a yard sale and killed many squirrels with a wrist rocket.
If your model folds, you will carry it with you more. They are also easy to make and check out some of the flat band models people are making, using medical rehab material of various strengths for the rubbers.
So what if it takes practice. Few skills don’t.
Won’t penetrate a blue helmet, will it?
But,as you asked about slingshots and not air rifles, and are looking for something slightly more sophisticated...
http://www.pyramydair.com/s/m/Bone_Collector_Sport_Slingshot_Laser_Light/2839\ --Its also available on there without all the tactical doodads.
I recommend playing around with different rubbery materials and finding some cheap, easily accessable stuff to make your own bands with. Ammo too.
Your #57 was a good post.
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