This is a very informative and very important video. Thank you very much for making it. I have never really played with a slingshot. I did saw some with different fork width but did not think too much. Now you point it out hot the fork can affect the accuracy. It is makes sense to me and I am glad to find your video before I receive my new slingshot!🎉
I was doing exactly what you mentioned here, by moving from one frame to another, different bands, pouches...it did hurt my shooting big time. when i settled on a frame which in my case the simpleshot Axiom Ocularis, same bands, I became a much better, very consistent .Mark your videos are amazing, great help and information, please keep them coming, stay safe and healthy
I actually got a lot of help from one of your throwaway lines. You briefly mentioned that having the anchor point too far back can cause your shot to go left. That is a consistent problem for me. I'll be doing some serious experimentation thanks to this video.
I didn't know any shooters when I started out and had to figure this crap out on my own. Spent a lot of money and wasted a lot of time. It was when I bought the Titan hunter when everything came together. At first I thought it was just a better slingshot than the one I was shooting. Lol but it got me thinking and slowly I started figuring these things out. I hope it will help someone out.
O believe me it will help alot of ppl out even from years from now and I'm sure everyone is greatfull for helping them out and saving alot of time for them
I have a pigeon problem and am now living in Thailand. I can not have a gun! So, I am going to learn slingshot shooting. I am so glad I found your videos
Nice. I wish I could do the same. But in my province in Canada we are not aloud to hunt with slingshots. I have to leave the province. If you ever have any questions I did not have in my videos shoot me a message.
I wish I had someone around to show me the ropes when I started out. I know for the guys who have been shooting a while this video is pretty much useless but hopefully it will help the new ones to the sport.
Great tutorial. Thanks for sharing. I'm new to the scene, and have just recently purchased an affordable catty with bands and ammo to get started. I'm not yet able to compare bands or ammo, but feel comfortable with the 80mm steel frame and have only been using clay ammo to work on accuracy. I'm at the dustbin lid level of accuracy presently, from around 8 metres. Once that shrinks sufficiently, I'll start using the steel ammo. Good to hear you state the importance of anchor point consistency, as I too, seem to have settled for thumb on cheekbone so that my eye is directly above the parallel bands. Obviously, there is a veritable plethora of choice, and many variables that affect speed, accuracy and power, but I get the general impression that it would be folly to rush out and spend a fortune on expensive slingshots, bands and start chopping and changing, until I have actually found my feet.
Ya, man. There is no need to run out and get an expensive slingshot. I think it is better to try a couple cheap ones first and figure out what styles work best for you.
I tied some flat bands onto a reproduction Milbro just for giggles. Then found I was way high compared to my favourite Wasp XO. Cue a lot of forum reading and shooting at paper and I got my head around it. Little did I know that all the answers (and more) could be found here in a mere 14:14. Thank you, this could not be better communicated 👍
Hey man I am glad you found the video useful. This was one of the things I struggled with aswell when I started out. I was sure it was a good slingshot vs bad slingshot thing. Definately not. You know that saying. If the shoe fits? Same seal with a slingshot.
Excellent! Folks "new" to slingshooting, and shooting "anchor on face" style (not "Butterfly" style), should benefit greatly from what you have presented, so you are to be commended (once again). The "takeaway" from this is to choose your most comfortable slingshot (from your vast selection/inventory of adored slingshots), and stay with it, learning where it shoots at what distances and what vertical distance aiming "reference points" on the slingshot (actually in your mind, since the reference points are not marked on the slingshot), are needed for those distances. If one keeps changing slingshot fork widths and different bands, different lengths and tapers, one won't become proficient but confused, and cannot fully enjoyed the sport/hobby, IMO. "Butterfly style" shooters would ONLY change the length/elongation of the band, dependent upon the distance to the target, only successfully accomplished with a lot of practice. At no time would they change the position of the slingshot, once they put the aiming/reference point on the target, nor change the slighly-off-the-face anchor under the eye. Thanks for helping out the newcomers or those "stuck in a rut". THWACK!
Really great info brother! To be honest I have never thought about this before. Now I’m gonna have to throw away half my frames! Just kidding. But really good information brother-something to really think about.👊🙏
When I was just starting out I honestly thought some slingshots were good and some were crap but in reality they just didn't fit. Kinda like running a marathon in shoes 3 sizes too big. You can still run but not really well. I thought this would help some guys starting out tighten up their groups without wasting too much time and money on frames that don't fit them.
Great video! I remember four years ago when I first started, I found myself gravitating back to my PPMG even though I love other designs. The reason is Gamekeeper John makes larger fork widths than other distributors. My sweet spot is (100 mm) which makes it challenging when everyone pumps out small frames. Great video though, it will save a beginner some money so they don’t have to go through the growing pains that we had to do haha.
Extremely helpfull. Buying to many frames and not understanding why im off and then hering about frame size then fiddlijg with changing my anchor point gets super confusing when your out shooting in the garden mashes your brain. Definitely getting 90mm as my achor is the same as yours and the wasp iv got the ftc again the same shoots high. So yeah helpfull thank you. 90mm frame ftw.
Great video ! I worked out this a while ago i was swapping different size frames ! Messing with anchor points .. then i realised 90mm was good for my anchor point just on my cheek bone ! Now just practice practice practice and form !
Thanks Mark! Good video, valuable topic. The old guy who taught me barebow over 40 years ago was a "facewalker". He moved his anchor up and down depending on the distance of the target on the field course. He was very good at it-mind you he had been shooting for more than half a century! Thanks for the video eh!
Ya some of these guys are amazing at what they do. When shooting compound bows you change the reference point by dropping a pin. Its amazing that some guys are able to do that consistently by moving anchor.
Great video buddy. I've tried to explain this many times. A picture/video is worth a thousand words and this one makes the point absolutely clear. I make a lot of naturals and I always start with a comfortable grip as the first concern. That often dictates the fork width and either the anchor or the aim point. I initially started learning with a narrow gap and aimed low. I've gradually developed a preference for wider and adjusted my anchor accordingly. Surprisingly my anchor with my favorite fork is exactly the same as yours, the forward point of my cheek bone just below my eye. I can find that anchor without thought, simply point my finger/fork tip and hit my target.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I am a beginner shooter and could not understand why, at one anchor point, I constantly hit the target with one slingshot, and shells fly higher or lower with another slingshot. On the entire Internet, only you explained everything in an accessible and understandable way. to your channel. Greetings from Ukraine.I Subscribe to your channel.
After a couple of years of frustration, shooting multiple slingshots, (I have the scout XT and several gamekeeper John expensive aluminum and brass PPMG AND PLUS. and many more sizes and brands) I DECIDED TO PICK ONE FRAME to shoot Exclusively. Rather than switching frames when my shot accuracy changed. I just concentrate on my form. After a search of size, comfort and ease of band swaps, cost. I bought 4 of the Simpleshot Scout LTs. Then experimented with ammo, band, pouches etc. No matter what I did, I couldn’t get it to shoot TTF without slapping the top of my thumb as the bands passed through. So I reluctantly switched to OTT. With Simpleshot 5/16 bandsets SUCCESS! I now hit a smaller V8 juice can at 15 + yards most shots. What a difference. I shoot in the woods and don't like spreading steel all over, so I switched to good clay ammo. They shoot very well out to about 10 yards but fly erratic after that. But 5/16 steel is really better after that distance.
Oh ya steel out performs clays any day. Really what you are doing is best. Stick to one setup and develop your skills. I am always testing frames, bands and pouches and I notice the hit to my accuracy. BUT when I stick to one set up for a while it seems like I cant miss.
It was This video that got me to change my ways! You see I've made 5 different frames (all with different dimensions) and I tried to shoot each one every day. Instead of focusing on only one and mastering that 1. So this video actually showed what the difference could be. So really really thank you for that. I like the way you trouble shoot as well. So from at least 1 new subscriber... Thank you and Great Job.
One of the lessons I learned shooting Archery was the importance of FOLLOW THROUGH after the shot, and I haven't seen it addressed in any how to shoot a slingshot videos. Which is the subconscious tendency to anticipate the shot and relaxing one or both of your hands and/or the body position prematurely, also called peeking. The fix is to hold your entire hand and body positions until the shot hits the target. Then relax. Also allow a brief time interval between the shots. To allow the muscles to recover and your brain to process the prior shot. Don't hurry and instantly begin reloading for the next shot thus blurring all the shots together!
Very true. It is a good idea to hold your position until your projectile hits the target. I came from archery to slingshots and found the releases for me to be different. With archery I would use back tension to pull back while relaxing my grip on the string to release the arrow. With a slingshot for some reason this caused me to pull my shot. Instead I hold my fork hand like I am trying to hold something up or stop something coming towards me with my fork hand and with my pouch still use back tension to align my frame but just relax my hand for release. Pulling my shot and dropping into a shot were causes of problems when I started out that I had to work through. Holding my position after the shot was released solved one of those problems and imagining I was pushing towards the target with my fork hand stopped me from pulling my shots. Very good point.
@@ATOMark I went fom archery to slingshooting (after all, they are close cousins) because of developing back pain. Not that I'm a great shot, but I became, first, the Florida state representative, then tha Assistant to the Chief ("Chief AJ") of the 2nd iteration of the National Slingshot Association, in the USA. I have "The usual suspects" of frames from several different producers, but gravitate to the WASP Uniphoxx because it is compact/ pocket-size, lightweight, and has a great pinky hole for stability. After I bought one and enjoyed very much shooting it, I ordered several more in all the different colors - the shipping price was the same for several as it is for one. I don't like the Chinese slingshots, and prefer flatbands. THWACK!
I saw this video again today in the morning. As l had mentioned l got back into slingshot recently. I have been trying to get a satisfactory aim from quite some time. There is no problem in release or anchor point. Most of my shots go left from my point of aim. So tonight while practicing l decided to skip using the notch on my GZK and instead used the flat of the band to the aim. I moved my aiming point about 5-6mm to the left. Next thing l know l hit the flippers 22 times out of 26
Great information man! I picked up on this a while ago. I also shoot best with a 90mm frame. What I've been doing to give me a better reference on my smaller frames was to attach a small diy plastic L shaped sight on the tip of the fork (works great with wrap and tuck) with a bit of fiber optic strand glued to it. Works like a charm, shame I can't attach a pic here to show you. Great shooting, keep up the good work man!
100% agree! I started out when many frames outer gaps were 4 inches or 100mm. It took me a while to figure out that a narrow frame shoots higher. Looks like you figured it out pretty soon because you're a great shot!
Great job - you explain the relationship between frame size and anchor point better than any other videos I have seen. Never heard anyone suggest using a mirror to get an initial starting point for your anchor point. I have to experiment with that.
Thanks man. I didn't have anybody to help me out when I started out. I am just trying to pass on what I figured out through trial and error. Hope it helped
Great information Bud. Definitely the quickest way to tune in your accuracy when you start target shooting. It took me much longer to "get it" because I was constantly trying new frames or band sets😉 The adjustable sights 🙄...threw a Big spanner in the works 😁 Solid advice my friend 👍🏻 Be well.
Thanks buddy. I wish somebody told me about this when I started out. Could have saved me hundreds........lol naaaa I would have just bought more 90mm frames🤣
Thanks! Very informative video. I have noticed this phenomena myself and there is a logic behind it when taking line of sight into account. I used to shoot mostly Wasp Uniphoxx which is 85mm but I have realized 90mm is my sweet spot as well. So now I shoot my own home made frames or other larger frames. I agree that it is better to adjust sighting than anchor point, it will lead to more consistent hits.
Great vid, and important info.. it's easy to be excited about getting every new frame that comes out, but to get one that works and stay with it is the best way to dial in your eagle eye!!
Great video bro I’ve had a lot of fun shooting different size frames and you’re right it’s always gonna be different when it comes to width and wideness of frames I did notice certain frames have there sweet spots I have a long draw so it’s always nice finding and measuring different techniques for all frames 👊🏽keep up the great shooting ✌🏽
Thanks man. I have been dabbling in long draw shooting and so far the only 2 frames I can shoot are one I carved and the axiom ocularis. Its funny because they are completely different. But some how they both work.
@@ATOMark I’m not to fond of the butterfly technique I meant I just have long arms so when I fully lock my elbow out and the length between my pinch and fork is 36” inches I have the ppmg from John Webb and that fork is wide it’s 4” that from corner to corner of frame ! It took a while getting use to it !!
I look straight down the edge of the top band for my reference point, and I change my anchor point accordingly depending on frame size. I never really had a problem with accuracy doing this when switching frames. It might take a couple shots to adjust for accuracy but I don’t find it to be difficult. But I do believe frames can be finicky, or so it seems. I have frames that are exactly the same size but shoot with a slightly different anchor point, so there must be other factors playing into the formula. None the less I enjoy the challenge that each type of frame might present when learning to shoot with it. Great video, really enjoyed it.
I am happy you liked the video. Do you do a lot of hunting? I am looking for some hunting grounds not too far from home. Can't wait to nail a good spot down.
@@ATOMark best wishes on discovering some hunting grounds…. Biggest rush of excitement I must say…… I love everything slingshot and hunting every chance I get!!
I wish we could hunt with cattys in my province. I would go every week. Luckily the neighboring province so close it makes it worth the trip. Just need to find some land now.
@@ATOMark agreed, it’ll definitely be worth the trip… here in Virginia we’ve been legally able to hunt with slingshots since 2016…… nothing like bringing wild game home with such a primitive contraption 🥰😎
Thankyou! ..I have my favourite two Naturals one out of oak one of willow one a 90 mm fork the other an 85 mm both were cut to eye rather than a measurment and just worked with them ..I Bought a Metal and wood Catty off Amazon for about a Tenner Small thing with 85mm tips and its Shite really But each to their own! Great Video You do tend to find over time a fork width that kinda works for you ..And like you said Stick with it! cheers
I have only been shooting off and on a few years...I was inactive for a few years and lost my accuracy trying to get it back...I had no idea that fork width affected the shot...I was wondering why I could seem to be more consistent with certain slingshots. Good knowledge, but kind of a bummer because I like changing sling shots, but hate inconsistency like everyone else.
Here is the good news. Now that you know what is going on. With a little adjustment you can still be consistent. Aim a little lower or higher and you are in buisness
I still am kind of wondering why....I was thinking that maybe a wider slingshot is harder to hold in the 90 degrees plane...maybe one tip is a millimeter forward or back....Here is something weird I just discovered with my new Fowler sparrow...I changed holding the ammo/bag in between my index and middle finger...which I have done in the past...instead of thumb and index..and now I am shooting way better. Weird. That just works for me with that sling.
It was like a bomb went off in my head when I figured this out. Lol Hopefully it will help somebody avoid a little frustration and save some time and money
yes thats true. but for finding your for width, there is no need to try different forks. you need ti measure the dıstance of your eye cornea and your anchor point . what ever this distance is so your fork width must be double of this amount. for example to me this distance is 5cm so i always use 10cm width forks if i want my aiming point to be the corner of my fork. but if i use a 8 cm width fork i should lift the target just 1cm from my fork corner because i have 1cm less than my eye to chick distance.
The slingshot ive created has FULLY ADJUSTABLE fork width and hight 😲 can be TTF or OTT and adjustable handle angle and fork tilt. Very compact and simple. Im a mechanic so ive Incorporated a few automotive pieces.. o yeah and the distance of the fork in front or behind the handle is tuneab le as well..
Damn another top notch vid! Love to see new stuff from ya, very interesting. I shoot an titan hunter with the anchor at the corner of my mouth, tried the Goblet Evo as well. I could not get accurate with it. Currently since a few weeks no on the FTC Wasp you also tried, seems perfect. Best Aim I could achieve so far. Had to change the anchor to something very similar to yours.
Ya for smaller frames I could raise my anchor to below my eye for that frame and shoot it well but it makes it hard to go back. Just felt unnatural. Both are great frames though.
Me too man. It would be fun to bust some cans together. The next time I am down that way ill let you know. It would be cool to meet up for a beer and a shoot
This sounds a little like gap shooting. Fire up a shot, then correct for the distance from the bullseye. But many shooters use an approximate 45-degree cant angle. Does the fork width matter, then?
Thanks man. How do you find when the tournament is going to be. I would like to give it a shot when it is a little less complicated to cross the border. Where is it this year?
@@ATOMark I send it to your email, it's in Pennsylvania right outside Pittsburgh usually weekend after memorial day so around June 2 or 3rd usually everybody shows up at the place Thursday before and Friday Friday begins I believe I'll send what I have so far they don't have exact date yet but soon will
It can. But if you are shooting like that all the time then you should be used to the reaction. It is terrible for band set longevity to max them out. Once you start having a little extra stretch you know your bands are on the way out.
Great video..thanks for your efforts 👌...have doubt..you said 90 mm is your sweet spot for your anchor point...is it applicable to both styles ..TTF and OTT...? or its changes accordingly?
Yes I do but the aiming issue will be a problem for wider frames because the fork will cover the target. Luckily the 2 ttf frames I still have are 90mm. Come to think of it thats probably why I kept them.
What if you shoot too high, above the target? Is there public space (cars, pedestrians, cyclists) behind that? Looks like traffic guardrails over there...
Behind my house there is 30m to train trax then another 165m to thee highway. In between is all fallow farmers field. I just don't shoot when the train passes.
Here are some important things i would like to know- Does the size of band depend on the length of your arms? What size band-width is used for the different size ammo? Why are bands cut to a shorter size? How do i determine the band to use in cold weather compared to warmer weather? Peace
Ok I will try and answer these questions as clear as I can. The length of your bands depend on 2 things first is your draw length and second is the elongation of the elastic. So when making bands you should always test the elongation. You do this by cutting a strip about 5mm thick and the full width of the roll. Draw 2 lines 1cm apart and see how many cm the bands will stretch. Then you will get your elongation ratio. Let's pretend that the 1cm you drew on the elastic will stretch to 6cm. You have a ratio of 6/1. My draw length is 76.2cm so if I divide 76.2 by 6 that will give me 12.7 to make things simple we will call it 13. This is our active band length which is the length of our bands at rest but completely laid out. So we will need about 1cm to tie on a pouch and 1cm to attach at the fork. This brings us to 15cm. If we attach these bands to our slingshot and take a shot the elastic should stop dead at our anchor point. This is called maxing out your bands. Great for speed but bad for longevity. So by adding 1/2 -1cm to the elastic will slow them down slightly but they will pass many more shots before failure. This is how you tune your bands. For this reason I do not think buying pre-made bands is a good idea unless you can have them made to your specific needs. There are many different tapers you could use. I like 24-12 with .5 bands and 8mm steel. I also use 18-12 from time to time when I am not looking for really fast speeds. Usually in cold weather I continue to use the same kind of bands but go up a thickness or 2. From .5 to .7 for example. But to reduce the draw weight I will use a taper like 18-12 instead of 24-12. Precise bands have a chart out and they reccomend 23-12 tapers for many different size ammo. I have made a community post of this chart it should be easy enough to find. But really I think the best thing to do is to test out some different tapers and see which shoot best for you. Hope this helped answer some of the questions
Oh I forgot to answer one. Some bands are cut shorter or longer due to the elongation of the elastic. Some bands stretch 7/1 some 4/1 this will make a big difference in your active band length.
Yeah I've noticed because I been shooting 9.5 mm steel ammo that when I start shooting 8 mm I'm not that great it takes a while on 8 mm to get used to it obv the ball flies diff cause its lighter I know people prefer 8 mm for targets n 9.5 for hunting per say
When I made the switch I was instantly shooting higher but looking back I realize that I wasn't tuning my bands back then either. What bands you useing ? Size, taper?
Put something above and behing the target, you could have a bad release and hit a car.. I mean I am sure you're good in it but just in case. Good video all in all
I had found that holding my breath caused some target panic. Now I do a really slow and controlled exhale. While shooting and I have found it made things slow down and eliminate the feeling of being rushed.
Ps: The anchor point I settled on is to place the thumb space between my first and second knuckle tucked up under my cheekbone. I also use the ATO technique of getting my anchor point settled before drawing the slingshot. It really helps.
It is a great way to draw. I love it but it does have a little added risk. While you are drawing the bands are in line with your face so if a band let's go at the fork you will most definitely catch it in the face. Just check your bands regularly and its fine.
Ya know, it's ridiculous. I've been able to shoot the best on average with 90mm for the last 4 years however I do have some sorter widths which I am even better with (couple gzk models) at 84mm. I cannot understand why that is. I too use the edge of my cheekbone for an anchor point, that never changes. I've tried many different 84 mm widths too and none can even come close to the 2 GZK slingshots in accuracy. I stopped trying to figure it out though cuz I was beginning to go insane. I find that my grip on each slingshot is the most important factor for me. If it doesn't feel comfortable then I probably won't shoot it worth shit, regardless of the fork width. LOL oh and I always score better when using a lanyard too....ya I realize my head is f*cked...
I have a frame like that too. Not sure why its just wierd because for the most part what I was talking about here holds true. Grip is a big thing too though. A frame that feels like shit in your hand usually doesn't give a good shooting experience. Some mysteries will just remain unsolved. Lol
If you are talking custom its all of them. Custom frames are made to your specs. I have bought 90mm frames from snipersling, catapult carnage and prime fork catapults.
@@ATOMark due to lack of money,im using now a cheap DIY figure 8 decesnder slingshot and my biggest issues about this frame is im having trouble hitting the target,my anchor point is my cheek bone and gangster style
![[Limbus Company - PV] Chapter.7 - Oblivion](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/VUpkXPkvoxU/mqdefault.jpg)
I learn so much from you I really appreciate your knowledge and showing me.
Hey bro thanks for the feedback. I'm glad the videos helped.
This is a very informative and very important video.
Thank you very much for making it.
I have never really played with a slingshot. I did saw some with different fork width but did not think too much.
Now you point it out hot the fork can affect the accuracy. It is makes sense to me and I am glad to find your video before I receive my new slingshot!🎉
For your first slingshot I would advise buying a sling with adjustable forks it will save you money in the long run.
I was doing exactly what you mentioned here, by moving from one frame to another, different bands, pouches...it did hurt my shooting big time. when i settled on a frame which in my case the simpleshot Axiom Ocularis, same bands, I became a much better, very consistent .Mark your videos are amazing, great help and information, please keep them coming, stay safe and healthy
Thanks. I am glad you enjoyed the video. More on the way.
I actually got a lot of help from one of your throwaway lines. You briefly mentioned that having the anchor point too far back can cause your shot to go left. That is a consistent problem for me. I'll be doing some serious experimentation thanks to this video.
Great information. Thank you for sharing it with us, Mark. Stay safe and stay warm
Hey brother. You guys get any snow up there yet? Stay warm my friend.
That's the most educational video iv see so far that's going to help the new beginners big time mate ... keep up the great work 👍
I didn't know any shooters when I started out and had to figure this crap out on my own. Spent a lot of money and wasted a lot of time. It was when I bought the Titan hunter when everything came together. At first I thought it was just a better slingshot than the one I was shooting. Lol but it got me thinking and slowly I started figuring these things out. I hope it will help someone out.
O believe me it will help alot of ppl out even from years from now and I'm sure everyone is greatfull for helping them out and saving alot of time for them
I have a pigeon problem and am now living in Thailand. I can not have a gun! So, I am going to learn slingshot shooting. I am so glad I found your videos
Nice. I wish I could do the same. But in my province in Canada we are not aloud to hunt with slingshots. I have to leave the province. If you ever have any questions I did not have in my videos shoot me a message.
There are many Thai slingshot shooters - team up with them to learn.
Good video mate, it's gonna save beginners a lot of time and frustration 👍
I wish I had someone around to show me the ropes when I started out. I know for the guys who have been shooting a while this video is pretty much useless but hopefully it will help the new ones to the sport.
Great tutorial. Thanks for sharing. I'm new to the scene, and have just recently purchased an affordable catty with bands and ammo to get started. I'm not yet able to compare bands or ammo, but feel comfortable with the 80mm steel frame and have only been using clay ammo to work on accuracy. I'm at the dustbin lid level of accuracy presently, from around 8 metres. Once that shrinks sufficiently, I'll start using the steel ammo.
Good to hear you state the importance of anchor point consistency, as I too, seem to have settled for thumb on cheekbone so that my eye is directly above the parallel bands.
Obviously, there is a veritable plethora of choice, and many variables that affect speed, accuracy and power, but I get the general impression that it would be folly to rush out and spend a fortune on expensive slingshots, bands and start chopping and changing, until I have actually found my feet.
Ya, man. There is no need to run out and get an expensive slingshot. I think it is better to try a couple cheap ones first and figure out what styles work best for you.
Excellant video my friend so your saying the smaller the width of the forks the higher the shot will go.
Yes depending on your anchor.
@ATOMark thank you for that information. My anchor point is yours at my cheek bone.
Very helpful Thank you very much
Great video! It was nice to see the difference in fork width actually demonstrated.
I tied some flat bands onto a reproduction Milbro just for giggles. Then found I was way high compared to my favourite Wasp XO. Cue a lot of forum reading and shooting at paper and I got my head around it. Little did I know that all the answers (and more) could be found here in a mere 14:14. Thank you, this could not be better communicated 👍
Hey man I am glad you found the video useful. This was one of the things I struggled with aswell when I started out. I was sure it was a good slingshot vs bad slingshot thing. Definately not. You know that saying. If the shoe fits? Same seal with a slingshot.
Excellent! Folks "new" to slingshooting, and shooting "anchor on face" style (not "Butterfly" style), should benefit greatly from what you have presented, so you are to be commended (once again).
The "takeaway" from this is to choose your most comfortable slingshot (from your vast selection/inventory of adored slingshots), and stay with it, learning where it shoots at what distances and what vertical distance aiming "reference points" on the slingshot (actually in your mind, since the reference points are not marked on the slingshot), are needed for those distances. If one keeps changing slingshot fork widths and different bands, different lengths and tapers, one won't become proficient but confused, and cannot fully enjoyed the sport/hobby, IMO.
"Butterfly style" shooters would ONLY change the length/elongation of the band, dependent upon the distance to the target, only successfully accomplished with a lot of practice. At no time would they change the position of the slingshot, once they put the aiming/reference point on the target, nor change the slighly-off-the-face anchor under the eye.
Thanks for helping out the newcomers or those "stuck in a rut".
THWACK!
Hey bro I am glad you found the video useful.
Very good tutorial. I’m just starting out. Thanks for the help man. 👍🇬🇧
Thanks man. Shoot me a message if you ever have any questions
Thanks Mark! Lots of good info!
Cheers buddy!
Really great info brother! To be honest I have never thought about this before. Now I’m gonna have to throw away half my frames! Just kidding. But really good information brother-something to really think about.👊🙏
When I was just starting out I honestly thought some slingshots were good and some were crap but in reality they just didn't fit. Kinda like running a marathon in shoes 3 sizes too big. You can still run but not really well. I thought this would help some guys starting out tighten up their groups without wasting too much time and money on frames that don't fit them.
..someone selling Flips?! 😂🙏
Great video! I remember four years ago when I first started, I found myself gravitating back to my PPMG even though I love other designs. The reason is Gamekeeper John makes larger fork widths than other distributors. My sweet spot is (100 mm) which makes it challenging when everyone pumps out small frames. Great video though, it will save a beginner some money so they don’t have to go through the growing pains that we had to do haha.
Thats it! You got it locked down. It just feels better to shoot a frame that fits comfortably.
Extremely helpfull. Buying to many frames and not understanding why im off and then hering about frame size then fiddlijg with changing my anchor point gets super confusing when your out shooting in the garden mashes your brain. Definitely getting 90mm as my achor is the same as yours and the wasp iv got the ftc again the same shoots high. So yeah helpfull thank you. 90mm frame ftw.
Great video ! I worked out this a while ago i was swapping different size frames ! Messing with anchor points .. then i realised 90mm was good for my anchor point just on my cheek bone ! Now just practice practice practice and form !
Thanks Mark! Good video, valuable topic. The old guy who taught me barebow over 40 years ago was a "facewalker". He moved his anchor up and down depending on the distance of the target on the field course. He was very good at it-mind you he had been shooting for more than half a century! Thanks for the video eh!
Ya some of these guys are amazing at what they do. When shooting compound bows you change the reference point by dropping a pin. Its amazing that some guys are able to do that consistently by moving anchor.
Thank you very much for this video, Sir.
My pleasure Shawn. Im glad you found it useful.
Thank you for this information it answers the problem I was having going from a scout lt to a hammer xt .
Great to hear you solved your problem. Thanks for stopping by.
Great and informative video. 💖👍
Keep it up
I have subscribed your channel.
Thanks for the support my new friend.
Great video, I've recently, started using different frames. This video helped me understand WHY my shots are off.
Thanks.
Great video buddy. I've tried to explain this many times. A picture/video is worth a thousand words and this one makes the point absolutely clear. I make a lot of naturals and I always start with a comfortable grip as the first concern. That often dictates the fork width and either the anchor or the aim point. I initially started learning with a narrow gap and aimed low. I've gradually developed a preference for wider and adjusted my anchor accordingly. Surprisingly my anchor with my favorite fork is exactly the same as yours, the forward point of my cheek bone just below my eye. I can find that anchor without thought, simply point my finger/fork tip and hit my target.
Ya man thats what its all about. Make it robotic. Don't even need to think about it. I hope this one will help some folks save some time and cash.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I am a beginner shooter and could not understand why, at one anchor point, I constantly hit the target with one slingshot, and shells fly higher or lower with another slingshot. On the entire Internet, only you explained everything in an accessible and understandable way. to your channel. Greetings from Ukraine.I Subscribe to your channel.
Thanks for the support and I am happy I could help. Stay safe my friend.
After a couple of years of frustration, shooting multiple slingshots, (I have the scout XT and several gamekeeper John expensive aluminum and brass PPMG AND PLUS. and many more sizes and brands) I DECIDED TO PICK ONE FRAME to shoot Exclusively. Rather than switching frames when my shot accuracy changed. I just concentrate on my form. After a search of size, comfort and ease of band swaps, cost. I bought 4 of the Simpleshot Scout LTs. Then experimented with ammo, band, pouches etc. No matter what I did, I couldn’t get it to shoot TTF without slapping the top of my thumb as the bands passed through. So I reluctantly switched to OTT. With Simpleshot 5/16 bandsets SUCCESS! I now hit a smaller V8 juice can at 15 + yards most shots. What a difference. I shoot in the woods and don't like spreading steel all over, so I switched to good clay ammo. They shoot very well out to about 10 yards but fly erratic after that. But 5/16 steel is really better after that distance.
Oh ya steel out performs clays any day. Really what you are doing is best. Stick to one setup and develop your skills. I am always testing frames, bands and pouches and I notice the hit to my accuracy. BUT when I stick to one set up for a while it seems like I cant miss.
Great explanation as always!
It was This video that got me to change my ways! You see I've made 5 different frames (all with different dimensions) and I tried to shoot each one every day. Instead of focusing on only one and mastering that 1. So this video actually showed what the difference could be.
So really really thank you for that.
I like the way you trouble shoot as well. So from at least 1 new subscriber...
Thank you and Great Job.
Hey thanks man. I am happy my videos helped you out. Stay safe and shoot straight
One of the lessons I learned shooting Archery was the importance of FOLLOW THROUGH after the shot, and I haven't seen it addressed in any how to shoot a slingshot videos. Which is the subconscious tendency to anticipate the shot and relaxing one or both of your hands and/or the body position prematurely, also called peeking. The fix is to hold your entire hand and body positions until the shot hits the target. Then relax.
Also allow a brief time interval between the shots. To allow the muscles to recover and your brain to process the prior shot. Don't hurry and instantly begin reloading for the next shot thus blurring all the shots together!
Very true. It is a good idea to hold your position until your projectile hits the target. I came from archery to slingshots and found the releases for me to be different. With archery I would use back tension to pull back while relaxing my grip on the string to release the arrow. With a slingshot for some reason this caused me to pull my shot. Instead I hold my fork hand like I am trying to hold something up or stop something coming towards me with my fork hand and with my pouch still use back tension to align my frame but just relax my hand for release. Pulling my shot and dropping into a shot were causes of problems when I started out that I had to work through. Holding my position after the shot was released solved one of those problems and imagining I was pushing towards the target with my fork hand stopped me from pulling my shots. Very good point.
@@ATOMark I went fom archery to slingshooting (after all, they are close cousins) because of developing back pain. Not that I'm a great shot, but I became, first, the Florida state representative,
then tha Assistant to the Chief ("Chief AJ") of the 2nd iteration of the National Slingshot Association, in the USA. I have "The usual suspects" of frames from several different producers, but gravitate to the WASP Uniphoxx because it is compact/ pocket-size, lightweight, and has a great pinky hole for stability. After I bought one and enjoyed very much shooting it, I ordered several more in all the different colors - the shipping price was the same for several as it is for one. I don't like the Chinese slingshots, and prefer flatbands.
THWACK!
Thank you!! Helped a bunch! God bless.
I'm glad you found the video useful. 👍
I saw this video again today in the morning. As l had mentioned l got back into slingshot recently. I have been trying to get a satisfactory aim from quite some time. There is no problem in release or anchor point. Most of my shots go left from my point of aim. So tonight while practicing l decided to skip using the notch on my GZK and instead used the flat of the band to the aim. I moved my aiming point about 5-6mm to the left. Next thing l know l hit the flippers 22 times out of 26
Great information man! I picked up on this a while ago. I also shoot best with a 90mm frame. What I've been doing to give me a better reference on my smaller frames was to attach a small diy plastic L shaped sight on the tip of the fork (works great with wrap and tuck) with a bit of fiber optic strand glued to it. Works like a charm, shame I can't attach a pic here to show you. Great shooting, keep up the good work man!
Send me a pic. I want to give that a try with my smaller frames. ato.mark.ca@gmail.com
@@ATOMark I recommend trying it out for sure. Sent to your instagram:)
I saw. Looks awesome.
Thank you for sharing this ... informative and very useful 🙏🏻
Thank you so so much. The video is so informative and valuable. I will help me being better shooter. Thank you one more time!
My pleasure man.
Such a great video I have looked for one in the past and never found one cleared up my question about fork width 👍
I am glad you found the video useful. I will try to do some more videos like these.
100% agree! I started out when many frames outer gaps were 4 inches or 100mm. It took me a while to figure out that a narrow frame shoots higher. Looks like you figured it out pretty soon because you're a great shot!
I was about 8 months in when I bought my titan hunter and stopped using the sights on my gzk frames
Great job - you explain the relationship between frame size and anchor point better than any other videos I have seen. Never heard anyone suggest using a mirror to get an initial starting point for your anchor point. I have to experiment with that.
Thanks man. I didn't have anybody to help me out when I started out. I am just trying to pass on what I figured out through trial and error. Hope it helped
Great video, and tutorial!. I was wondering about the first two catapults you used, where could I purchase them?. Thanks
That is what I found also, stick to one frame and get good. Thanks Mark.
As a new shooter this is really helpful!👍
Great tips! Thanks for sharing
Thanks great info I've had the same experience with different frams keep the vids coming
Thanks man
Great information Bud.
Definitely the quickest way to tune in your accuracy when you start target shooting. It took me much longer to "get it" because I was constantly trying new frames or band sets😉
The adjustable sights 🙄...threw a Big spanner in the works 😁
Solid advice my friend 👍🏻
Be well.
Thanks buddy. I wish somebody told me about this when I started out. Could have saved me hundreds........lol naaaa I would have just bought more 90mm frames🤣
@@ATOMark 😉 I'm constantly looking for potential "Y's" when out. 👍🏻
Me too. I have a bunch of them in the garage for those winter days youbjust don't want to go out.
Thanks for info.
Thanks! Very informative video. I have noticed this phenomena myself and there is a logic behind it when taking line of sight into account. I used to shoot mostly Wasp Uniphoxx which is 85mm but I have realized 90mm is my sweet spot as well. So now I shoot my own home made frames or other larger frames. I agree that it is better to adjust sighting than anchor point, it will lead to more consistent hits.
Great vid, and important info.. it's easy to be excited about getting every new frame that comes out, but to get one that works and stay with it is the best way to dial in your eagle eye!!
💯 %. I can see a great improvement when I stick to one. It's just so much fun to play with a lot of toys. Lol
Great video like always
Great video bro I’ve had a lot of fun shooting different size frames and you’re right it’s always gonna be different when it comes to width and wideness of frames I did notice certain frames have there sweet spots I have a long draw so it’s always nice finding and measuring different techniques for all frames 👊🏽keep up the great shooting ✌🏽
Thanks man. I have been dabbling in long draw shooting and so far the only 2 frames I can shoot are one I carved and the axiom ocularis. Its funny because they are completely different. But some how they both work.
@@ATOMark I’m not to fond of the butterfly technique I meant I just have long arms so when I fully lock my elbow out and the length between my pinch and fork is 36” inches I have the ppmg from John Webb and that fork is wide it’s 4” that from corner to corner of frame ! It took a while getting use to it !!
I wanted one of those but the fork width is just too wide for me. I would have to change too much it would be like starting from scratch.
I look straight down the edge of the top band for my reference point, and I change my anchor point accordingly depending on frame size. I never really had a problem with accuracy doing this when switching frames. It might take a couple shots to adjust for accuracy but I don’t find it to be difficult. But I do believe frames can be finicky, or so it seems. I have frames that are exactly the same size but shoot with a slightly different anchor point, so there must be other factors playing into the formula. None the less I enjoy the challenge that each type of frame might present when learning to shoot with it. Great video, really enjoyed it.
Oh ya what I mentioned here with the 90mm frames is just what works for me. Everyone needs to find what works best for them.
Great advice…. Love your videos. I’ve been shooting same set up for a year…. The rabbit and squirrel run when they see me now 😁
I am happy you liked the video. Do you do a lot of hunting? I am looking for some hunting grounds not too far from home. Can't wait to nail a good spot down.
@@ATOMark best wishes on discovering some hunting grounds…. Biggest rush of excitement I must say…… I love everything slingshot and hunting every chance I get!!
I wish we could hunt with cattys in my province. I would go every week. Luckily the neighboring province so close it makes it worth the trip. Just need to find some land now.
@@ATOMark agreed, it’ll definitely be worth the trip… here in Virginia we’ve been legally able to hunt with slingshots since 2016…… nothing like bringing wild game home with such a primitive contraption 🥰😎
Thankyou! ..I have my favourite two Naturals one out of oak one of willow one a 90 mm fork the other an 85 mm both were cut to eye rather than a measurment and just worked with them ..I Bought a Metal and wood Catty off Amazon for about a Tenner Small thing with 85mm tips and its Shite really But each to their own!
Great Video You do tend to find over time a fork width that kinda works for you ..And like you said Stick with it! cheers
Brilliantly explained thanks for the video 👏👏
My pleasure man. Hope it was useful
Great video
Excellent video and well demonstrated
Thanks man
Very good presentation brother 👏
Thanks brother
👍
Great info sir, I'm just starting to shoot my wasp enzo and this really helps...
great explained buddy . 👍️👍️
Thanks for the great info Mark! 🙏🙏🙏
My pleasure my man.
Brilliant mate...all the information i needed... cheers...
Glad I could help Nathan.
I have only been shooting off and on a few years...I was inactive for a few years and lost my accuracy trying to get it back...I had no idea that fork width affected the shot...I was wondering why I could seem to be more consistent with certain slingshots. Good knowledge, but kind of a bummer because I like changing sling shots, but hate inconsistency like everyone else.
Here is the good news. Now that you know what is going on. With a little adjustment you can still be consistent. Aim a little lower or higher and you are in buisness
I still am kind of wondering why....I was thinking that maybe a wider slingshot is harder to hold in the 90 degrees plane...maybe one tip is a millimeter forward or back....Here is something weird I just discovered with my new Fowler sparrow...I changed holding the ammo/bag in between my index and middle finger...which I have done in the past...instead of thumb and index..and now I am shooting way better. Weird. That just works for me with that sling.
great video it took me a long time to figure this out and realise my "sweet spot" was 100mm for ott and 95mm for ttf
It was like a bomb went off in my head when I figured this out. Lol
Hopefully it will help somebody avoid a little frustration and save some time and money
yes thats true. but for finding your for width, there is no need to try different forks. you need ti measure the dıstance of your eye cornea and your anchor point . what ever this distance is so your fork width must be double of this amount. for example to me this distance is 5cm so i always use 10cm width forks if i want my aiming point to be the corner of my fork. but if i use a 8 cm width fork i should lift the target just 1cm from my fork corner because i have 1cm less than my eye to chick distance.
Excellent tuition video thanks mark 👍🏻
Thanks Simon
Great video, and well explained.
Thanks man
The slingshot ive created has FULLY ADJUSTABLE fork width and hight 😲 can be TTF or OTT and adjustable handle angle and fork tilt. Very compact and simple. Im a mechanic so ive Incorporated a few automotive pieces.. o yeah and the distance of the fork in front or behind the handle is tuneab le as well..
Very interesting. Have you done a video on it? I would love to see how it works.
Really good information. It is always a pleasure to watch your videos and continue to polish my draw. Greetings 🎯💥✨
Thanks man. I appreciate the feed back. When I do these videos I am never sure if it is useful information or just stuff everyone knows.
Damn another top notch vid! Love to see new stuff from ya, very interesting. I shoot an titan hunter with the anchor at the corner of my mouth, tried the Goblet Evo as well. I could not get accurate with it. Currently since a few weeks no on the FTC Wasp you also tried, seems perfect. Best Aim I could achieve so far. Had to change the anchor to something very similar to yours.
Ya for smaller frames I could raise my anchor to below my eye for that frame and shoot it well but it makes it hard to go back. Just felt unnatural. Both are great frames though.
Brinigin' it down to science! Wish we were closer than a 6 hr, drive Brother
Me too man. It would be fun to bust some cans together. The next time I am down that way ill let you know. It would be cool to meet up for a beer and a shoot
@@ATOMark Beers on me......Targets as well. You are welcome in my home anytime Brother. I specialize in authentic Italian pizza's.
au
This sounds a little like gap shooting. Fire up a shot, then correct for the distance from the bullseye. But many shooters use an approximate 45-degree cant angle. Does the fork width matter, then?
Top man
Thanks my friend
I'm planning on going to the East coast slingshot tourny this year so I'm going to put your name out there amd get a few new followers
Thanks man. How do you find when the tournament is going to be. I would like to give it a shot when it is a little less complicated to cross the border. Where is it this year?
@@ATOMark I send it to your email, it's in Pennsylvania right outside Pittsburgh usually weekend after memorial day so around June 2 or 3rd usually everybody shows up at the place Thursday before and Friday Friday begins I believe I'll send what I have so far they don't have exact date yet but soon will
Good video, a lot of people also have their bands too short or too max which can throw the shot off
It can. But if you are shooting like that all the time then you should be used to the reaction. It is terrible for band set longevity to max them out. Once you start having a little extra stretch you know your bands are on the way out.
Hi - I'm from the UK. I notice one of your pouches has the dimples in it. Do you find this helps with a more positive ammo/ball location when firing?
Yup I do
👍🤙🤙
Great video..thanks for your efforts 👌...have doubt..you said 90 mm is your sweet spot for your anchor point...is it applicable to both styles ..TTF and OTT...? or its changes accordingly?
For TTF it is a little closer to my nose but same height.
Great video vicar do you find the same holds true for TTF?
Yes I do but the aiming issue will be a problem for wider frames because the fork will cover the target. Luckily the 2 ttf frames I still have are 90mm. Come to think of it thats probably why I kept them.
What if you shoot too high, above the target? Is there public space (cars, pedestrians, cyclists) behind that? Looks like traffic guardrails over there...
Behind my house there is 30m to train trax then another 165m to thee highway. In between is all fallow farmers field. I just don't shoot when the train passes.
Here are some important things i would like to know- Does the size of band depend on the length of your arms? What size band-width is used for the different size ammo? Why are bands cut to a shorter size? How do i determine the band to use in cold weather compared to warmer weather? Peace
Ok I will try and answer these questions as clear as I can. The length of your bands depend on 2 things first is your draw length and second is the elongation of the elastic. So when making bands you should always test the elongation. You do this by cutting a strip about 5mm thick and the full width of the roll. Draw 2 lines 1cm apart and see how many cm the bands will stretch. Then you will get your elongation ratio. Let's pretend that the 1cm you drew on the elastic will stretch to 6cm. You have a ratio of 6/1. My draw length is 76.2cm so if I divide 76.2 by 6 that will give me 12.7 to make things simple we will call it 13. This is our active band length which is the length of our bands at rest but completely laid out. So we will need about 1cm to tie on a pouch and 1cm to attach at the fork. This brings us to 15cm. If we attach these bands to our slingshot and take a shot the elastic should stop dead at our anchor point. This is called maxing out your bands. Great for speed but bad for longevity. So by adding 1/2 -1cm to the elastic will slow them down slightly but they will pass many more shots before failure. This is how you tune your bands. For this reason I do not think buying pre-made bands is a good idea unless you can have them made to your specific needs. There are many different tapers you could use. I like 24-12 with .5 bands and 8mm steel. I also use 18-12 from time to time when I am not looking for really fast speeds. Usually in cold weather I continue to use the same kind of bands but go up a thickness or 2. From .5 to .7 for example. But to reduce the draw weight I will use a taper like 18-12 instead of 24-12. Precise bands have a chart out and they reccomend 23-12 tapers for many different size ammo. I have made a community post of this chart it should be easy enough to find. But really I think the best thing to do is to test out some different tapers and see which shoot best for you. Hope this helped answer some of the questions
Oh I forgot to answer one. Some bands are cut shorter or longer due to the elongation of the elastic. Some bands stretch 7/1 some 4/1 this will make a big difference in your active band length.
Yeah I've noticed because I been shooting 9.5 mm steel ammo that when I start shooting 8 mm I'm not that great it takes a while on 8 mm to get used to it obv the ball flies diff cause its lighter I know people prefer 8 mm for targets n 9.5 for hunting per say
When I made the switch I was instantly shooting higher but looking back I realize that I wasn't tuning my bands back then either. What bands you useing ? Size, taper?
Put something above and behing the target, you could have a bad release and hit a car.. I mean I am sure you're good in it but just in case. Good video all in all
The road is 400m from my target box. Nothing back there but farmers field.
My bad, seemed closer in a video
Wouldn't breathing throw off the line of target prior to releasing the band.
I had found that holding my breath caused some target panic. Now I do a really slow and controlled exhale. While shooting and I have found it made things slow down and eliminate the feeling of being rushed.
Just shoot same frame all time ?
I own many slingshots but most of them are 90mm.
Ps: The anchor point I settled on is to place the thumb space between my first and second knuckle tucked up under my cheekbone. I also use the ATO technique of getting my anchor point settled before drawing the slingshot. It really helps.
It is a great way to draw. I love it but it does have a little added risk. While you are drawing the bands are in line with your face so if a band let's go at the fork you will most definitely catch it in the face. Just check your bands regularly and its fine.
Ya know, it's ridiculous. I've been able to shoot the best on average with 90mm for the last 4 years however I do have some sorter widths which I am even better with (couple gzk models) at 84mm. I cannot understand why that is. I too use the edge of my cheekbone for an anchor point, that never changes. I've tried many different 84 mm widths too and none can even come close to the 2 GZK slingshots in accuracy. I stopped trying to figure it out though cuz I was beginning to go insane. I find that my grip on each slingshot is the most important factor for me. If it doesn't feel comfortable then I probably won't shoot it worth shit, regardless of the fork width. LOL oh and I always score better when using a lanyard too....ya I realize my head is f*cked...
I have a frame like that too. Not sure why its just wierd because for the most part what I was talking about here holds true. Grip is a big thing too though. A frame that feels like shit in your hand usually doesn't give a good shooting experience. Some mysteries will just remain unsolved. Lol
🤣🤘
How come people who shoot butterfly dont have anchcor point
They do. They just use the band on the side of their face.
What custom frame in the market that has 90mm size?
If you are talking custom its all of them. Custom frames are made to your specs. I have bought 90mm frames from snipersling, catapult carnage and prime fork catapults.
@@ATOMark due to lack of money,im using now a cheap DIY figure 8 decesnder slingshot and my biggest issues about this frame is im having trouble hitting the target,my anchor point is my cheek bone and gangster style
@@BasaysayTv are your shots going high?
@@ATOMark yes bro
That's because the fork width is too small for you. I'm assuming you shoot short draw. Typically I shoot narrow frames like this butterfly.
Built a snow ball slingshot with 175mm gap still hit my mate in the head from 20yards😂😂
and then there's some people that can shoot with anything
True.