Simple slingshot

A slingshot, also called a shanghai, a catapult (not to be confused with either the catapult siege engine or shepherd's sling), or a beanshooter is a small hand-powered projectile weapon. It has a pocket for holding the projectile. Each end of the pocket is attached to a rubber band, which is attached to the ends of a fork-shaped frame. There are steel hunting balls for slingshots that can kill small game. Slingshot may refer to: Slingshot - A small hand-powered projectile weapon Gravitational slingshot - the use of a planets gravity to alter the path and speed of a spacecraft Slingshot (Transformers) - A character from Transformers Slungshot - A weight on the end of a cord used as a weapon Slingshot (ISP... Download high resolution version (700x900, 26 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (700x900, 26 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... It has been suggested that Heavy Catapult be merged into this article or section. ... Home-made sling. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Latex being collected from a tapped rubber tree Rubber is an elastic hydrocarbon polymer which occurs as a milky colloidal suspension (known as latex) in the sap of several varieties of plants. ...

A slingshot champion appearing on the David Letterman Show some years ago^{[citation needed]} said to hold the projectile pocket at a fixed position near the body, such as the hip, and move the frame based on gut feeling and practice, just like a gunslinger or hip-shooter in the American wild west. Many gunslingers could hit a target without raising their weapon to eye level.

A slingshot can be powerful enough to hunt small game. In order to achieve power, the correct ammunition must be used; steel balls are the most common choice. A typical heavy pull band slingshot should be used with 9mm (3/8") to 12mm (1/2") steel balls. Using lighter ammo doesn't increase the speed of the projectile significantly.

With practice, slingshots are effective against small rodents and birds at ranges up to 25 metres. The newer and more advanced slingshots can fire up to 200 meters. They are excellent for hunting rats and pigeons. Because of the low ammunition cost (pebbles work) and ease of use, slingshots are very popular with children. Suborders Sciuromorpha Castorimorpha Myomorpha Anomaluromorpha Hystricomorpha Rodentia is an order of mammals also known as rodents. ... “Aves” redirects here. ... The metre or meter is a measure of length. ... Species 50 species; see text *Several subfamilies of Muroids include animals called rats. ... Pigeon redirects here. ... Boxes of ammunition clog a warehouse in Baghdad Ammunition is a generic military term meaning (the assembly of) a projectile and its propellant. ...

The weak hand holding the frame becomes fatigued by doing so. Many slingshots have a wrist-brace so the user's weak hand doesn't have to hold the frame very tightly. Some models come along with stabilizers, rotating prongs, sighting mechanisms and other sophisticated improvements. While these are not necessary, they usually improve the power, lifespan of the bands and accuracy.

The material for the rubbers is critical. The best widely-available material is dipped latex rubber surgical tubing or latex sheeting. It lasts about six months before it needs to be replaced. It can be attached to the frame and packet by stretching it over a metal rod of the correct diameter. Some slingshots have been constructed of metal tubing of the exact diameter. Rubbers should be stored under water away from sunlight, which causes them to stiffen and crack. The LaTeX logo, typeset with LaTeX LATEX, written as LaTeX in plain text, is a document markup language and document preparation system for the TeX typesetting program. ...

The weight of the pocket is critical, because if the pocket is very heavy, the slingshot will be weak. The best pockets are made of soft leather, which does not fray. Modern leather-working tools Leather is a material created through the tanning of hides and skins of animals, primarily cattlehide. ...

Securely attaching a pocket at home can be quite difficult. An effective way is to drill a short section of hardwood dowel lengthwise, and place the pocket in a cotter pin. Next, insert the pin into the dowel, and wrap the ends of the pin completely around the dowel. Finally, stretch the rubber over the dowel and pin-ends. Never re-use a cotter pin. Wood dowel Dowel joint A dowel is a pin, usually made of wood, plastic or metal, used to secure two objects together. ... Cotter pins: A. new B. as-installed C. spring type D. cross-section of traditional design A cotter pin is a metal fastener that is bent during installation, similar to a staple or rivet. ...

The slingshot is not related to the sling. Mechanically it operates on a different principle. Operation is different, as well. Home-made sling. ...

Today, slingshots may also be used in recreational paintball games as backup or silent sniper weapons. See Slingshot paintball. Even though the average speed and distance of a slingshot is slightly less than that of a paintball gun [1], some paintball playing fields may not allow them. A woodsball player firing at opponents from behind cover. ... Arkansas Army National Guard soldiers practice sniper marksmenship at their firing range near Baghdad, Iraq in 2005. ... Slingshot paintball is a growing alternative among many recreational paintball players because of the low cost of play and the variation of strategy involved in the game. ...

In popular culture

Slingshots have often been portrayed as a tool or primitive weapon for mischievous youths. Iconic examples of this are Dennis the Menace, Bart Simpson, and Opie Taylor from the The Andy Griffith Show. Former child actress Shirley Temple revealed in an interview that she was a slingshot user, with Eleanor Roosevelt as one of her "victims". In the anime/manga series one piece the character Usopp uses a slingshot as his main weapon. Dennis the Menace denotes either of two cartoon characters. ... Bart and his sister Lisa Simpson as news anchors. ... Opie Taylor was the name of the character played by Ronny Howard on The Andy Griffith Show, an American sitcom of the 1960s on the CBS television network. ... The Andy Griffith Show is an American television series that aired from 1960 to 1968. ... Shirley Jane Temple (born May 23, 1928) later known as Shirley Temple Black, is an Academy Award-winning former child actress. ... Anna Eleanor Roosevelt (October 11, 1884 – November 7, 1962) was an American political leader who used her stature as First Lady of the United States from 1933 to 1945 to promote her husbands (Franklin D. Roosevelts) New Deal, as well as civil rights. ... Serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump Monthly Shonen Jump Carlsen-Verlag Original run August 4, 1997 – (ongoing) No. ... Usopp ) is a fictional character from the anime and manga One Piece. ...