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Any Slingers out there?
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Gregor



Location: Whangarei

PostPosted: Wed Nov 18, 2009 9:04 pm     Any Slingers out there? Reply with quote

I said slingers not swingers!
Anyway, I have been making a few slings lately and having a go to the point where I can sling a stone without hurting myself and I have been very surprised to find that the GD list and reenactment camp slinging activity seems to be zero. Iv'e done a bit of web reading and have been truly impressed by the amount of damage that can be done with a well placed lead sling bullet and the fact that the world record for slinging a stone is 437m.For slinging a dart it is 477m.
Am I the only one?

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Inigo



Location: Auckland

PostPosted: Wed Nov 18, 2009 10:17 pm      Reply with quote

I played with a sling when i was a kid. Could throw half house bricks a very long way Very Happy

Could probably hit the side of a barn with one. I

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Effigy



Location: Warkworth

PostPosted: Wed Nov 18, 2009 11:19 pm      Reply with quote

No you are not the only one!

I have always thought that this would be alot of fun.....But..... somewhere in the back of my mind from the dark recesses of my responsible upbringing I believe that may be a legal problem - If anyone knows differently please let us know. Is it legal to hurl stones from a sling?
Or was that just a 1960's invention to prevent the kids from Hillsborough Primary from killing each other? Evil or Very Mad
Gregor



Location: Whangarei

PostPosted: Thu Nov 19, 2009 8:35 am      Reply with quote

If archery and bow hunting are legal I can't see there being a problem with a sling.
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Gregor



Location: Whangarei

PostPosted: Thu Nov 19, 2009 8:47 am      Reply with quote

For anyone who is interested there is a lot of good info here
http://www.slinging.org/

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Gregor



Location: Whangarei

PostPosted: Thu Nov 19, 2009 9:13 am      Reply with quote

Here is a very good demo for figure 8 style slinging.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PyN2MnBOzI

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"Sic Gorgiamus Allos Subjectatos Nunc"
Carl



Location: Just beyond the firelight

PostPosted: Thu Nov 19, 2009 9:53 am      Reply with quote

there is now available for sale .68 paintballs that are made of wax and filled with chalk powder, i reckon these would be usable in combat using the same kind of rules as we do for archery. I have used a smaller diameter version in milsim and the effect when one hits is impressive.
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Frosty



Location: Palmerston North

PostPosted: Fri Nov 20, 2009 12:13 am      Reply with quote

the company of the sacred sword uses slings in combat. although some of he kids are bloody useless mike webb is a dab hand.
we ust used the old soft rice filled hacky sacks
i once sat behind a large round shield while it was pelted with fist sized stones and rocks. one coming particuly close to my head during a phone call. this was good practise for the club. although they could only hit the shield when i was behind it...does that worry anyone else but me? although the only one who did not suffer this was my sister. ..she still managed to fling several rocks verticaly and strike a few of us on the head...and then bursting into a fit of giggles and yelling four.

but to answer your orignal question ..No you arnt. and as for the legality of it all...we have had policemen drive past and watch us.

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NigelT
Site Admin


Location: Wellington

PostPosted: Fri Nov 20, 2009 9:15 am      Reply with quote

Carl wrote:
there is now available for sale .68 paintballs that are made of wax and filled with chalk powder, i reckon these would be usable in combat using the same kind of rules as we do for archery.


Hi Carl,

I'd be VERY interested to see these used in combat. The only caveat would be that everyone would need to wear glasses of some sort under their archery mesh because the chalk will still penetrate and get into the eyes otherwise. But a cheap pair of safety glasses from Bunnings will fix that for a few bucks.

Pardon my ignorance, but were slings used on the battlefield? If we were to incorporate them into public displays would this be valid or would it be like getting peasants in to throw rocks?

Frosty - bean bags (or rice bags) are a great idea and we played with them a bit from small artillery units a while back. I think these would also be quite fun to play with on a battlefield. They too would need glasses ideally just in case they rupture, but they at least can be reused... although not as spectacular for display purposes. You mentioned that you'd been hiding behind a shield while being shot at. Have you had anyone use a sling and bean bag on your directly (in armour of course)? And if so, what sort of impact are we talking about? Would it be safe to use in combat?

I'd also be interested to know if there's a way to make it safe enough for public display use. By this I mean - what's the likelyhood of someone totally misfiring and launching something dangerous into the crowd? Is there any way to attenuate the range quickly, like with flu-flu arrows? Could you make a bean bag with a long streamer that unwinds in flight and causes considerable drag after the first 10-20 meters? Or can you reliably keep them traveling in the same direction even with a miss-fire so that you can aim away from the crowds?

Is anyone with a sling coming to Eke camp? If you are and you think we could use it in combat, I'd love to see you there with you gear.

Cheers,
Nigel
pmel018
Principal Sponsor


Location: Wokingham, near Reading, UK

PostPosted: Fri Nov 20, 2009 9:36 am      Reply with quote

Also worth looking at pole slings, easier than the 'normal' type, quick to make and a lot of fun. Use tennis balls as ammo, put some sand in if you want more power. See "The Sling" by Cliff Savage ISBN 978-1-89362-617-1 for one take on the sling as a weapon. Its an old publication(1984) but still available from Amazon.com or Paladin Press
Phil
Frosty



Location: Palmerston North

PostPosted: Fri Nov 20, 2009 12:22 pm      Reply with quote

haha mike would often let one rip at someone for not listening or generally being an ass. ive been hit a couple of times. they don't hurt, just smart for a few seconds. that's unarmoured. armoured wouldn't feel a thing i suppose apart from a dull thud
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Freebooter
Principal Sponsor


Location: Hamilton

PostPosted: Fri Nov 20, 2009 1:18 pm     Goggles... Reply with quote

The problem with goggles under the helm is that most close helms won't allow the addition of another 2-3cm in that area.

It would actually be easier to make a plastic piece to sit in place of the mesh, I think. Not sure I'd want that though, the danger of fogging would be great, no matter what you treated it with.

N
Frosty



Location: Palmerston North

PostPosted: Sun Nov 22, 2009 7:24 pm      Reply with quote

as for a sling at eke. i can make one tonight and bring it along with a few hackie sacks. i think itd be fun to try. although im not sure how its going to work in a mass mele.
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lament not where you failed to achieve but where you failed to seize opportunity
Gregor



Location: Whangarei

PostPosted: Mon Dec 21, 2009 4:59 pm      Reply with quote

Here is a thread on the sling forum about Staff slings with some very interesting pictures.
http://slinging.org/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1259158805/0

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"Sic Gorgiamus Allos Subjectatos Nunc"
Gregor



Location: Whangarei

PostPosted: Fri Dec 25, 2009 11:30 am      Reply with quote

OK ,so is there any ammo that slingers could use in combat at Taupo?
I have been reading about the SCA using Duct tape covered tennis balls with slits in so they don't bounce so much. Could this be a possibility?
Would be easier to make the the rice filled hackies mentioned before.

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"Sic Gorgiamus Allos Subjectatos Nunc"
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