Sling Shot Darts

This ranks right up there with other foolish workarounds invented by brilliant 14 year olds who weren't permitted to use a firearm or bow. Yikes.

I don’t know about foolish 14 year olds but if my memory serves me correctly Filipino gangs used slingshots w/darts to good effect.

I started carrying a slingshot to ward off dogs and carried a small one that was easily concealed in my pocket.

I converted to this one.  It is loaded and ready to go.        After this one wore holes in my pants
                                            

Hand hits with slingshots are entirely possible that’s one reason I never attempted darts. After this I a wore bicycle glove.  They are padded across the knuckles.


I did attempt arrows. I made them using bamboo shafts and turkey feathers but was never satisfied with the results. I remember that I had collected the shafts, still have four, and was searching for turkey feathers. There is a poultry farm a short distance down the mountain from me and I knew had turkeys. So one morning I went up the owner and asked about obtaining feathers. I think I would have received a better response if I had asked to rent his wife. He must have thought I wanted him to run out and snatch a handful of wing feathers off of the turkey, so much for translation problems.

Wow!  Those look wicked scary.

I totally agree about the glove.  That looks like a great design.  I would trust it.  As long as it's a glancing impact, which it should be if the slingshot is held properly, the scale design should spread out the force pretty well.

I would suspect the full impact would not be felt as to some degree the dart would glance. I don’t know of what gauge those scale gloves are made but would consider them and definitely proof before use. In my case I don’t know other than it smarted like h*ll and took the photo after controlling the bleeding. I am not even sure of what I used, a ball bearing, more likely a hex nut, or two hex nuts bolted together. I didn’t consider using a dart. Those homemade jobbies looked wicked and back then those scale gloves weren’t available.

Also I considered darts having the same issue as the darts in my blowpipe that is leaving a tale tell evidence. Although eventually I did develop a sabot load for the blowpipe using ball bearings and blunts that no one later on would find a dead animal w/dart.

Bah!
Bah! BAH I say!
A true collector buys at least 6, 1 to keep in the wrapper, and 5 to...USE.

Well, I went ahead and placed an order for a slingshot and some darts from these guys.  Also a dragon scale glove.  Just one though.  :(

I'll let you guys know what I think when the stuff arrives.  My own experience with slingshots is limited, so I may not have a lot of detailed feedback in that regard.

I absolutely agree.  I bought some regular bands as well and will get comfortable with them before attempting anything with the darts.

Come to think of it, *I'll* probably give that "pata" version a try; I do love how those darts work in the video. (I have tried arrows in a slingshot, both my own contraptions and those manufactured and sold, but hated them compared to just a bow.)

By all means get extra bands as Thorfinn recommended. You might consider wearing glasses when shooting. I got slapped in the face once and that made me a believer, not to mention ricochets.  I used a cardboard box with several suspended towels as back stops to collect my shot. Below I listed the two forums that I was a member of that may give you some helpful information. You don’t need to join to read. The Rebel was the most active IIRC, but the Slingshot forum was my preferred forum. I also included the Slingshot Channel that features one of my favourite characters, JoergSprave. It has been well over a decade since I’ve been active in any of the following so there maybe changes that I’m not familiar with.

The Slingshot Channel with my favourite character JoergSprave
slingshotchannel.blogspot.com/

Rebel Slingshot Forum, it was very active
www.tapatalk.com/groups/rebelslingshotforum/off-topic-f14.html

The Slingshot Forum, the one that I was most active in
www.slingshotforum.com/