Frequently Asked Questions

What to buy right now

If you are new to kettie shooting, as a novice it is easy to be amazed and lost in all the fancy terms. A kettie is as random and unique as any sports equipment. I suggest a good GUS (general utility slingshot) kettie; you can’t have enough of them. Technical specs:

·         “pinch-grip” frame

·         OTT

·         a fork (or “bow” in some countries) width of 80-90 mm, measured from the outside corners.

·         a fork equipped with a “clips” system (to attach the bands)

·         natural latex (sling-shot-specific) flat bands

·         a generous, larger pouch with a plain design. Reasonable quality and durability are important for safety.

Do not buy a kettie with “tubes” for this purpose, but only ketties equipped with “flat bands”. The flat bands are usually latex-based. Make sure you buy elastic band products intended for kettie shooting; products for other purposes, like physical exercise, will not work. 

A few great brands are available worldwide, including the top South African brand, Ketty Elite Pro. The Ketty Elite Pro products are all custom-made by hand and specifically designed for kettie sport shooting. These ketties are available in 0,45 mm (Yello) for novices/children, 0,50 mm and 0,55 mm for adults, and 0,60 mm for field target.

We offer slingshots that are good for hunting and target shooting. Any of our slingshots can be used for both.

Any of our slingshots can be used for target or hunting.  Choose the style that you prefer.

Target vs hunting comes down to the bands and ammo used on the slingshot.  We offer a full line of bands matched to the ammo size you want to shoot. Check them out here:

The bands that come stock on our slingshots are matched to 9mm steel ball ammo and are sufficient for feathered game or target shooting.

Let us know if you need help with a recommendation.

Allow me to start with there is no “best” (or “worst”) slingshot with the exception of poor build quality that is unsafe to use. Lots of shooters are amazing shots with “cheap” frames or tree fork naturals that cost them nothing to make other then time. What’s “best” is a matter of opinion to each individual shooter. This is because everyone’s hold hand/style is slightly different. What fits the hand best, is typically what shoots the best since its much easier to get the same hold consistently each time.

For band and ammo combos for hunting I can be a little more specific. Still there are several options that boil down to shooter preference alone. This is still very much a matter of individual preference sport. Please make certain that you are a good enough shot before attempting hunting.

Bands:
Some main things to keep in mind are shot placement is key. When slingshot hunting know that the energy will be lost over distance. What may be a capable bandset for out to 15m may no longer be adequate at say 25m, even though you can still hit what you’re aiming at. The outdoor air temps can dramatically change a bandsets performance. What may be good during the warm day may be too weak on a cold night. For my hunting bands I like to stick with latex in the .66-.8mm thickness depending on the time of year (the thicker used in the coldest temps). As far as tapers I like to use a 12-20 or a 15-20. The rest of them I make at in between 20-15 and up to a 25-18 (for my hunting setups not for target). Just remember the latex and taper being used will depend on the ammo size/weight being used (as well as other factors like the temperature). In colder temps a thicker latex may perform best and yet be totally awful when its warmer outside. All my hunting bandsets I shoot at a 570% elongation if it’s A 600% max. If not seeing the power you want and you can pull past your anchor point then cut some off. This can increase shot velocity dramatically. Difference in draw lengths will change a bandsets performance as well. Also, a longer draw can utilize a narrower taper.

Ammo:
It all works as long as it has enough energy and is put in the correct spot. A ton of preference here as well. I’ll try to be as brief but informative as possible.

First, I’ll cover lead ammo. Lead has the best transfer of energy due to its heavy weight but remember it’s toxic, harder to find these days, in some places illegal to hunt with, and way more expensive than steel. If not making your own then you can buy lead muzzleloader/black powder ammo round balls. The best sizes are .32 caliber up to .44. A .32 caliber round ball is 8.4mm and a .36 is 9.5mm and thus a very common one. The .44 comes in at 11mm.

Second, is steel ammo. Steel is lighter than lead but still very effective due to the higher velocity that can be achieved. Some really accomplished shooters choose to use 8mm steel ammo for hunting applications. Its even lighter weight allows for some very high velocities to be achieved. However, at further distances the light weight does not have a high enough amount of energy for hunting. For that reason 8mm IS NOT RECOMMENDED for hunting! The 8mm is very light and until ultra precision accuracy is achieved should NOT be considered as hunting ammo. The 9.5mm-12mm steel are the most common. If you have a chronograph, testing the speed and putting velocity into a ballistic calculator app will tell you how exactly how much energy your bands and ammo combo are producing at any given distance. A great tool for determining what your maximum effective hunting distance is or should be.

In summing up, I’d like to say that I personally start with a .66mm thickness or higher, with approximately a 20-15 taper and 9.5mm steel ammo as my starting point. This then may need to be adjusted from there according to suit personal needs or wants. As a general rule, you want to have enough power to be able to put anywhere from a rip to a hole in a steel soup can. Remember those are the U.S. style can and that can strength does vary greatly.

Hunting with slingshots is fun and challenging, but not legal everywhere. Know your local laws before you hunt with a slingshot.

Yes, slingshots have been responsible for putting many a meal on the table, and the challenge of hunting with a slingshot is addictive.

Hunting with a slingshot requires considerable skill and respect for your prey.

It is imperative that you have sufficient skill to place your projectile in the kill zone and be capable of doing so with a band/ammo combination that generates enough velocity and energy to ethically harvest the prey.

What should I choose, flatlands or tubes? Which is more powerful?

Both can be equally powerful when tuned to the users draw length and projectile
However, flat bands generally retract more quickly and are easier to achieve higher velocities at shorter draw lengths.

Your draw length is an essential piece of information to know when trimming your bands to maximize their efficiency.

1. Attach a piece of string to your slingshot where the bands tie in.

2. Slide your fingers along the string to your anchor point, “drawing back” the length of string.

3. Measure the length of string.

This length is your ‘draw length’

Knowing your draw length is critical to measuring your active band length, with is essential to accurately tune in your bands.

Which is better? OTT and TTF refer to how the bands are attached to the slingshot.

OTT or ‘over the top’ refers to a slingshot with the bands attached to the top of the forks.

TTF or ‘through the fork’ refers to bands that are attached to the sides of the fork.

Neither is necessarily better than the other, it really comes down to personal preference.  A few things to keep in mind:  When shooting TTF, the projectile is actually traveling between the forks.  As such, a clean release is necessary or one may encounter fork hits.  If you have  a ‘flip’ style shot, it is wise to only shoot OTT.

Do your bands seem sluggish or not powerful? You need to tune your bands for best performance.

Your active band length is the length of the bands or tubes from where they attach to the slingshot to the pouch.

This length is determined by dividing your draw length by 5. To learn how to measure your draw length.

Example:  If you determine that your draw length is 30″ your active band length is 6″.  30÷5=6 or 6″.

This is the sweet spot for most elastics.  If you shorten beyond a factor of 5, you will see an increase in velocity at the expense of shortened band life.  Likewise, if you increase the active band length, you will see a drop in speed with an increase in band life.