Making the slingshot

Slingshot history

As far as history goes, it seems that the birth of the sling occurred in Russia. “Rogatka” means slingshot in Russian. The root of the word is “rog”, it means “horn”. The “Rogatka” was a smaller and simpler version of the slingshot. In “Ancient Rus”, a larger and heavier instrument of war was called a “rogatina”, according to [Jack H. Koehler, Slingshot Shooting, Sling Publishing. Isbn=0.9765311-00].

The availability of vulcanized rubber was used in the construction of the classic form of slingshot. The inner tube of tires was the most common source of rubber tubes. If this theory is correct, then sling was probably not built before 1888. A sling was considered by many people to be a children’s toy, until the end of World War II. The first slingshots were built from the bifurcation of a tree branch. It turns out that the wood from a dogwood tree was an ideal wood source for the construction of slingshots. The red rubber inner tubes were superior to the black inner tubes on the later model because the red rubber was more elastic. Now, rubber compositions involve synthetics.

The Wham-O company, in 1949, produced the first modern and sophisticated slingshots, which included the first slingshot with a bar with reinforcement at the wrist.

During the winter of 1953, a family named Ellengurg invented the wrist strap catapult / slingshot. This simple but functional version of the slingshot incorporated the use of a 1946 Jeep Willes bumper as a workbench. Next, a dog collar was made into a wrist brace. The pioneering genius of the sling can be documented in the lead role provided by Howard Ellenburg and his sons.

Saunders “Wrist-Rockets” were introduced in 1954. These high-speed, high-precision slingshots have also been changed to include features such as self-centering ammo pouch, combination power bands, wear-reducing spikes and guide collars. “

Inexpensive beginner slings are still made for the fork in a tree branch, an air chamber with a piece of leather for an ammo pouch. Commercial model slingshots have become quite sophisticated and powerful.

Today, the design and materials of the sling are stored away from sunlight and under water to prevent the rubber from hardening and cracking. If the rubber is not preserved in this way, a loss of elastic properties is compromised. Metal rod frames with wrist straps serve to reduce or prevent hand and wrist injuries and enhance the ability of the sighting mechanism. In this way the precision increases considerably.

The Trumark Recoil Stabilizer can be attached and removed as required. The first version of the Trumark included a metal brace wrapped around the bottom of the hand and was “locked” in place over the top of the wrist. The recoil action had to be reduced so a plan was put together to add a recoil pad to prevent the wrist from breaking. This is how Howard’s “Wrist-Lockers” came about. Much of the creation and construction work for Howard’s “Doll Lockers” was done in an old abandoned brewery, which became his workplace. The town where the construction of the “Doll Lockers” took place in the small town of Duncan, Nebraska. The first distributor of these ingenious devices was a company called Dura-Pak, located in Sioux City, Iowa. Catapults are still made and sold all over the world, fifty-six years after their inception. The basic ideas and principles first generated by Trumark in the early 1950s are still used today. The Trumark sling with wrist strap was the first in America. Trumark slings are the only slingshots made in America to this day.

The most commonly used ammunition is the 1/2 “steel pellet. Qualification features include: Fixed padded arm mounts, a solid and lightweight aluminum frame, and a split leather pouch make up the body of the sling. Tube Surgical latex rubber tube is used due to its high speed properties.

Laws governing the shipment of the sling must be followed. Slingshots cannot be shipped to Massachusetts, New Jersey, or New York.

Safety glasses are recommended when using slingshot.

Written By: Penny D. Montague