Throwing

I have experimented with underhand, which tends to lob the projectile. I had read that this throw was primarily for heavy weights meant to be dropped into a crowd (ancient advancing troops for example). I can also throw with a single over-hand motion, sort of like throwing a grenade (stiff arm), and this works very well, but my favorite is still the helicopter whirl where the sling spins overhead in a horizontal plane and in the last 1/2 turn the arm extends to provide kinesthetic sense of where to release, but still in a horizontal plane above the head.

Matthew Rapaport
mjr@crl.com

I started with the underhand throw. The main problem I find with it is that I tend to side arm it a bit and my throw will go off to one side of the target. I really think it is the throw of choice for long distance slinging, but it has a high looping trajectory. I've read that it was the throw of choice for teaching Roman troops to sling with only one movement and no wind up swings.

James Burdine
jburdine@pipeline.com

I swing the sling in a circle around my head, line up with my target as it passes in front of my eyes. I then turn the circular path into a quick whip and overhand throw at the target. This is more natural, if you think about it, you are usually used to throwing overhand without a sling, so the sling becomes an extension of your arm.

Benjamin Pressley
benjamin@Perigee.net

I'm an overhead slinger, i.e. I swing the sling horizontally overhead when I shoot. However, my prep is to put the stone in the pouch, let it hang loose, then bring it up to firing/moving mode by swinging it back once and on the forward return up and around. Thus, my maximum sling cord must allow me to clear the ground when my hand is at about waist level. My preferred throwing method is to load, lower the loaded pouch while keeping the thongs reasonably tensioned, then drop it so it swings back and on the forward swing whip it up and around my head. I may use only one swing, I may use several. I can keep it spinning around my head as I move for a better shot or as I wait for the target to get into view. Then I whip it hard around, and when my hand is beside my head, I continue forward to point at the target. The pointing releases the free end of the sling, and the projectile speeds to the target. The other end of the sling has a loop that I wear around my middle finger. The free end is held between my first finger and thumb as I whirl it.

There are several ways to sling the stone, vertically vs. horizontally, or a combination. One or more rotations before release. What position is best for your release? There are a few variables, but if you work on one style and get good at it, then add an alternative backup style, using a sling might be a good survival weapon. But it's not one of those weapons that is hard to learn, it just takes a lot of practice, which can be a lot of fun. Plus, it's easily made in the survival situation, usually. Learn the form first, then apply power. I also found that either horizontal spin or vertical spin have greater accuracy than a spin out of these axis. That is, a spin that goes by the ground beside you to over your opposite shoulder, for example, is going to be less accurate. For height I'll go vertical, for left/right accuracy I'll go horizontal.

Bill Blohm
bblohm@BOI.HP.COM

When I teach the sling in our advanced courses. I've learned that some folks can be accurate with a horizontal overhead swing, others take to the vertical swing which may be easier underhanded or over handed. I let them try all of the positions and choose the one most comfortable for them. Up on the Cordelierra in Chile, the Indians showed me how they teach their kids the overhead swing. They start with a short string about 1 foot long, until the kids learn the release points an coordination. Oddly the adults carry one of these short slings almost everywhere. The little slings don't have much range but they don't require a windup, can be used in brush and trees and will kill easily out to 20 yards or so. They're even good at the"fastdraw".

Ron Hood
diogenes@SURVIVAL.COM