Pocket Rockets: Best Slingshots of 2021

Why Trust This Guide

I’ve been interested in bushcraft since I was a kid. I spent endless summers exploring and mapping the creek at the end of my neighborhood. Shooting BB guns (always for target practice, never for dinner) was one of my first passions. My childhood gave me a deep respect for nature and all animals that I still have today.

So, when I got the call to review slingshots, I was all in. I studied videos made by passionate slingshot masters and taught myself to shoot with a lot of repetition. As a well-informed novice, I intend to provide a platform for shooters at all levels.

This buying guide addresses the technical aspects of the slingshot as a potent and ingenious weapon, emphasizing practicing safe shooting and causing no harm.

Who This is For

Anyone capable of pulling the bands back can shoot a slingshot — it’s one of the factors that makes the tool so appealing. If you’re a grandma who wants to scare squirrels away from your backyard birdfeeder or a bushcraft-y backwoodsman, this guide can help you find the right slingshot and use it safely.

If you’re a new shooter like I was when I started to research, you probably have many questions (just like I did). Go to our extensive “Features to Look For” and “FAQ” sections for helpful information on getting started.

How I Chose the Best Slingshots

Slingshot design is diverse, and different shooters have different priorities. This guide features a wide variety of slingshots to suit all levels of shooters with various budget requirements. I included slingshots with tubular and flat bands, wrist-supported designs and classic forks, wooden, metal, and composite designs. The top slingshots provide versatility and power.

How I Tested Each Slingshot

Shooting, shooting, shooting. I fired a few hundred shots with each tested slingshot over a period of about a month. I used a cardboard box stuffed with newspaper for a catch box and a paper bullseye as a target. I shot until I got tired, paying attention to accuracy, power, and pull-back resistance.

Features to Look for in Slingshots

Band Type — There are two types of slingshot bands: flat and tubular. Flat bands draw more smoothly and generally provide more power. But a tubular loop style band (like the one on the BASUNE slingshot) can be very powerful.

Flat bands can wear out faster than tubular bands. That comes with one caveat — if you’re pulling a band close to its maximum extension, the difference is negligible.

Grip — Steel, plastic, rubber, wood — a smooth wood grip is best in my experience. Rubber grips can squish in your grip and affect your aim. Any grip is susceptible to sweat or moisture, but wood handles retain their grip best under any conditions. 

Sight — Some slingshots have sights mounted to the forks. To me, these are pointless. Why? Because you aim with the band and the forks. Hold your slingshot sideways and draw. Then align the middle of the top band and the top edge of the fork with the bullseye. It doesn’t matter if there’s a sight on the fork; the slingshot itself is a sight.

Laser sights also exist; using them would require a very steady hand.

Accessories — Some slingshots have mounts for laser sights and flashlights. Some have fork-mounted conventional sights. Magnetic ammo holders are sometimes mounted to wrist braces.

Versatility — Shooting power and portability are the main criteria that affect a slingshot’s versatility. For instance, if you’re hunting, you should make sure you get a slingshot that’s easy to carry and shoots steel ammo very hard: you don’t want to leave any animal injured, and a fast kill is best if you’re taking game. A slingshot that fits this description should also perform well as a target shooter, but it may not be for shooting inside or for a kid.

Effectiveness — To me, an effective slingshot fires ammo at high velocity with reliable accuracy — bonus points if it’s easy to carry. But a young or less strong shooter may like a slingshot with a wrist brace to help them stretch the band. Target shooters may be willing to sacrifice power for accuracy.

Ease of Use — Shooting a slingshot is tiring. Pulling heavy bands back repeatedly takes its toll. Flat bands may be the way to go if you want repetition because they stretch more easily. However, a wrist rocket’s bracing effect means shooting it requires less coordination. If you’re going to carry your slingshot around and use it while you’re walking, make sure it’s lightweight and easy to stick in a pocket.

Size — Some slingshots are big and heavy; some are tiny and light. Again, what are you going to do with your slingshot? If you’re carrying it around, especially for hunting, you should try to go light and fast. If you’re target shooting at home, a heavier setup won’t hurt.

Material — Wood, metal, composite. They’re all good, but there’s something about the feeling of a well-shaped wooden tool — call me old school.

Durability — Slingshot durability basically boils down to bands. Tubular bands generally last longer than flat bands, and both will wear faster the closer you pull them to 100% stretch. Check your rubber for stretch marks or holes. 

Handle Design — Slingshot handles come in a huge variety. Grooved handles, smooth handles, and even pistol grip styles exist. Wrist rockets usually feature grooved handles; traditional fork slingshots usually have smooth handles.

Ammo Storage — Some slingshot wrist braces have magnets attached for ammo storage. In my experience, these aren’t much of a factor: the kickback force from a shot usually dislodges a few BB’s.

Wrist Brace — Namesake of the wrist rocket, slingshot wrist braces assist pull-back in situations of heavy bands or less strong shooters.

Q: How to hold a slingshot?

A: Here’s the best method: put your ammo in the ammo pouch, then grip the pouch with your dominant hand, between the thumb and forefinger (try to hold the pouch where it contacts the ammo). Draw the bands back with the slingshot pointed at the ground, the same way you would hold a gun. This way, you shoot into the ground if you accidentally fire it.

Lift the slingshot toward your target sideways, so it makes a sideways Y. DON’T hold it with your hand directly in front of your face: if you lose your grip, you’ll punch yourself pretty hard in the face (I’ve done it).

Instead, aim with the pouch pulled back to your cheek below your shooting eye. Sight straight down the top band and align the top edge of the fork with the bullseye.

Q: What is the difference between butterfly style and flip style?

A: In butterfly-style shooting, the shooter pulls the slingshot’s pouch back so far that their hand passes their elbow (spread “wings,” like a butterfly). It’s a way to gain shooting power. Butterfly-style shooting requires long, stretchy bands — almost always flat bands.

Flip style is another way to add power to a shot and can be used with or without butterfly shooting. To shoot flip style, draw your slingshot as usual, then flick your front wrist forward at the exact moment you release the ammo. You’ll get a more powerful shot because you’re adding a vector to it.

Q: Are slingshots legal?

A: This is a complicated question. The simplest answer is: CHECK YOUR STATE LAWS. The community of shooters at slingshotforum.com has tried to gather resources to the best of their ability. Here’s the link to the page. It’s worth pointing out that slingshots are discreet enough to fire inside your home, at safe targets, without anyone being the wiser. However, if you want to hunt game or carry slingshots in a tactical capacity, I highly recommend you familiarize yourself with the laws in your local area.

Q: What is the best ammo to use for your slingshot?

A: Steel — 1/4" or 3/8” steel ball bearings are a longtime slingshot ammo standard. Heavy and aerodynamic steel BB’s are effective for precision target shooting. Most, if not all, official slingshot competitions use steel ammo.

ABS Plastic — Use hard ABS plastic ammo for indoor target practice. A hanging target is best because plastic rounds sometimes won’t punch through thick target materials. I heavily recommend against using plastic ammo outside — losing a few rounds is inevitable.

Glass Marbles — A stylish and eco-friendly choice, glass marbles make a heavy impact and won’t break against most targets. Marbles are non-toxic, so they’re ideal for outdoor use.

Copper — Strongly consider copper ammo if you’re planning on taking game with your slingshot. It’s heavy and malleable, like lead, but non-toxic. Using lead ammo is one of the worst things you can do for your local hunting grounds: it’s highly poisonous, and it makes its way into the food chain through fragments. Copper ammo gives you the best chance to make a clean kill in the field.

Tungsten Carbide — Research into the topic continues, but tungsten carbide is most likely toxic, so I don’t recommend using it. It’s a high-tech alloy used in saw teeth, drill bits, etc. My question isn’t “what makes it good?” it’s “why do you need it?”

Misc. (pebbles, hex nuts) — Shoot ‘em if you got ‘em! Theoretically, you can shoot anything out of a slingshot. Use discretion.

Q: How dangerous are slingshots?

A: It turns out slingshots have pretty high potential as weapons!

Not everyone’s as effective as a Roman Legionnaire with a slingshot, but every entry in this guide is a real weapon, and any slingshot can be a combat slingshot. That being said, slingshots are suitable for shooters of all ages and ability levels. Use light-duty ammo for shooting inside. Here’s a cool option for kid-safe slingshot ammo.

I take slingshot safety as seriously as gun safety — 1) never aim it at any living thing you’re not prepared to harm, 2) familiarize yourself with your weapon before you use it, and 3) keep it away from small children.

Q: What animals can you kill with a slingshot?

A: I only recommend hunting small game for food with a slingshot — rabbits, squirrels, fowl, etc. Most experienced slingshot hunters agree it’s not wise to shoot at game from more than 10 to 20 yards, and it’s a good idea to have a hunting dog with you in case you injure an animal. In fact, many slingshot hunters carefully research effective setups and ammo for killing game as cleanly as possible. Keep in mind that the most accurate slingshots often feature flat bands.

Q: How fast do slingshots shoot?

A: This is a highly generalized answer, but the average entry-level is about 50 meters per second (164 feet per second). The top end is a heated and unresolved debate. Shooters have claimed speeds of up to 900 fps, but some say slingshot rubber’s scientific limit is more like 280 fps.

Q: Are slingshots accurate?

A: As accurate as you can be. I can’t hit dirt at 10 meters, but I started seeing crazy things as soon as I hit the internet. Here’s one:  

Q: How do I replace a slingshot band?

A: It depends on your slingshot. First of all, make sure you get the right band for your particular slingshot.

Most replacements are pretty self-explanatory but replacing tubular bands that feed over uprights can be tricky. For these, use a sharp knife to cut the old band off, then use rubbing alcohol as a lubricant while you feed the new bands over the uprights. Wait for the alcohol to evaporate, and you’re good to go.

Sources:

1. Terminal Ballistics of Slingshots – Slingshot Forum
2. Slingshot Hunting Laws: All 50 States - Slingshot Forum
3. Ancient Slingshot Was as Deadly as a .44 Magnum – National Geographic