The sling is a weapon that can be found to have been in use for thousands of years as both a weapon and for hunting. I believe it was one of the earliest ranged weapons to have been used by humans, as archaeological evidence suggests that slings were used by ancient civilisations such as the Sumerians, Egyptians, and Assyrians. The earliest slings likely appeared around 3000 BCE.
The most commonly known use of the sling in ancient times was the story in the Bible of David and Goliath (1 Samuel 17), in which David uses a sling to defeat the giant.
Nowadays, a sling is not used as a weapon in warfare, but in certain remote areas, they are still used for hunting. A skilled slinger can achieve impressive accuracy and power.
They are small, lightweight, and portable, and only require a couple of items to make yourself one of these at home. All you will require is:
- String, or paracord
- Cloth patch or a bit of leather
- Round stones for use as ammo
One thing you need to remember is that while making the sling is easy, learning to master the sling is not. It takes a lot of practice to get the hang of aiming the sling correctly. The last thing you want is to get it wrong and ping yourself in the face with a rock.
How to Make a Sling for Throwing Stones
In order to make your sling, you are going to require two lengths of cord, at 2½ feet long each. You can pretty much use anything from homemade cordage to paracord, then do the following:
- On the end of one of the lines, you need to tie a bowline, with a loop that is big enough to slip over your thumb.
- Tie three or four knots on one end of the other line.
- With your piece of cloth or leather, you need to cut a piece that is around six inches long by three inches wide. This will become the pad that holds your ammo. Pierce a hole at each end of your pad so it can be attached to your lines.
- Using the unknotted ends of your lines, thread them through the holes on the pad and create a tight knot on each so that it doesn’t fall apart when in use.
- If you choose to use leather, it is a good idea to dampen the pad first and gently shape it for a few minutes first.
Now that you have your completed sling, it is time to try it out, but do remember, it is not easy to master.
Using Your Sling for Throwing Stones
Place your thumb through the loop of the bowline on your throwing hand side. Hold the knotted line end between your thumb and palm. Load a rock into the sling pad. Make sure you’re holding the knotted line in your palm so that the sling pad is cradling the stone level and even, almost like a hammock. Now you’re ready to throw.
It is best to start off small with some easy overhand throws first, getting used to releasing the knotted end at just the right time to get those rocks flying. This will take a lot of getting used to, but once you have a feel for this move, you can try some overhead circles, which will add more power to your throws.
There are a few things to consider in order to get a perfect shot on the target, which is why this is such a hard weapon to master, such as distance, trajectory, and the wind.
If you have ever made a sling like this, let us hear your good and bad stories in the comments below. Maybe you got it totally wrong and the rock hit you or the person behind you; give us all the details.
