Sling Shot Ammo

There are many different types of slingshot ammo available in the market, but sometimes they just are not the right size or weight for your liking and might be too expensive. In this "How-To", the process of making your own Slingshot Ammo will be explained which will be cheap than discounted ammo.

Different sized lead balls work well for target practice and hunting and making Slingshot Ammo that explodes is always fun to show off your skills and even scare people!

I will show you how to make lead balls, and this process applies to every size. How to make your lead balls explode on impact and a bonus tip on how to aim your slingshot!

Lets Get Started
Before you get started, you will need to decide on what material you want you ammo to be made from, either lead or clay. Lead is heavy so it is good for hunting and the wind doesn't have a big effect on them, Clay on the other hand is light so it is good for target practice but the wind does effect them. Both types of ammo are very effective if used in the right conditions.


Lead
First you will need some lead. To get this you can buy it but does cost roughly $30 per kilogram (2.2 lbs). The best way is to go to your local mechanic and ask them for their old tyre weights. You could also ask some people you know if they have some.

Once you have your lead, you are ready to make the mold. The mold can be made out of aluminium, steel and even wood! The advantages of using aluminium are that it is easy to work with and is easy to maintain. The advantages of steel are that it is much stronger than aluminium and holds it shape well. The advantages of wood are that it is extremely easy to work with and the mold can be made fast but it doesn't last long.

The same process can be used for all material but different tools may have to be used in order to make the mold correctly. You will need two blocks of the material you wish to use an make the depth of it at least 5mm larger than half the size of your ball.  You will need to make a ball the size of the ammo you want to make inside the two pieces of material. You can do this by using a drill bit the same size as your ammo and drill down until the pointed bit on the end is not visible. Do this on both pieces of the mold. Mark a straight line to one edge of the mold from the center of the drilled crevice and then clamp the to pieces together. Once you have done this drill straight down with a drill bit half the size of your ammo size. Make sure you enter into the crevice but do not go any further than that.

Clay 
First you will need some clay, whether you get it from an art supply store or from the ground. It doesn't matter where you get it from but I prefer from the ground because its cheap. This ammo is ridiculously easy to make, just simply get a moist chunk of clay (if it isn't add some water) roughly the size of the ammo you want to make and roll it into a ball in between your hands or on a hard surface. Then let them dry in the sun for 24 hours and your done! ( If you are impatient like me, you can put your oven on to the hottest temperature, and put the clay balls on a tray and dry them out. This should be ready in about 30 min)

The best bit about using clay instead of lead is that it is safer to use, it doesn't harm the environment you are shooting in as the clay is natural out the ground and its fast and cheap!