The History of Slingshots

Written By Rick Schell

The Catapult, Mangonel, Ballista and the Trebuchet

Slingshots have a long and wonderful history. The History of Slingshots go back to the Roman era and used very effectively as a war weapon. Many believe the invention of the first Catapult came from a Greek town founded between 743-734 BC called Syracuse. the Gastraphete was the first known version of the Catapult.

The Greeks were highly impressed with the destructive capabilities of Gastraphete. They developed a larger version called the Ballista. The early Greeks and Romans used this large crossbow-like weapon to hurl large projectiles at their enemies. They could throw large rocks, boulders, as well as spears over long distances.

Known as Siege engines, the Catapult, the mangonel, and the Trebuchet used heavy pulleys and leather straps. Even so, the Catapult and Trebuchet were much better known with their long arm used to throw projectiles.

As described in the Encyclopedia Britannica, "Nearly all catapults employed in ancient and medieval artillery operated by a sudden release of tension. They used bent wooden beams or torsion in twisted cords of horsehair, gut, sinew, or other fibers. The exception was the medieval trebuchet, powered by gravity. This formidable weapon used the long end of an arm on a pivot. They hauled or winched the arm down to load the pivot. Then released it allowing a heavy counterweight at the short opposite end of the arm to

An Early Greek Ballista

drop and swing the long end upward through a vertical arc. Modern mechanisms using hydraulic pressure, tension, or other force to launch gliders, aircraft, or missiles are also called catapults.”

Trebuchet at Château des Baux, France

Ancient Roman Catapult

The Shepherd’s Sling

Another sling used for hunting and as a handheld weapon was the Shepherd's sling. The Shepherd's Sling took a lot of practice to become proficient. In the hands of a truly skilled "Slinger" the shepherd's sling was a formidable weapon. When thinking about the history of slingshots, the shepherd's sling is one that most think of.

An interesting discovery showed that Roman soldiers drilled holes into the lead shot to create a whistling sound. This was a remarkably effective intimidation tool to keep the enemy's heads down.

In an article written in Scientific America said that a rock thrown by a Roman Soldier's sling could literally take the top of the head off of an enemy soldier. This is an excerpt from the article. "At the time of the Roman attack on Burnswark Hill, specialized units of auxiliary troops used slings to fight alongside the Roman legions.

Among the most feared were slingers from the Balearic Islands, an archipelago near Spain in the western Mediterranean. They fought for the Roman general Julius Caesar in his unsuccessful invasions of Britain in 55 B.C. and 54 B.C.

"These guys were expert slingers; they'd been doing this the whole of their lives," Reid said.

In the hands of an expert, a heavy sling bullet or stone could reach speeds of up to 100 mph (160 km/h). "The biggest sling stones are very powerful — they could literally take off the top of your head,"

Shepherd's Sling

The Modern Slingshot

The modern slingshot can trace its roots in the history of slingshots all the way back to around the 1860s. Goodyear developed vulcanized rubber in the 1840s. Juveniles started making DIY (Do It Yourself) slingshots made from the fork of tree branches. The earliest versions of slingshots were primarily created for vandalism. Even still, small game such as rabbits, squirrels, quail, pheasant, and dove commonly became dinner at the hand of a slingshot.

The First Modern Era Slingshots Started Showing Up In The 1860s.

In 1918, “The Zip-Zip” was the first cast iron slingshot produced. It wasn’t until after World War II that the slingshot saw a surge in popularity and legitimacy. Up till now, most slingshots were homemade. In 1946, Popular Science had an article that detailed a slingshot builder and hunter using slingshots to take small game. Using No. O buckshot lead he was dispatching game from thirty feet away. The slingshot had an instant surge in popularity.

The Wham-O company founded in 1948 got its name from its first product, the Wham-O slingshot. Made of Ashwood and flat rubber bands. With a draw weight of 45 lbs, the Wham-O was suitable for hunting. The Wham-O also came with an arrow rest.

The 1940s

Something else the 1940s brought was the creation of the National Slingshot Association. Headquartered in San Marino, California, they organized slingshot clubs and competitions nationwide.

Robert Hertzberg wrote an article in April 1951 in Mechanix Illustrated. It said, “Despite the slingshot's reputation as a tool of juvenile delinquents, the NSA reported that 80% of slingshot sales were to men over 30 years old, many of them professionals.

John Milligan was a manufacturer of the aluminum-framed John Milligan Special hunting slingshot. He reported that about a third of his customers were physicians.”

The 1950s also saw two other major innovations. The Sander's Archery Company Started producing the Wrist Rocket slingshot. Instead of flat bands, this slingshot utilized rubber tubing that attached to bent aluminum alloy rods facing backward. A few years later, Mark Ellenburg, the one who came up with the basic design left The Sander's Archery Company. He started his own company Trumark Manufacturing Company.

Modern Slingshots Today

Today, we are seeing an incredible surge of popularity in the world of slingshots. Slingshots are wildly popular in many countries around the world. Countries like England, Scotland, China, Australia, Africa, The Philippines, and more. The United States is actually behind the curve, but we are seeing slingshot shooting rise in popularity. Competitions, casual target shooting, plinking, and hunting are all gaining popularity across the United States. Slingshots have taken on a whole new look and there are so many styles and sizes to choose from. Shooting options like OTT (Over the Top) and TTF (Through the Forks).

Beautiful Custom Sling-Tech Slingshot Made By Jeff Treece

There are many different options when it comes to slingshot bands as well. Flat bands and tubes with different sizes, band thicknesses, tapers, stretch ratios, and tubes come in many sizes. The new latex formulas have taken slingshot shooting to a whole new level!

Yes, the history of slingshots is very fascinating. It goes back almost 2,500 years since the first catapult was invented. If you have not tried your hand at shooting a slingshot lately, you are really missing out. Come visit https://www.sling-tech.com and have a look. After all, Sling-Tech is your go-to online store for all things slingshots!