1010 Mountain Views-News Saturday July 4, 2026 BEST FRIENDS & MORE 1010 Mountain Views-News Saturday July 4, 2026 BEST FRIENDS & MORE 
CHRISTOPHER NYERGES 

[Nyerges is the author of “Urban Survival Guide,” “ExtremeSimplicity,” and other books. Information about his books and 
classes is available at www.SchoolofSelf-Reliance.com] 

SLING VS. SLINGSHOT 

The famous Biblical story in 1 Samuel 17 tells aboutyoung David, and how he ended a battle that wasabout to begin with the army of Israel and thePhillistine Army. The champion of the Phillistineswas a man named Goliath from Gath, who measured“six cubits and a span.” (I assume that’s very tall!).
Goliath challenged the Israelis, saying that if anyonecould defeat him, their whole army would be slaves tothe Israelis, and vise versa. No one wanted to fight,
but young David, unadorned with the armor of thearmy, or a sword, instead went to meet Goliath. He 
took a rock from his pouch, and his leather sling, andslung it at the champion of the Phillistines, hitting himbetween the eyes and killing him. Having no sword,
David then took Goliath’s sword and cut off his head! 
This shocked the Phillistines, who then fled! 
But David was not unskilled in the art of the sling. As 
a shepherder, David would defend his sheep from lions and bears, and he recounted the manytimes he struck down a lion with the rock from his sling, and then took the sheep from the lion’smouth. 


So let’s clarify “sling” vs. “slingshot,” which are very different creatures. Most of you probablyknow the difference between the two, right? Yet, I still encounter people who believe that the two 
terms are synonymous. 

The sling is just a leather pouch made from a small piece of leather, with two cords attached. You 
put a rock in the pouch, and hurl a rock from a leather pouch by twirling it and then releasing it.
The slingshot is the Y-shaped device, with something elastic attached to each tip of the Y, and bothelastics are tied to a pouch. You put a rock in the pouch, pull it back, aim, and fire. 

A sling is simple. Easy to make, but a bit harder to master to be able to hit Goliath in the head. It 
takes lots of practice, and the result is a projectile that travels almost twice as fast and twice as far asa slingshot-propelled projectile. 

And because the sling takes a lot of practice, nearly sporting goods store today sells the mucheasier-to-use slingshot, assuming you don’t want to just make one yourself. 

THE SLING SHOT 

A slingshot is made from the forked stick, the Y shape, with some strong elastic attached to each ofthe upper arms of the Y. A pouch is attached to the middle of the elastic straps. 

As far as we know, before the invention of rubber in 1839, there were no slingshots as we knowthem. 

Slingshots became more popular since WWII, with Popular Science magazine of the day sharingdetails of the construction, usually using a forked stick and buckshot for ammo. For the elastic, lots 
of materials can be used, such as flat rubber bands, surgical tubing, and even pieces of inner tubes. 

Today, at most sporting goods stores, you can purchase the Wrist-Rocket, which was first producedin 1950 by the Saunders Archery Company. It is not a forked stick, but rather bent aluminum alloyrods that form the handle and fork, and also a brace that extended backwards over the wrist, and 
provided support on the forearm. I have one made by the Marksman Company. There are many 
to choose from today. 

Recently, I had the opportunity to test a new slingshot made by the Simpleshot.com company. It 
was their Axiom model. Top to bottom of the “Y” is 5 ¼ inches. It’s made of lightweight injected 
plastic with two flat bands for the elastic. They recommend using projectiles of 3/8” steel, thoughyou can use just about anything, including rocks if you wanted to. There is no brace that goes overyour wrist, just a simple Y with elastic straps. So how does this new high-tech slingshot perform? 

I had many of my young students try it when we were at a large park, using a cola can for our target.
We used the biodegradable pellets provided by the Simpleshot company. Most young studentsliked the way it fit the hand, which means it was a bit smaller than an adult slingshot. After theyshot a few shots, they were able to hit the can fairly readily. 

On the other hand, I am old school, and found it a bit small for my big hand. It seemed to have a 
lot of new features, but perhaps I am stuck in the simple sling shots and wrist rockets of the past. 

At first, I found it challenging to put on the elastic straps, which are held in place by an allen screw.
But once I figured it out, it worked flawlessly. 

A lot of my students liked this new slingshot, which is good. However, I found that the depth of theY just a little too shallow for my use, and my rock occasionally hit the sling shot until I got used toit. So, to my delight, I found that this slingshot was ideal as an arrow caster. That means, you use 
the elastic to shoot a conventional arrow at your target, and it works great. 

I doubt that’s what the manufacturer wanted to hear but that was my experience. 

The main drawback that I have found with any slingshot is that the elastic material gets brittlewith time and break, and you need to go buy more in order to make the repair. If you’re thinking 
of using a slingshot for the sport of target practice, you’d be wise to get some extra elastic pieces 
as a backup. 

Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com 


The Green Eyes Have It!
Meet “BISCUIT.” 

MeetBiscuit,thesweetest 
little kneader you’ll ever 
meet. She once lived in a 
loving home, but whenher family moved away,
she was heartbreakinglyleft behind. Alone on 
the streets with coyotes 

nearby and no one to protect her Biscuit somehow kept 
her gentle spirit intact.
She’s cautious at first, but once she trusts you, she melts intoa soft, affectionate companion who loves to curl up closeand make biscuits to show she feels safe. Biscuit thrives as 
the only pet and would be happiest in a calm adult home


where she can finally exhaleand be cherished. 
If you’re looking for atender, loyal friend who just needs patience and love to bloom,
Biscuit is ready for her forever home. See her cute video and applyto meet her at https://www.lifelineforpets.org Born approx. 2022 


Looks like a Russian Blue 
Spayed & MicrochippedFully vetted/tested negativeVery sweet; loves belly rubsLoves making "biscuits"
Wants a furever home! 

Pet of the Week 

Meet Taffy, a fun-loving Akita mix who's ready tobring adventure, laughter, and lots of playtime toher new family! At almost 3 years old, this cutie atPasadena Humane is full of youthful energy andloves nothing more than her toys. 

Whether she's tossing them around, proudly carryingthem, or entertaining herself, she's happiest with a toyby her side. She's also making great progress learningto settle down after playtime.Taffy would thrivewith an active family that enjoys walks, hikes, andadventures and is excited to continue her training asshe grows. Her adoption includes Pasadena Humane’sPawsitive Start program, which provides free trainingto help you build a strong bond and set both of youup for success. 

With consistency, plenty of toys, and an activehome, Taffy is sure to become a wonderful lifelongcompanion!The adoption fee for dogs is $150. All dogadoptions include spay or neuter, microchip, and age-
appropriate vaccines.Walk-in adoptions are available every day from 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. 


View photos of adoptable pets at pasadenahumane.org.New adopters will receive acomplimentary health-and-wellness exam from VCA Animal Hospitals, as well as a goodybag filled with information about how to care for your pet.Pets may not be available for 
adoption and cannot be held for potential adopters by phone calls or email.