A fascinating set of "gun alternatives"

J

Jim March

New member
This video is a must-see, if only to understand that some "gun alternatives" exist that in some ways rival the power of firearms:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=jOd6r2x-j7I

Even the worst of these (the Chinese pellet-shooting crossbow) is able to drive an 8mm steel ball about 12" into ballistic gel. And loading from an internal mag, it can be fired at a rate of about a shot every five to six seconds if you knew what you were doing. Some have firepower rates in advance of that if you moved...like that slingshot from hell.

A real eye-opener.
 
I'm really curious about how it reacts with a couple layers of clothing in front of it. I'm sure it would be a very different story, then.
 
I don't know about clothing, but in a pinch that guy has better weapons than sticks and rocks. Much better. It does sort of remind me of "Mad Max" type movies. Pretty cool; thanks for posting that video!
 
Those things existed 800 years ago, yet pretty much disappeared when good firearms became common. Even the Indians quit using bows and arrows when they could get their hands on a firearm.
 
My bet is that concealed carry holsters and cover garments would be a bit of a problem. And of course we have to re-open the debate about carrying with an empty chamber. :D

Those look like fun toys, in all seriousness. That little "handgun crossbow" as he termed it was my favorite. Still wouldn't want to carry it chambered IWB, though.
 
A couple of things. 1) Was that genuine ballistic gel? How do we know thats what it is? 2) Why didn't the guy at least fire a 9mm or .38 special into that gelatin so that we could see the difference?
 
It certainly looked like it, but the results can only be compared to one another as ballistic gel needs to be used at 39f and calibrated with a BB shot. He will get significantly better penetration at room temperature.
 
A couple of things. 1) Was that genuine ballistic gel? How do we know thats what it is? 2) Why didn't the guy at least fire a 9mm or .38 special into that gelatin so that we could see the difference?
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I can't say if it was real ballistic gel, but if he says it was it's at least the stuff you can buy and make from the kits. Not sure if that's real ballistic gel or not.

As to why he didn't shoot it with a pistol beforehand...

I know he isn't in the US, not sure where, but they have pretty strict laws on firearms (and other weapons for that matter, I know he's mentioned that slingshots with a forearm brace are not legal where he is) so I doubt he'd be able to shoot a pistol in his back yard if he can even own a pistol.

I think the main thing to take from Joerg is just how effective and dangerous something as simple as a slingshot can be.
 
When I was much younger,we had no problem taking rabbits and squirrls with sling shots made with surgical tubing.I think I'd be inclined to use deadly force aginst someone that was shooting at me with a similar weapon.
 
When I was much younger,we had no problem taking rabbits and squirrls with sling shots made with surgical tubing.I think I'd be inclined to use deadly force aginst someone that was shooting at me with a similar weapon.
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Add in a bunch of rattlesnakes, prairie dogs, skunks, and one really dumb coyote, and that sounds just like the stories my great grandfather used to tell me. Though the ones that really blow my mind are his tales of bird hunting with a slingshot.

I didn't get to shoot with him much (he lived in New Mexico, and i'm in Virginia) but even in his early 90's he could outshoot me.

Guess the main difference is he grew up using a slingshot to put food on the table (along with bows and firearms of course) and to me they are just a fun hobbie.
 
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