how fast does a slingshot shoot

how fast does a slingshot shoot is a question as complicated as 'How fast can a bow shoot'. There are many factors that determine the speed of slingshot shot. The primary is band setup, other things include weather, pull force, pull length, shooting style, fork etc. I will list more data under different conditions and try to find good solution for faster slingshot shoot.

The things I often used to test how fast a slingsot shoot, the chronograph, the home-made slingshots, the bands, and the thick can made of steel.

Temperature:60℉ Breezeless.
4-strand yellow 1842 band, extended from 16cm to 88cm.
8mm diameter steel balls.
20 shots altogether. The fastest is 81.97 m/s (meter per second), the slowest is 79.37 m/s. Average is 80.65 m/s

9mm diameter steel balls.
20 shots altogether. The fastest is 78.97 m/s (meter per second), the slowest is 78.01 m/s. Average is 78.45 m/s

11.5mm diameter steel balls.
20 shots altogether. The fastest is 64.87 m/s (meter per second), the slowest is 61.09 m/s. Average is 63.05 m/s

Conclusion: 4-strand 1842 slingshot shoot 8mm steel ball very fast , while it's not good to propel 11.5mm steel balls.

Then test 4-strand yellow 2050 band, extended from 16cm to 88cm.
8mm diameter steel balls.
25 shots altogether. The fastest is 80.65 m/s (meter per second), the slowest is 78.37 m/s. Average is 79.37 m/s

9mm diameter steel balls.
25 shots altogether. The fastest is 79.37 m/s (meter per second), the slowest is 78.13 m/s. Average is 78.85 m/s

11.5mm diameter steel balls.
20 shots altogether. The fastest is 68.87 m/s (meter per second), the slowest is 64.09 m/s. Average is 68.05 m/s

Conclusion of the speed of 2050 band: 2050 band slingshot has almost same speed as 1842 band when it shoots 8mm steel ball and 9 steel balls , while it's faster when shoot 11.5mm steel balls. So if you shoot small steel balls as 8mm,9mm, just choose the 4-strand 1842 bands. For small steel ball, Bigger pull forece not makes faster speed.

After made some simple and crude cocktail bands, I switched to the commercial cocktail bands. Making a good cocktail bands without tool is so difficult.

So what I used is 4-strand cocktail bands (1745 combing with red 1632), strech from 16cm to 85cm. The pull force is a little lighter than 4-strand 2050 band

8mm diameter steel balls.
25 shots made. The fastest is 94.65 m/s (meter per second), the slowest is 89.23 m/s. Average is 90.01 m/s

9mm diameter steel balls.
25 shots made. The fastest is 91.37 m/s (meter per second), the slowest is 88.13 m/s. Average is 89.55 m/s

11.5mm diameter steel balls.
25 shots made. The fastest is 78.87 m/s (meter per second), the slowest is 74.09 m/s. Average is 75.45 m/s

Conclusion of 1745-1632 cocktail band's speed:
A slingshot with cocktail band obviously has faster speed.

That's my data of how fast a slingshot shoot. It's an interesting thing to do. Many other things should be taken into consideration, different temperature, different shooting styles, and other size of tube bands and flatbands... The test seems limitless, so does the fun.