deny essex Posted July 12, 2019 Report Share Posted July 12, 2019 Found this whilst raking through some old boxes in the shed. How many of you remember the must have catapult of the day a "Barnet Strike". or a "Milbro" Before them I used to make mine from a forked branch with model elastic and a strip of leather ,usually from the tongue of an old boot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTaylor91 Posted July 12, 2019 Report Share Posted July 12, 2019 My era was all about the black widow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B725 Posted July 12, 2019 Report Share Posted July 12, 2019 I used to make my own and throwing arrows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guzzicat Posted July 12, 2019 Report Share Posted July 12, 2019 5 minutes ago, JTaylor91 said: My era was all about the black widow. She was my fantast too ! Had a couple of pults though,, then graduated to a Diana, no spuggy safe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted July 12, 2019 Report Share Posted July 12, 2019 what about "the wrist rocket" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandspider Posted July 12, 2019 Report Share Posted July 12, 2019 Think I still have a black widow somewhere. Lethal thing in the right hands, which mine were not! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoBodyImportant Posted July 12, 2019 Report Share Posted July 12, 2019 9 minutes ago, ditchman said: what about "the wrist rocket" I was just about to say that! I spent a few years of my life hunting with one and never once hit a dang thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krugerandsmith Posted July 12, 2019 Report Share Posted July 12, 2019 22 minutes ago, B725 said: I used to make my own and throwing arrows. Same Same part of the fun was finding the wood and then making them. We also made catapults using bicycle forks mounted on spike fences. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt Christopher Jones Posted July 12, 2019 Report Share Posted July 12, 2019 Or a length of pipe as a rocket launcher Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTaylor91 Posted July 12, 2019 Report Share Posted July 12, 2019 Hang on, I’m only 28. Surely I’m not an “oldun” just yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deny essex Posted July 12, 2019 Author Report Share Posted July 12, 2019 1 hour ago, B725 said: I used to make my own and throwing arrows. We used to make them as well, no idea why but we called them "French arrows" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martinj Posted July 12, 2019 Report Share Posted July 12, 2019 52 minutes ago, ditchman said: what about "the wrist rocket" I had one of those for firing out boilies when carp fishing. During my school days I made them from a forked branch, leather and 1/4" square elastic which was sold for renovating the cushions on snooker tables. The best form of ammo was 9mm Sten Gun bullet heads liberated from the army ranges near Aldershot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dipper Posted July 12, 2019 Report Share Posted July 12, 2019 Had a milbro it used 3/16 rubber .Shot a sparrow a very long shot.first thing I ever killed pI was gutted.That was about 65 years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
la bala Posted July 12, 2019 Report Share Posted July 12, 2019 Had a Milbro as a kid but not for long, after a few black thumbnails I made my own from a nice Holly crutch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted July 12, 2019 Report Share Posted July 12, 2019 35 minutes ago, martinj said: I had one of those for firing out boilies when carp fishing. During my school days I made them from a forked branch, leather and 1/4" square elastic which was sold for renovating the cushions on snooker tables. The best form of ammo was 9mm Sten Gun bullet heads liberated from the army ranges near Aldershot. i had 2 ammo choices 3/4" unf nuts carefully sorted 3/4" gravel...used to look for roundish stones with hairline cracks it....then when we fired at sparrows on the concrete apron at the farm...the stones used to explode on contact with the concrete and frag the quarry....used to be able to kill 2 or 3 sparrows every time...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pistol p Posted July 12, 2019 Report Share Posted July 12, 2019 Still use one whilst shooting, launching pebbles out to move quarry about without giving away your position or leaving a report is helpful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martinj Posted July 12, 2019 Report Share Posted July 12, 2019 48 minutes ago, dipper said: Had a milbro it used 3/16 rubber .Shot a sparrow a very long shot.first thing I ever killed pI was gutted.That was about 65 years ago. I was totally dismayed first time I hit anything - we brought the injured casualty home to a mate's garden and kept it fed and watered until it disappeared, probably eaten by a cat. 35 minutes ago, ditchman said: i had 2 ammo choices 3/4" unf nuts carefully sorted 3/4" gravel...used to look for roundish stones with hairline cracks it.... Fearsome ammunition Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldypigeonpopper Posted July 12, 2019 Report Share Posted July 12, 2019 hello, my first bought was a milbro ally one, cost about 12 shillings and 6 pence, local hardware shop, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dougy Posted July 12, 2019 Report Share Posted July 12, 2019 I had a deadshot catapult, never missed my thumb once. 😁 When i got used to it i knobbled all sorts, pheasants, rabbits and the odd glass insulator on overhead power lines. Got caught once lining up on a pheasant on the estate i now shoot vermin on. I told the keeper i was having a wee. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martinj Posted July 12, 2019 Report Share Posted July 12, 2019 I had one of those, see the price now: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTaylor91 Posted July 12, 2019 Report Share Posted July 12, 2019 We used to load up on rosehips and then have a “war”. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted July 12, 2019 Report Share Posted July 12, 2019 Wow.....I have a Milbro in a drawer somewhere, and another make unknown. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hedge Posted July 12, 2019 Report Share Posted July 12, 2019 Barnett Black Widow was awesome. We'd chase squirrels with them and hit absolutely sod all! They would put a ball bearing through a car door though.... Still got mine somewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobba Posted July 12, 2019 Report Share Posted July 12, 2019 3 hours ago, B725 said: I used to make my own and throwing arrows. Me too. Catapaults made as described by Denny. But like others we too called throwing arrows French arrows. The most lethal piece of kit were two bolts screwed (just) into either end of one nut (3/8th whitworth I think) with a chemical mix in between. Chuck them down the road and they went off like mini grenades. In those days (late 50's) bomb sites were our playground. You could buy chemicals for your chemistry set from model shops and chemists and experiment. In many ways, sadly I have forgotten the powder mix formula. Probably just as well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B725 Posted July 12, 2019 Report Share Posted July 12, 2019 (edited) The big break through was when square elastic became available, we used to collect marbles and ball bearings to use in the catapult. We also searched for the straightest sticks for the throwing arrows, never indoors always outside looking for the next adventure, and October was the start of collecting wood for bonfire night down the field's with a saw or small axe and dragging back what ever we could. Life was so much simpler out all day wind, rain or shine back home when your belly started rumbling, happy day's. Edited July 12, 2019 by B725 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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