How to fire an elastic band
Created | Updated Apr 4, 2006
IMPORTANT
The infomation contained within this guide is designed for people to have fun, not to cause injury to others. Do not use this information to try and hurt, irritate or upset other people. If you do, you have nobody to blame but yourself.
An Elastic Band is a rather strange creation. They are pieces of stretchy elastic, usually brown, used to hold things together (paper and money being the two favourites). Some groups favour special coloured elastic bands, such as the red ones used by the royal mail. Some are thin and weedy, whilst others are big and tough... and excellent for firing!
Firing an elastic band is fairly easy, but firing it accurately is not.
Most band-shooters will adopt the "off the thumb" technique. This is where the shooter hooks one end of the elastic band over his thumb, then pulls back, releasing to fire. Whilst fairly accurate over short distances, this technique falls short in the long distance sniping competitions that can wage across classrooms, offices and other large spaces where a target can be set up. What's more, users of this method often fall prey to the dreaded misfire, and wind up shooting their own thumb.
In order to successully fire your elastic band, you should loop it around the fingers and thumb of your left hand. Next, spread your fingers to gain tension, and using your right index finger, pull down on the length joining thumb to pinky.
Next, release all fingers except your index. Rotate your left index, and rotate your hands so that your right hand is aiming, and your left is holding the tight band.
This method is a very efficient one to use. The priming method twists the band, making it fly more accurately, and reduces the odds of a misfire. With practice, this method of priming can be done with frightening speed, and the additional power it provides means when you do hit, you are far more likely to cause a significant hit, sometimes enough to dent an empty drinks can!
Finally, if you are in a band-war when you are not supposed to be, the band can quickly and easily rolled up your left hand and around your wrist, leaving you with the simple task of explaining why that pencil is balanced between two desks like that...
Shooters take note; this method should be used by both the left handed and right handed. Do not try to flip the instructions.
Things to shoot at
Now you know how to shoot, here's some ideas on what to shoot at...
Blackboard Tic-Tac-Toe: Draw a grid, and fire at the board. The square you hit is the square your Cross or Circle is drawn into. Using this technique, you can hit the blackboard with impressive accuracy from the other side of your average classroom.
Pencil Sniping: Balance a pencil on two coke cans, or similar objects, then try to knock it off without disturbing the cans. The best recorded shot with this technique was in a hall, in the dark, fired at a target on stage, from the seventh row of seats...
Can Stack: Set up a stack of six cans, and fire.
Happy firing.
