My bands are slapping my hand upon release, how do I prevent this?

Hand slap, as it is known in slingshot circles, is the result of either shooting a projectile that is too light for the bands or a bands that are too heavy for the projectile.

All bands must be matched to the projectiles mass for the most pleasant shooting results.  If one is using bands that are too heavy for a given projectile, the projectile does not have enough mass to absorb the energy created by the bands.  This wasted leftover energy allows the bands to sharply move forward upon release of the shot and then recoil into the back of the slingshot and your hands.  Yes, you may achieve slightly more velocity shooting with heavy elastic and light ammo, but it will come at the expense of hand slap and shortened band life.  Hand slap normally occurs when shooting ‘over the top’.

With slingshots, more is not always better.  Be sure you are shooting a balanced band/ammo combination for best results.