Atl-atl - some semi-hard numbers from a documentary.

[Bruno]

History Channel, "Digging for the Truth" series, episode on Aztecs.

From their expert, "Atl-atl Bob" (I didn't catch his name): an atl-atl dart could be launched by a skilled thrower at 120 - 140 feet per second, and "easily reaches 100 yards". He had both "modern" carbon-fiber darts and traditional, obsidian tipped river cane darts.

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by Bruno

History Channel, "Digging for the Truth" series, episode on Aztecs.

From their expert, "Atl-atl Bob" (I didn't catch his name):.

Trust me. You can google "Atl-atl Bob" and find him. :)

[sjard]

Most of my info is from one of my old professors Don Burge. He's held several records with archaic weapons, including the smaller freemont atlatl.

I've personally launched a replica dart (wood with flint tip) over 500 feet. This was a roughly 30 inch dart.

The accuracy is good enough with a small amount of practice that I keep being tempted to see if it would qualify for the deer bow hunt season.

[Bruno]

The "darts" Bob was using were, if I had to eyeball them, about a yard long, possibly longer. Longer than his arm from hand to shoulder, certainly, but much shorter than an olympic javelin. I wish I'd remembered to note if it projected to his other shoulder or even further, that would make it a little easier to estimate how long it was. Very big - Bob called them "literally arrows on steroids" which made me wince, but I do get his point.

[Bruno]

Ah, Bob is selling 63 inch, 67 grams aluminum darts.

Hm. Where's Doug? I think I want to run this by him :)

[The Colonel]

Originally Posted by Bruno

Ah, Bob is selling 63 inch, 67 grams aluminum darts.

Hm. Where's Doug? I think I want to run this by him :)

Sjard's 30" replica darts sound a lot like the "roughly a yard" size ones you saw Bob using. 63" is starting to sound more like a javelin to me ... although I think the Australian aborigenes threw even longer spears from their woomeras...

[aesir23]

I used to throw atlatl's when I briefly held a second major in Archaeology. The darts we used were about 5 feet long.

It's fun, but it's hard to get power and accuracy on the same throw. Quite easy to do one or the other with a little practice.

My professor used to claim that an atlatl dart could be thrown through a car door, but I never saw it.

Every fall I consider making myself one and trying to get a license to hunt with it... always too busy.

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by aesir23

I used to throw atlatl's when I briefly held a second major in Archaeology. The darts we used were about 5 feet long.

It's fun, but it's hard to get power and accuracy on the same throw. Quite easy to do one or the other with a little practice.

My professor used to claim that an atlatl dart could be thrown through a car door, but I never saw it.

.

This is the sort used on the ep of Weapon Masters and apparently for the distance records. The way the long thin darts flex on the atl-atl when swung adds to the power.

They didn't manage to get a stone-tipped dart through some mild steel replica plate (I'd call it DR5) but they came very close. I beleive they would have done it with metal tips.

[sjard]

Another type that is interesting is the string atlatl.

Take a normal nocked arrow, and a string that is almost the same length with a knot at one end.
Slot the string through the nock, wrap around and loop over the knot to hold it in place.
Pull the string taught along the shaft of the arrow with the string wrapped around a couple fingers to hold onto it. Hold the arrow between thumb and forefinger.

Then you just throw it like you would an atlatl.

[DanHoward]

Originally Posted by aesir23

My professor used to claim that an atlatl dart could be thrown through a car door, but I never saw it.

Doesn't tell you much. You could punch a pencil through most modern car doors.