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DanKung Black Bat Review

- A Tale of Three Bats -

Bats are beautiful! They are so beautiful that a few of months ago I ordered my third DanKung Bat slingshot. The fork loop design on the Bat is one of the main reasons that I like the frame so much. It just makes sense. The loops are not overly exaggerated and they provide a dished top to keep the tubes from rolling or slipping off during the shot. The bottom corners on the fork rings are well rounded to allow a comfortable thumb placement without annoying points or sharp edges. Finally, the tube slots are positioned at the base of the loop, right at the fork junction, which makes application of rubber fork sleeves a simple task rather than a frustrating burden.

My first Bat frame was the original design with a plain looped handle. The size on this frame is very similar to the small DanKung Palm Thunder. Unfortunately, when wrapped with paracord, the handle width was just a wee bit narrow for comfortable pinky clearance. Tennis racket over-grip worked out fine for a wrap and it provides a slip-free covering. The “Bat-1” design is great for someone looking for a traditional type handle, minimal size and an improved fork tip. The frame is no longer listed in the DK e-catalogue but they might be able to source one out for you, if you had the desire.

My second Bat was the DanKung Bat Metal frame, also known as the “Bat-2”. This second edition has the same fork and same loop tip as the Bat-1 but the handle is quite different. The #2 version has a slightly longer and more contoured handle with barreled sides and a circular pinky hole. Some slingers might call this an upgrade version. I posted a review on this frame a while ago so I won’t go into further detail here.

My latest Bat frame is the new Black Bat. This model has several small differences when compared to the other two. The first obvious difference is the greyish, non-polished metal finish. This is the main reason why I ordered the new frame. The other Bats are comfortable and fine shooters but sometimes, when the sun is shining from a certain angle, I get an annoying glare on the fork tip when aiming. The Black Bat does away with this problem. The lightly textured dark grey surface prevents glare but is smooth enough that it doesn’t cause tube wear. It’s a different look but one that I enjoy. There are several other DK frames that share this same “black” finish. The Black Palm Thunder was my first introduction to this finish process so I was well aware of what I was getting. The grey finish is very durable and doesn’t wear off or take on a shine with heavy use.

The Black Bat basically has the same fork tips as the Bat-1&2 but with a bit more pronounced dishing. The loop holes are slightly more elongated and the ear itself sticks out a fraction more than the other two examples. The differences are very slight.

The fork aiming notches on the “black” frame are a feature not found on my other two Bats. The notches are positioned directly above the fork tips, when the frame is held sideways (ala gangsta style). When at full draw, you will see the notch right between the parallel tubes coming off the fork. The notches work as designed but I wanted something brighter for my aging eyes so I glued short sections of fibre optic rod into the notches. One side has florescent green while the other has orange.

The handle on the new Bat is the common traditional loop style. It’s a comfortable size and it’s wide enough to give ample pinky room when wrapped with paracord. The handle length is a bit longer than the Bat-1, giving an overall frame length that falls between the two other models.

None of the Bats are overly heavy for stainless frames. The Black frame is the heaviest at about 10 grams more than the Bat Metal (Bat-2). The added weight is likely due to the slightly thicker cross section on this frame (0.32” vs 0.30”) .

Measurements
Overall length = 4.78” (121.4 mm)
Width across frame at fork loops = 3.40” (86.4 mm)
Width between forks (at loops) = 1.62” (41.1 mm)
Fork loop outside diameter = 0.89 (22.6 mm)
Width at top of wrapped handle = 0.93” (23.6 mm)
Width on outside of bare handle (at widest) = 1.51” (38.4 mm)
Frame thickness = 0.32” (8.1 mm)
Total weight with tubes = 5.6 oz (160 g)

Metallurgy
Fe = 72.49%
Cr = 15.94%
Ni = 10.40%
Mn = 0.79%
Zr = 0.38%

Fe = iron, Cr = chromium, Ni = nickel, Mn = manganese, Zr = zirconium

The metal composition indicates a 304 stainless steel alloy. The chromium content on my example is about 3% less than the other 304 stainless DK frames that I had tested. The nickel content is approximately 2% higher.

Tubes
The Black Bat is no different than other looped tube frames and will handle all the common skinny Malaysian tubing such as 1632, 2040, 1842, 1745, 2050, etc. The tubes can be shot with single strand, full doubles or a pseudo-taper configuration. My current favourite for the Black Bat is 6 5/8” full double 2040s with a 4-hole hole pouch. With my 32” draw length I’m getting right around 200-205 fps with the premium grade 2040 and 3/8” steel ammo. The thicker Theraband or surgical tubing will also work with the Bat’s oval ring holes.

Overall Opinion
The Black Bat is becoming one of my favourite flat frame slingshots. As mentioned, the fork tips are a welcome characteristic and the unpolished finish is both attractive and functional for high sunlight shooting. The simple fibre optic inserts yield a more visible reference for improved aiming. Overall the frame feels great to hold and my accuracy is right where it should be. I’m happy with it 