Most powerful trebuchet in the world.

We made one for a history project at school when I was 12. It was a model, about 4 ft high, but it could still throw a stone ball weighing several pounds quite a long way, and it was considered dangerous by the teachers, and only operated under supervision.

World record trebuchet at Warwick castle.

It's an impressive trebuchet, which is loaded using two hamster-type wheels powered by men. It fires successfully, but you can't see the projectile so it is somewhat anti-climatic.

https://youtu.be/RN18I-RBVm4

We also learned about the mangonel, which works by a counterweight or manual effort (a team of strong men). An interesting old weapon is the palintonon or ballista, a type of catapult used by the ancient Greeks, which is very powerful and has been copied in modern times. Made in various sizes, from a hand weapon to a siege engine. The archery type is sometimes called a 'recurve bow'.

The medieval trebuchet

The end of a documentary showing the successful firing of a trebuchet at a wall.

https://youtu.be/L1EAA7pkEJ4

Here is another even more primitive and personal weapon, the sling or shepherd's sling. The video shows how to make one and how to use one. Apparently it takes great skill and practice to become adept and accurate with one.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?list=LLY1ondWkniOyok6suwnuKaA&v=JhkwNg_qBd8

https://youtu.be/4T7OTSIv4VY

I recently started the hobby of making and using the shepherd's sling. They're easy to make and a lot of fun to use. I made mine from 3 lengths of doubled jute twine braided to a finished length of seven to eight feet. Then you double the rope in the middle a couple of times to make the pouch to hold the rock. I sewed on a piece of chamois in the pouch on one and wove some rope into the other. You put a little Loop in one end that goes around your finger and then a knot in the other end that you hold onto and release when you throw the rock. They're a real blast. The maximum distance I've thrown so far is about 75 yards, not really that far but a lot farther than I can throw with my arm. It really feels cool to throw that far.

Of course a sling is really a miniature trebuchet, your arm is the catapult arm and the sling is the rope on the trebuchet.

This is my favorite slinging technique now. You swing it underhand in a clockwise motion and release the stone in a low sidearm motion. I find this technique to be more accurate, longer distance, and easier on the arm. When I say accurate I'm talking about getting it thrown in the general direction and not aiming at a target in particular.

https://youtu.be/-CQPB3EJ1pI

Six slinging techniques.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?t=195s&v=o6kdRs4x1fs

Palestinians using slings to throw rocks at Israeli troops.

Steel gate in wall is successfully pried open.

Bernini's David with sling

A Palestinian wearing a gas mask uses [shepherd's] sling shot to throw stone as a group of Palestinians clash with Israeli security forces during a protest against the construction of Jewish housing units and the separation wall in the village of Bilein, west of Ramallah, West Bank on June 12, 2015.