All language subtitles for World of Weapons S01E05 Faster than the Enemy

THEY ARE THE TOOLS

OF HUMAN CONFLICT AND SURVIVAL.

INGENIOUS,

POWERFUL,

DESTRUCTIVE.

FROM THE ANCIENT

TO THE MODERN,

WAR WEAPONS COMPRISE AN
EVER-EVOLVING ARSENAL

THAT'S TRANSFORMED COMBAT,

HELPED BUILD EMPIRES,

DESTROY THEM,

AND DETER AGGRESSION.

THIS SERIES HIGHLIGHTS
SOME OF THE WORLD'S

MOST IMPORTANT AND
INNOVATIVE WEAPONS,

THROUGH UNIQUE EXPERIMENTS.

Machnau: I'M READY TO FIRE.

WE EXPLORE HOW
AND WHY THEY WORK.

Bull: IT'S LIKE A
NUCLEAR WEAPON.

WHAT PROBLEMS
THEY SOLVE ON THE BATTLEFIELD.

Bull: IF THAT GOES OFF,
THIS COULD BE SERIOUS.

AND
GIVE FRESH INSIGHT...

Bull: LET'S GO!

...INTO
THEIR ROLE IN HISTORY.

Bull: YOU'RE IN
A MINEFIELD, STOP!

SINCE HUMANS
BEGAN FIGHTING ONE ANOTHER,

QUICKNESS AND MOBILITY
HAVE BEEN KEY FACTORS

DETERMINING VICTORY OR DEFEAT.

THE FIRST WEAPON: THE
TWO-WHEELED CHARIOT.

A LIGHT, NIMBLE VEHICLE
THAT COMBINED SPEED

WITH MANEUVERABILITY
ON THE BATTLEFIELD.

IN THE 17TH CENTURY
B.C., ON THE NILE DELTA,

THE HOOVES OF THOUSANDS
OF HORSES SHAKE THE GROUND

AS THE HYKSOS WARRIORS
DESCEND UPON EGYPT

WITH THEIR CHARIOTS.

HERE ARRIVES A NEW AND
POWERFUL WEAPON SYSTEM,

ONE DEMANDING MULTIPLE
SKILLS TO MASTER.

THE SKILL SETS REQUIREDON BOARD INVOLVED ARCHERY,

JAVELIN WORK, AND
DOING ALL OF THIS

FROM A RELATIVELY FAST-MOVING
AND AWKWARD PLATFORM.

SO, THIS IS A SKILL SET
INVOLVING KEEPING YOUR BALANCE,

USING WEAPONS IN A NEW
AND DIFFICULT ENVIRONMENT.

THE HYKSOS
COME FROM THE NEAR EAST.

THEIR HORSE-DRAWN CHARIOTS

ARE A REVOLUTIONARY
METHOD OF WARFARE.

IT GIVES THEM A
DECISIVE ADVANTAGE

OVER THE PHARAOH'S
ARMY OF FOOT SOLDIERS.

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN
ITS 1,500 YEAR HISTORY,

EGYPT FALLS UNDER FOREIGN RULE.

THE HYKSOS MAINTAINED
CONTROL OF THE COUNTRY

FOR ANOTHER CENTURY.

WEAPONS EXPERT, MIKE LOADES,

HAS STUDIED THESE ANCIENT
ALL-PURPOSE BATTLEWAGONS.

HE KNOWS WHY THEY
WERE INTRODUCED

AND HOW THEY REVAMPED
MILITARY TACTICS.

THE PRIMARY FUNCTION
IS FOR THE ARCHER.

SO, HE HAS A DRIVER BUT THE
MAIN WARRIOR IS THE ARCHER.

ALL OF THIS, THE HORSES,
THE WHEELS, THE CHARIOT,

ALL IT'S FOR IS TO PUT AN
ARCHER ON THE BATTLEFIELD.

THE CHARIOT
IS A WEAPON SYSTEM

FASTER AND MORE MOBILE

THAN THE ANCIENT WORLD
HAD EVER WITNESSED.

MADE OF LIGHT WOOD AND LEATHER,

WITH A RAISED PLATFORM
AND PROPELLED BY HORSES,

IT TRANSFORMED THE WAY
BATTLES WERE FOUGHT

WHILE MOVING AT SPEEDS NO
INFANTRYMAN COULD MATCH.

WHEN CHARIOTS
FIRST CAME THUNDERING

ON TO THE ANCIENT
BATTLEFIELD, WARFARE CHANGED.

NOW FOR THE FIRST TIME
SQUADRONS OF CHARIOTS

COULD COME STREAMING
IN FOR A SURPRISE ATTACK.

CHARIOTS COULD CONTROL
THE BATTLEFIELD,

THEY COULD FRUSTRATE
ENEMY TROOP MOVEMENTS,

THEY COULD RESPOND INSTANTLY
TO CHANGING SITUATIONS,

THEY HAD MOBILITY.

THIS WAS A NEW TACTIC IN
THE GENERAL'S TOOL KIT.

AND WITH IT CAME A NEW TYPE
OF WARRIOR: THE CAVALRYMAN.

HE WAS ELITE, HE WAS EXPENSIVE,

AND ABOVE ALL ELSE,
HE WAS HEROIC.

THIS TECHNOLOGICAL
REVOLUTION IN WARFARE

WOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE

WITHOUT ONE OF HUMANKIND'S
GREATEST INVENTIONS: THE WHEEL.

THE OLDEST WHEEL ARTIFACT DATES
BACK MORE THAN 5,000 YEARS.

IT WAS DISCOVERED
IN SLOVENIA IN 2002.

MADE OF ASH AND OAK WOOD,
THIS DISC WHEEL AND ITS WAGON

WERE MOST LIKELY
USED FOR AGRICULTURE.

AN ARTIFACT FROM POLAND

SHOWS THE OLDEST
DEPICTION OF A WHEEL.

THE BRONOCICE VASE DATES
BACK TO AROUND 3500 B.C.

THE WHEEL

IS UNBELIEVABLY
IMPORTANT FOR MANKIND.

AT FIRST, IT WASN'T
REALLY DESIGNED FOR SPEED,

LARGE SOLID WOOD DISK WHEELS

JUST WOULDN'T GIVE
YOU TOO MUCH SPEED.

BUT YOU COULD USE THEM TO
EFFICIENTLY TRANSPORT LOADS

WITH A CART, USING FOR
EXAMPLE, A TEAM OF OXEN.

AND THAT WAS ABSOLUTELY
A RELIEF IN WORKLOAD

FOR THE NEOLITHIC POPULATION.

THE FIRST EVIDENCE

POINTING TO THE USE
OF WHEELS IN WAR

CAN BE FOUND ON
THE STANDARD OF UR

WHICH DATES BACK TO 3000 B.C.

THE WOODEN BOX, WHICH WAS FOUND

INSIDE A ROYAL TOMB
IN PRESENT-DAY IRAQ,

FEATURES SCENES OF
EVERYDAY LIFE ON ONE SIDE,

AND SCENES OF WAR ON THE OTHER.

A WAR CHARIOT MOVES
ON DISC WHEELS,

REPRESENTING A SUMERIAN
WARRIOR IN BATTLE.

THE ORIGINAL
SUMERIAN CHARIOTS

ARE ESSENTIALLY
FOUR-WHEEL CARTS.

THEY'RE POWERED BY ASSES,
THESE ARE NOT FAST VEHICLES,

THEY'RE NOT DYNAMIC, THEY'RE
JUST MOBILE PLATFORMS

FROM WHICH MEN CAN FIGHT.

SPEARS, MAYBE BOWS AND ARROWS.

THEY'RE NOT FAST, THEY DON'T
CHANGE THE PACE OF BATTLE.

THEY PROBABLY ENABLE
MEN TO ARRIVE AT BATTLE

FRESHER THAN THEY
WOULD HAVE DONE

IF THEY'D MARCHED
THERE OR RUN THERE.

SO THEY HAVE SOME ADVANTAGES,

BUT THEY'RE NOT FUNDAMENTALLY
TRANSFORMATIONAL WEAPONS.

BY ADDING SPOKES,

THE WHEEL BECOMES
MORE FUNCTIONAL.

INITIALLY, THE WHEELS
HAVE FOUR SPOKES,

BUT THEY LACK STABILITY.

AND THEN,
A BIG INNOVATION

WAS TO JUST USE MORE SPOKES
SO THAT YOU COULD DISTRIBUTE

THE LOAD BETTER AND YOU COULD
PUT MORE WEIGHT ONTO THE AXLE.

A FOUR-SPOKE
WHEEL IS LIGHT ENOUGH

TO USE ON THE BATTLEFIELD.

BUT WITH A HEAVY LOAD,
IT CAN QUICKLY BREAK.

ONE SOLUTION: TWICE
AS MANY SPOKES.

BUT THIS ALSO INCREASES
THE CHARIOT'S WEIGHT,

AT THE EXPENSE OF SPEED.

THEN A COMPROMISE: SIX SPOKES,

PROVIDING OPTIMAL STABILITY
AND MANEUVERABILITY.

WHILE STILL UNDER THE
HYKSOS OCCUPATION,

THE EGYPTIANS START
IMPROVING CHARIOT TECHNOLOGY.

THEY EXPERIMENT WITH DIFFERENT
MATERIALS AND DESIGNS,

UNTIL THEY FIND AN
EFFICIENT SOLUTION.

WHAT THE EGYPTIANS DID

WAS THEY GOT PIECES
OF TIMBER LIKE THIS,

SO THAT EACH SPOKE IS
ACTUALLY TWO PIECES.

BUT THE BEND GOES
INTO THE NEXT SPOKE,

SO THIS IS THAT SPOKE AND IT
COMES ON TO THIS ONE, HERE.

SO, THIS JOINT IS
NOW INCREDIBLY STRONG

BECAUSE IT WAS GROWN.

THEY WOULD TAKE YOUNG TREES

AND AT A YOUNG AGE BEND THEM
OVER, HERE IS THE JOINT,

THAT IS NOW AS STRONG
AS YOU CAN GET IT.

AND IT'S QUICK TO ASSEMBLE.

DURING THE 1920S,
IN THE VALLEY OF THE KINGS,

SCIENTISTS MAKE A
SPECTACULAR DISCOVERY.

TUTANKHAMUN'S TOMB REVEALS,
AMONG OTHER THINGS,

SIX PERFECTLY
PRESERVED CHARIOTS.

EVEN AFTER THE END
OF FOREIGN RULE,

THE EGYPTIANS CONTINUE
TO USE HYKSOS TECHNOLOGY.

NO ONE KNOWS WHETHER THE CHARIOT

PLAYED A ROLE IN SHIFTING
THE BALANCE OF POWER.

MIKE LOADES HAS
ARRANGED FOR A CRAFTSMAN

TO BUILD AN EGYPTIAN CHARIOT,

BASED ON THE HIGHLY
SOPHISTICATED

ROYAL CARRIAGE OF TUTANKHAMUN.

CONSTRUCTION DECISIONS ARE BASED

ON WHAT MATERIALS
WEIGH THE LEAST,

AND WHICH ARE THE MOST
USEFUL FOR BATTLE.

THEY
ALSO CONSIDERED

THE ISSUE OF SUSPENSION
SO THAT THE SHOOTER

COULD REMAIN AS
STABLE AS POSSIBLE

AND IF YOU DROVE OVER A HOLE,
YOU WOULDN'T MISS COMPLETELY.

SO THEY CAME UP WITH STRATEGIES
LIKE A LEATHER PLATFORM

FOR THE ARCHER TO STAND ON.

THEY REALLY THOUGHT A LOT
ABOUT THE INDIVIDUAL PARTS

WHICH IS FASCINATING
TECHNOLOGICAL WORK.

A CHARIOT'S
WOVEN LEATHER PLATFORM

MUST BE STURDY ENOUGH TO CARRY
A CREW OF UP TO THREE MEN.

IT MUST ALSO BE FLEXIBLE
ENOUGH TO CUSHION THE RIDERS

FROM THE IMPACT OF UNEVEN
TERRAIN ON A BATTLEFIELD.

THE FINISHED CHARIOT, BUILT
FROM NATURAL MATERIALS

ACCORDING TO HISTORICAL MODELS.

CERTAIN KEY POINTS, LIKE
THE YOKE TO THE POLE

AND THE POLE TO THE AXLE, WERE
LASHED TOGETHER WITH RAWHIDE.

YOU CAN SEE THE AXLERUNS UP THE REAR OF THE PLATFORM

SO ALL THE WEIGHT IS ON THE
WHEELS, IT'S NOT ON THE HORSES.

AND THESE WHEELS
ARE INDEPENDENT.

THEY ARE ON A FIXED AXLE

AND THE WHEELS MOVE
INDEPENDENTLY ON THE AXLE.

THE BATTLE
OF KADESH, 1274 B.C.

THE EGYPTIANS FIGHT THE
HITTITES, THEIR NEW RIVALS,

FOR CONTROL OF THE NEAR EAST.

BOTH SIDES HAVE THE SAME
WEAPONS AT THEIR DISPOSAL.

ACCORDING TO ANCIENT SOURCES,
OVER 5,000 CHARIOTS FACE OFF

AS THESE TWO DOMINANT
REGIONAL POWERS

CLASHED ON THE BATTLEFIELD.

THE EGYPTIANS
AND THE HITTITES

WERE INVOLVED IN A
VERY SERIOUS ARMS RACE

WITH THE NEW CHARIOT TECHNOLOGY.

AND THE CHARIOTS ARE
USED TO ENGAGE THE ENEMY

AND ENGAGE EACH OTHER.

AND ESSENTIALLY, IT'S
A BATTLE ABOUT CHARIOTS

AND THAT'S CERTAINLY
HOW THE EGYPTIANS

REPRESENT THEIR VERSION
IN WHICH THEY WIN.

AND THE HITTITES HAD A VERSION

IN WHICH OF COURSE
THEY WON AS WELL.

IT'S ONE OF HISTORY'S
GREATEST DRAWN BATTLES.

MIKE LOADES WANTS
TO TEST THE EGYPTIAN CHARIOT

TO GET AN IDEA OF HOW
IT PERFORMS IN ACTION.

AND DOING SO, HE'LL SOON FIND
OUT WHAT'S BEHIND ITS SUCCESS.

THE CHARIOT IS AN
EVOLUTIONARY STEP

THAT PRECEDES THE MIGHTY
CAVALRY ON WAR'S BATTLEFIELD.

MEN DROVE CHARIOTS
FOR ABOUT 1,000 YEARS

BEFORE THEY RODE HORSES.

AND THAT'S BECAUSE EARLY
HORSES WERE REALLY QUITE SMALL,

THEY WEREN'T BIG ENOUGH
AND STRONG ENOUGH

TO CARRY A MAN'S WEIGHT,
BUT YOU COULD PULL A MAN

BY PUTTING HIM IN
A WHEELED VEHICLE.

THESE
WELL-TRAINED HORSES

ARE OVER FIVE FEET TALL.

CHARIOT HORSES FROM ANTIQUITY
WERE NEARLY A FOOT SMALLER,

BUT THE EGYPTIANS EMPLOYED
A UNIQUE HARNESS SYSTEM.

YOU'LL SEE THEY'VE
GOT THIS NECK FORK HERE.

THIS IS QUITE DIFFERENT
TO MODERN HARNESS.

THE HORSES ARE JUST ATTACHED,
JUST BY THE WITHERS THERE.

ONLY ONE ATTACHMENT WITH
A YOKE JOINING THEM.

SO, WITH THIS SYSTEM IT'S
MUCH MORE CHALLENGING

TO DRIVE THEM AND TO
KEEP THEM STRAIGHT,

IT TAKES A LOT MORE
DRIVING EXPERTISE.

BUT ON THE BATTLEFIELD,
IT WAS MORE EFFICIENT.

IF ONE OF YOUR HORSES GOT SHOT,

THEN YOU COULD CHANGE
THE TEAM VERY QUICKLY.

LIKE A FORMULA 1 PIT
CREW, MEN WOULD RUSH IN,

ONE, TWO STRAPS, YOU
COULD TAKE THE TEAM OUT

AND GET ANOTHER TEAM
IN REALLY QUICKLY.

HOW FAST
CAN THIS KIND OF CHARIOT

GO ON A FLAT SURFACE?

THIS FIRST TEST IS AT
A DISTANCE OF 164 FEET.

SO WHAT
TIME DID WE GET?

Man: 6.50.

THAT'S NOT BAD, SIX
SECONDS, 50 METERS, THAT'S IT,

YOU KNOW, 12 SECONDS 100 METERS.

WITH TWO HORSES,

MIKE MANAGES A SPEED
OF 18.5 MILES PER HOUR.

IMPRESSIVE FOR ANCIENT TIMES.

BUT GOING FASTER
REQUIRED SOMETHING MORE.

AFTER THE SPOKED WHEEL,
THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR

IN DEVELOPING THE SWIFTESTCHARIOT WAS DOMESTICATED HORSES.

THEY ARE ANIMALS WITH
STAMINA, AGILITY AND SPEED.

AND THEY CAN BE
TRAINED FOR WARFARE.

THE HORSE IS THE SINGLEMOST IMPORTANT ANIMAL OF WAR.

IT'S CARRIED MEN TO WAR,
IT'S CARRIED MEN IN BATTLE,

AND IT'S CARRIED THEM
OUT OF BATTLE AGAIN.

IT'S CRITICAL TO THE
LOGISTICS OF WAR,

TO THE MOVING OF
HEAVY EQUIPMENT,

ARTILLERY FOR EXAMPLE.

HORSES ARE A CREATURE THAT
HAS BEEN SELECTIVELY BRED

OVER THOUSANDS OF YEARS TO
SERVE MAN'S MILITARY NEEDS.

IN
FACT, HORSE BREEDING

IS A PRACTICE OVER
3,000 YEARS OLD.

AS EVIDENCE, THE KIKKULI TEXT

CONTAINING HORSE
TRAINING GUIDELINES

WRITTEN IN THE
14TH CENTURY B.C.

WHEN YOU
LOOK AT THE KIKKULI TEXT,

IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING
ABOUT HORSES,

YOU NOTICE IMMEDIATELY
THAT A TEAM IS TRAINED

TO OPTIMAL PERFORMANCE
AS FAST AS POSSIBLE.

THERE ARE DIFFERENT
TRAINING SESSIONS.

THERE ARE INSTRUCTIONS
ABOUT FEEDING,

ONLY OATS, THEN ONLY ALFALFA.

AND THEN THEY WERE
TAKEN ON NIGHT RIDES,

WHICH WAS PROBABLY ALSO
SO THAT ENEMY SPIES

COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHEN
YOU HAD YOUR CHARIOT TEAMS

READY TO RUN, WHEN
THEY'RE READY FOR ACTION.

THAT NEEDED TO BE KEPT SECRET
FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE.

IT TAKES SKILL

TO GET THE BEST OUT
OF CHARIOT HORSES.

BUT THE ARCHER ALSO
NEEDS A CHARIOT DRIVER

THAT HE CAN RELY ON, ONE
WHO CAN HANDLE THE REINS.

SO NOW I HAVE A DRIVER
AND I AM THE ARCHER.

THIS WAS THE MAIN TWO-MAN CREW.

IN BATTLE YOU HAVE THE DRIVER

AND THE WARRIOR
WHO WAS THE ARCHER.

WHAT WE SEE ON THE
EGYPTIAN CHARIOTS

IS ON BOTH SIDES
CROSSED QUIVERS,

SO THE PRESUMPTION IS
THAT I CAN SHOOT HERE

AND TURN AROUND AND USE THESE
ARROWS TO SHOOT ON THAT SIDE.

AND CHANGE AND I CAN GET OVER

AND SHOOT USING THESE
ARROWS ON THIS SIDE

AND TURN AND USE THOSE.

THEN I SHOULD BE ABLE TO SHOOT

FROM ALL FOUR CORNERS
OF THE CHARIOT

BECAUSE IN A BATTLE, ESPECIALLY
CHARIOT TO CHARIOT BATTLE,

YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE THE CHARIOT

IS COMING OUT OF THE DUST CLOUD,

SO YOU NEED TO BE
ABLE TO MOVE AROUND.

SO HOW
WELL CAN MIKE SHOOT

WHILE THE CHARIOT IS
MOVING AT FULL SPEED?

FROM THE PLATFORM, HE
HAS TO BE AGILE ENOUGH

TO AIM AND HIT TARGETS
IN ANY DIRECTION,

EVEN WHILE SWITCHING POSITIONS.

THE CHARIOT SUSPENSION SHOULD
HELP MIKE KEEP HIS BALANCE.

DURING THE TEST,

NINE OUT OF MIKE'S 12
SHOTS HIT THEIR TARGET.

SO, I HAD A FEW MISSES.

BUT YOU KNOW IF
YOU WERE IN BATTLE,

FOR EVERY ONE YOU MISS,
THERE'S A MAN STANDING BEHIND.

SO, IT WOULD HAVE HIT SOMEBODY
IN DENSE RANKS OF MEN.

IT'S FINE TO SHOOT
FROM THIS PLATFORM.

IF YOU IMAGINE THOUSANDS OF
CHARIOTS ON THE BATTLEFIELD,

WHICH THERE WERE,
THEN THE DUST CLOUDS,

YOU WOULDN'T BE ABLE
TO SEE WHERE THEY WERE.

THEY'RE MOVING AND YOU
CAN'T SEE WHERE THEY ARE.

THAT'S FAST ENOUGH NOT
TO BE SHOT BACK AT.

SO, I THINK FOR ITS TIME,

IT WAS A REALLY USEFUL WEAPON
AND A GAME-CHANGING WEAPON.

IT BROUGHT MOBILITY
TO THE BATTLEFIELD.

BUT CHARIOTS
ALSO HAVE DRAWBACKS.

THEY'RE EXPENSIVE
AND CAN ONLY BE USED

ON RELATIVELY FLAT TERRAIN,

AND AS HORSES ARE BRED
TO BE BIGGER, STRONGER,

AND CAPABLE OF CARRYING AN
ARMORED WARRIOR INTO BATTLE,

THE NEED FOR A WHEELED
MOBILE PLATFORM FADES.

THE NEXT WEAPON,

FOR CENTURIES IT DECIDES THE
VICTORS OF ANCIENT BATTLES,

AND YET TODAY, IT'S
ASSOCIATED ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY

WITH A FAMOUS BIBLICAL
STORY, THE SLING.

2,000 YEARS AGO, IN GREEK,
ROMAN, AND OTHER ARMIES,

SLINGERS ARE IN HIGH DEMAND.

YET ONLY A FEW
PIECES OF EVIDENCE

HAVE BEEN HANDED DOWN ABOUT
THIS SIMPLE RANGE WEAPON.

DATING BACK TO THE
2ND CENTURY A.D.,

THIS RELIEF ON TRAJAN'S COLUMN

DEPICTS IBERIANS USING SLINGS.

PROOF OF THEIR TACTICAL
ROLE AS A WEAPON

DURING THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

IN ANCIENT BATTLES,

THE USE OF THE SLING
WAS QUITE COMMON

AND THE SLING WAS USED
IN MUCH THE SAME WAY

AS MUSKETS AND RIFLES
IN EARLY 18TH CENTURY,

19TH CENTURY WARFARE.

MIKE LOADES
IS HEADING TO DENMARK.

IN A RECONSTRUCTED
MEDIEVAL TOWN,

HE WANTS TO DISCOVER THE SECRET

OF THIS NEARLY-FORGOTTEN
ANCIENT WEAPON.

THE SLING IS POSSIBLY
THE EARLIEST WEAPON

THAT GAVE MEN
MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE.

WHAT IT DID WAS IT EXTENDED
THE LENGTH OF HIS ARM,

IT MADE THEM LONGER LEVERS

SO YOU COULD THROW WITH
MORE SPEED, AND MORE FORCE.

DURING
THE STONE AGE,

SLINGS WERE USED FOR HUNTING.

AND LATER, THEIR
DISTINCTIVE SNAPPING SOUND

WOULD BE HEARD ON
THE BATTLEFIELD.

AN ANCIENT SLING IS BETWEEN
TWO FEET TO NEARLY A YARD LONG

AND IS MADE UP OF
BRAIDED PLANT FIBERS.

ITS DEADLY PROJECTILES WEIGH

BETWEEN AN OUNCE
TO HALF A POUND.

THESE STONES FOUND
IN MODERN-DAY TURKEY

DATE BACK AROUND 8,500 YEARS.

EARLY EVIDENCE OF THE SLING
USED AS A POTENT WEAPON.

IN EXPERT HANDS,

THE SLING IS A REALLY
POWERFUL WEAPON.

IT WAS A BREAKER OF HEADS
AND A SMASHER OF BONES.

AND THE BEST SLINGERS CAME
FROM THE BALEARIC ISLES.

THEY WERE SOUGHT AFTER BY
ALL THE ANCIENT ARMIES:

THE GREEKS, THE ROMANS,
THE CARTHAGINIANS.

LEGEND HAS IT THAT THE
MOTHERS OF CHILDREN

IN THE BALEARIC ISLES
WOULD NOT LET THEM EAT,

WOULD NOT GIVE THEM THEIR FOOD

UNTIL THEY COULD
HIT IT WITH A SLING.

THERE WAS SUCH A
CULTURAL TRADITION THERE

AND IT LASTS TODAY,

EVEN TODAY THE BEST SLINGERS
COME FROM THE BALEARICS.

THESE
SLINGERS ARE CELEBRATED

THROUGHOUT THE ISLANDS.

EVERY YEAR, IN SA POBLA,
ON MALLORCA,

THE SLINGING WORLD
CHAMPIONSHIP TAKES PLACE.

NOT SURPRISINGLY, THE
BEST SLINGER IN THE WORLD

HAILS FROM THE BALEARIC ISLANDS.

LUIS PONS LIVERMORE IS A
MULTIPLE-TIME SLING CHAMPION

AND HAS AGREED TO HELP
MIKE WITH AN EXPERIMENT.

YOU HAVE
DIFFERENT PARTS,

THE RING WHERE YOU
PUT THE FINGER.

THE POUCH, WHERE YOU PUT
THE STONE OR WHATEVER,

AND THE FINAL IS THE TAIL
THAT HAS TWO FUNCTIONS.

ONE IS THE CRACK MAKE A NOISE.

LIKE A WHIPLASH.
YEAH, LIKE A WHIP.

AND THE OTHER ONE
FOR GET PRECISION.

BUT IF THIS
SNAPS LIKE A WHIP,

THAT MEANS THIS IS
GOING INCREDIBLY FAST.

I MEAN THIS IS A HIGH-SPEED
WEAPON, ISN'T IT? I MEAN...

IT IS.

YOU CAN
THROW A ROCK

BUT WHEN YOU THROW IT WITH
THIS, THEN IT BECOMES A BULLET.

AN IMPORTANT
FACTOR FOR SPEED IS THE BAND,

THE LONGER IT IS, THE FASTER
THE PROJECTILE WILL LAUNCH.

THE PART IN THE MIDDLE
IS KNOWN AS THE POUCH.

YOU'RE MAKING
THE DIVIDE HERE

WHICH IS THIS PART OF THE
SLING, WHICH IS CRITICAL.

LET'S HAVE THESE TWO
PARTS EXACTLY THE SAME.

LUIS HAS MADE
MANY SLINGS FROM SCRATCH.

HE USES PLANT FIBERS THAT
ARE RESISTANT TO TEARING.

HOW OLD WERE YOU WHEN
YOU MADE YOUR FIRST SLING?

PROBABLY
10 YEARS OLD.

OH REALLY?
YEAH, 10-11.

AND YOU WOULD NEVERTHROW WITH SOMEONE ELSE'S SLING,

THERE'S A PRIDE IN
MAKING YOUR OWN SLING.

NO, ALL THE
SLINGS ARE DIFFERENT.

THESE DAYS, LUIS
CAN FINISH MAKING A SLING

IN LESS THAN 30 MINUTES.

THAT'S FANTASTIC,
THAT WAS SO QUICK,

IT SEEMS SO EASY
BUT IT'S ELABORATE.

DURING
ANCIENT WARS,

SLINGERS WERE USED
IN A VARIETY OF WAYS.

IN CAESAR'S TIME, A TYPICAL
ROMAN BATTLE FORMATION

WAS MADE UP OF
HEAVILY ARMED SOLDIERS

ARRANGED INTO BLOCKS
ON THE BATTLEFIELD.

EACH BLOCK, KNOW AS A COHORT,CONSISTED OF ABOUT 500 MEN.

THE SOLDIERS WITH
SLINGS WERE PLACED

BETWEEN THE INDIVIDUAL BLOCKS,
AS WELL AS IN THE FRONT ROWS.

ONCE THE BATTLE STARTS

YOU COULD HAVE THE
ELITE SLINGERS

LIKE THE BALEARIC SLINGERS,

YOU COULD HAVE THEM
IN THE FRONT LINE.

MEN WHO COULD AIM ACCURATELY,

MEN WHO COULD TARGET A GENERAL
ON A HORSE AT 300 METERS.

BUT YOU COULD ALSO
USE REGULAR SLINGERS

BEHIND RANKS OF ARCHERS
BECAUSE THE SLING

HAS GOT A GREATER RANGE
THAN THE BOW AND ARROW

AND THESE MEN WOULD BE
THROWING HIGH IN THE AIR

BRINGING DOWN A
TEMPEST OF STONES

FALLING ON THE
HEADS OF THE ENEMY.

IN ADDITION TO
THE TOP BALEARIC SNIPERS,

THE LESS EXPERIENCED MEN WITH
SLINGS PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE.

BUT HOW DIFFICULT IS IT
TO MASTER THE WEAPON?

LUIS RECRUITS THREE AMATEURS

TO HELP OUT IN AN EXPERIMENT
TO TEST JUST THAT.

FOR SAFETY REASONS,

THEY'LL USE TENNIS
BALLS INSTEAD OF STONES.

THE RING GOES IN
THE MIDDLE FINGER.

YOU PUT IT LIKE THIS AND IT'S
HANGING OUT OF YOUR HAND,

OKAY, YOU PICK THE TAIL

AND YOU CLOSE IT IN YOUR
HAND LIKE THIS, OKAY, SOFT.

AND YOU SEE THE POUCH,

YOU HAVE TO BE THE
SAME LEVEL, ALL RIGHT?

WHEN YOU HAVE THIS,

YOU HAVE TO PUT THE
TENNIS BALL JUST ON TOP.

ONCE YOU GET THE BALL INPOSITION,

AND YOU HAVE THE
SLING IN YOUR HAND,

YOU SPIN IT THREE, FOUR TIMES,

YOU HAVE TO PULL YOUR ARM,

AND WHEN YOU PULL YOUR ARM,
YOU HAVE TO GET CLOSE THE TAIL.

SO HAVING A SLING IS
LIKE HAVING A LONG ARM.

FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU WANT
TO PASS THE BALL LIKE THIS

AND IS GOING TO GO
OUT IS THE SAME.

YOU HAVE TO, TO GET THE
MOVEMENT, PUT IT IN FRONT,

AND OPEN YOUR HAND FORWARD.

THE TARGET
IS A TIN CAN 30 FEET AWAY.

WHO WILL HIT IT ON
THE THEIR FIRST TRY?

FOR WORLD CHAMPION LUIS,
IT'S A PIECE OF CAKE.

Woman: NO PRESSURE.

NO PRESSURE.
Man: NO PRESSURE.

NOT SURPRISINGLY,

THE AMATEURS HAVE A HARD
TIME WITH THEIR SLINGS.

ACCURACY IS DIFFICULT.

Man: IT'S HARDER THAN I THOUGHT

BECAUSE MY BALLS WERE
ALL OVER THE PLACE,

SO I DON'T KNOW, IN 10 YEARS
I MIGHT BE AS GOOD AS HIM.

IN ANCIENT TIMES,

IT TOOK YEARS OF TRAINING
TO DEVELOP A DEAD-EYE SNIPER

FROM JUST ANOTHER
SOLDIER WITH A SLING.

ONE OF THE SIMPLEST
RANGED WEAPONS,

A SLING CAN BE A LOW-TECH
WEAPON OF ORDINARY PEOPLE.

EVEN UNDERDOGS.

CASE IN POINT, THE FAMOUS
OLD TESTAMENT STORY

OF DAVID AND GOLIATH WHERE
A SMALL ISRAELITE BOY

FACES A MASSIVE
PHILISTINE WARRIOR.

THE YOUNG SHEPHERD
REACHES INTO HIS SATCHEL,

TAKES OUT A STONE,
AND SLINGS IT,

HITTING THE GIANT
IN THE FOREHEAD.

THIS TELLS US
EVERYTHING ABOUT THE SLING,

IT'S A LEVELING WEAPON,

IT ALLOWS SOMEBODY WHO
IS NOT OF ELITE STATUS,

DOESN'T HAVE ALL
THE ELITE EQUIPMENT

OF ARMOR, SWORD AND HORSE,

TO DO SOMETHING REALLY
SIGNIFICANT ON THE BATTLEFIELD.

SINCE
ANCIENT TIMES,

STONES HAVE BEEN
USED AS AMMUNITION.

THEY'RE AVAILABLE ANYWHERE,

BUT NOT EVERY STONE IS
SUITABLE FOR THE SLING.

BUT THEY HAVE TO
BE A UNIFORM SHAPE.

IT'S NO GOOD ME PICKING
UP THESE STONES.

NO, NOTHING.

BECAUSE THEY WOULD
THROW ALL OVER THE PLACE.

ALL OVER THE PLACE,

THEY WON'T FLY IN
A STRAIGHT LINE,

MAYBE YOU CAN LOSE IT
WHEN YOU GO SPINNING.

SO YOU HAVE TO
EITHER FIND STONES

THAT ARE A NICE EVEN
SHAPE, OR YOU HAVE TO--

MAKE THEM.
MAKE THEM.

THESE TYPES
OF STONE PROJECTILES

WEIGH ABOUT SEVEN OUNCES.

WHAT KIND OF IMPACT
DO THEY HAVE?

A WOODEN AND TIN TARGET IS SET
UP FOR A TEST 45 FEET AWAY.

THE SLING'S CHARACTERISTIC
WHIP-CRACK NOISE

IS HEARD EVERY TIME THE
BACK PART OF THE SLING

BREAKS THE SOUND
BARRIER DURING THE SHOT.

THE SOUND WAVE OF THE
SLING BAND INCREASES

AS IT CONTINUES TO THE SLACK-END

WHERE IT REACHES TWICE
THE SPEED OF SOUND.

YOU'VE JUST
EATEN THAT SHIELD!

STONE AFTER STONE
JUST EATING AWAY.

AND YOU WERE DOING IT
OVER AND OVER AGAIN,

IT'S A VERY RHYTHMIC ACTION.

YES, IF YOU
HAVE THE POINT,

YOU HAVE TO KEEP SHOOTING,
SHOOTING, SHOOTING.

LOOK AT THE
IMPACT ON THE METAL!

IT'S A TERRIFYING WEAPON,
TERRIFYING WEAPON.

I MEAN THOSE STONES,
THAT'S GONNA KILL YOU.

WITH THAT SPEED THAT
YOU ARE THROWING,

WITH THAT WHIP-CRACK FORCE,

WHETHER YOU ARE
WEARING ARMOR OR NOT,

IF IT HITS YOU IN THE HEAD,
IT'S CERTAINLY GONNA KILL YOU.

YEAH, OBVIOUSLY.

HOW FAST
DOES THE STONE PROJECTILE

TRAVEL WHEN IT'S SHOT BY LUIS?

MIKE TESTS THE SPEED WITH A
HIGH-PRECISION DIGITAL METER.

BUT IN ORDER TO
MEASURE THE SPEED,

LUIS NEEDS TO SHOOT DIRECTLY
THROUGH THE OPENING.

SUCCESS, BUT HOW FAST
DID HE FLING THE STONE?

52 METERS PER SECOND,

SO THAT'S 186-187 KILOMETERS
PER HOUR, PRETTY FAST.

A SLING
CAN REACH TOP SPEEDS,

BUT ON-TARGET ACCURACY ISDIFFICULT, ESPECIALLY IN COMBAT.

A DELAY OF JUST 2/10 OF
A SECOND BEFORE RELEASE

CAN CAUSE A 30-DEGREE DEVIATION
IN THE STONE'S TRAJECTORY.

TO INCREASE THEIR HIT RATE,

ANCIENT WARRIORS CHOSE
UNIFORMLY-SHAPED MISSILES

AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE.

THESE PROJECTILES WERE MADE
MORE THAN 2,000 YEARS AGO.

SO WE GOT TWO VERY
DIFFERENT MISSILES HERE,

THE HEAVY ROCK AND
THE ROMAN GLANDES

WHICH IS LATIN FOR ACORN,

AND YOU CAN SEE
THAT'S AN ACORN SHAPE.

THE ROMAN
GLANDES CAN BE PRODUCED

AT ANY CAMPFIRE SINCE LEAD MELTS

AT A TEMPERATURE OF
622 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.

THE LEAD MISSILES WOULD
OFTEN CONTAIN A MESSAGE

DIRECTED TO THE ENEMY.

ON THIS ONE, IT SAYS IN
GREEK LETTERS, "TAKE THAT."

THE TRADITION OF
WRITING ON PROJECTILES

CONTINUES TO THIS DAY.
DURING WORLD WAR II,

ALLIED AIRCRAFT CREWS
OFTEN DECORATED THEIR BOMBS

WITH MESSAGES FOR THE GERMANS.

DURING THE IRAQ WARS, AMERICAN
SOLDIERS INSCRIBED MESSAGES

TO SADDAM HUSSEIN
ON THEIR BOMBS.

THE NEXT EXPERIMENT WILL
MEASURE THE IMPACT OF WOUNDS

CREATED BY A SLING.

WORLD CHAMPION, LUIS PONS
LIVERMORE, WILL SLING STONES

AT A REALISTIC
LEATHER-SKINNED DUMMY BLOCK.

A CAMERA RECORDS THE
MOMENT OF IMPACT.

LOOK AT THAT.

WE CAN SEE HOW HARD IT HIT
BY HOW FAR IT HAS BOUNCED BACK.

HERE IT IS, I MEAN THIS IS
ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE,

THAT'S SIX METERS
FROM WHERE IT HIT.

THAT WAS A TREMENDOUS IMPACT

AND YOU HIT HIM
RIGHT OVER THE HEART.

THAT WOULD HAVE SMASHED HIS
RIBS AND STOPPED HIS HEART.

YEP.

NEXT, WE TRY
THE LEAD-CAST ROMAN GLANDES.

WHAT'S THE IMPACT OF THE SMALLER

SHARP-EDGED PROJECTILES
ON THE DUMMY?

LOOK AT THIS, LUIS,
THAT IS CHILLING.

IT'S ACTUALLY IN THERE, YOU
ACTUALLY GOT IT INSIDE THE MAN.

THIS HAS GONE THROUGH
AND EMBEDDED DEEP INSIDE,

THAT IS A WEAPON!

SLINGERS APPEAR
REPEATEDLY IN WORLD HISTORY.

IN THIS 14TH CENTURY DEPICTION
FROM THE MIDDLE AGES,

THEY ARE SHOWN NEXT
TO THE ARCHERS.

DURING ITS CONQUEST
OF THE INCA EMPIRE,

SPAIN IS CONFRONTED WITH
WARRIORS USING SLINGS.

AS A WEAPON OF WAR, THE
SLING IS FINALLY REPLACED

WHEN FIREARMS BEGIN TO
APPEAR ON THE SCENE.

STARTING IN THE 16TH CENTURY,
THESE WEAPONS CHANGE WARFARE.

SMALL HANDGUNS,LIKE THE REVOLVER, BECOME MORE PREVALENT,

INSPIRING NEW BATTLEFIELDTACTICS ESPECIALLY FOR HORSEMEN.

AND THE REVOLVER
BECOMES LEGENDARY,

NOT ONLY FOR ITS SPEED.

ITS MYTH IS CLOSELY TIED

TO A ROMANTICIZED
IDEAL OF THE WILD WEST.

COWBOYS, OUTLAWS, AND SHERIFFS,

THEY ALL HAVE THE REVOLVER
IN THEIR HOLSTERS,

AND WHOEVER DRAWS FASTER, WINS.

BUT NOT EVERYONE KNOWS
THAT THE REVOLVER

ALSO INFLUENCED
MILITARY CONFLICTS,

LIKE THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR.

IN LARGE PART BECAUSE ONE
OF ITS DESIGN FEATURES

GIVES IT AN EDGE IN SPEED.

THE HISTORY
OF WAR IS ABOUT,

IS A CONSTANT SEARCH
FOR AN ADVANTAGE.

HAVING WEAPONS THAT ARE FASTER
THAN THE ENEMY'S WEAPONS

IS A GREAT ADVANTAGE.

IF YOU CAN SHOOT FASTER,

YOU CAN KILL HIM QUICKER
THAN HE CAN KILL YOU.

DREAMS OF
A PISTOL THAT CAN FIRE

MORE THAN ONE SHOT
WITHOUT RELOADING

HAD BEEN AROUND FOR
QUITE SOME TIME.

BUT DESIGNS WERE
EITHER TOO EXPENSIVE,

OR LIKE THESE PEPPERBOX
MODELS, TOO HEAVY.

THEN COMES A YOUNG
AMERICAN WITH BIG IDEAS

AND NO SHORTAGE OF
ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT.

SAMUEL COLT IS A
CLASSIC AMERICAN ENTREPRENEUR,

HE'S A SHOWMAN, HE
DELIGHTS IN PUBLIC DISPLAY,

IN DOING SOMETHING EXCEPTIONAL.

HE FIRST CAME TO PUBLIC
ATTENTION BY BLOWING UP A SHIP,

EVERYBODY GOT VERY WET AND
NOBODY BOUGHT THE TORPEDO.

IT SAID COLT
CAME UP WITH THE IDEA

FOR THE REVOLVER'S
MECHANISM WHILE ON A SHIP.

DEPENDING ON THE
VERSION OF THE TALE,

LEGEND HAS IT THAT
AT THE AGE OF 16,

HE NOTICES THAT WHEN
THE ANCHOR IS HOISTED,

A WINCH CLAMPS
AFTER EACH ROTATION.

THIS BASIC PRINCIPLE LATER
BECOMES THE INSPIRATION

FOR THE REVOLVER MAGAZINE.

HE THEN COMES UP WITH
THE IDEA OF THE REVOLVING,

SIX-CHAMBERED PISTOL, WHICH
BECOMES HIS TRADEMARK.

THE FIRST
REVOLVER THAT COLT SELLS

TO THE ARMY ON A LARGE
SCALE IS THE COLT WALKER,

A REPEATING HANDGUN
PRODUCED IN 1847.

JON RIVERA IS A FORMER POLICEMAN

AND PROFESSIONAL WEAPONS EXPERT

WHO HAS WON SEVERAL
RAPID FIRE COMPETITIONS.

AT A SHOOTING RANGE, HE'LL
REVEAL THE SECRET OF THE COLT.

THE COLT WALKER, WEIGHT:
JUST UNDER FOUR POUNDS;

CALIBER: 44, MEANING ROUGHLY
AN 11-MILLIMETER DIAMETER.

SAMUEL COLT IS THE
GODFATHER OF FIREARMS.

FROM 1861 TO 1865,

THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR RAGES,

PITTING THE NORTHERN
STATES OF THE UNION

AGAINST THE CONFEDERATE
STATES IN THE SOUTH.

THE NORTH WANTED
TO ABOLISH SLAVERY,

WHILE THE SOUTH
WANTED TO PRESERVE IT.

MORE THAN THREE MILLION
SOLDIERS BATTLE EACH OTHER.

ULTIMATELY, AN ESTIMATED
750,000 OF THEM ARE KILLED.

THE HIGH DEATH TOLL RESULTS
FROM THE USE OF MODERN WEAPONS.

COLT SELLS CLOSE TO 400,000
REVOLVERS TO THE UNION ALONE,

AND MANY OF THE FIREARMS
HE SELLS ARE COLT WALKERS.

HOW DID CIVIL WAR SOLDIERS
LOAD AND SHOOT IT?

IN THE OLDEN DAYS,
WHAT THEY WOULD DO

IS THEY WOULD HAVE A DEER HORN
OR SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THIS

AND THEY'D PUT THEIR
FINGER OVER THE TOP

AND THEY WOULD TURN IT UPSIDE
DOWN, THEN GET MEASURING

AND THEY WOULD POUR IT
DIRECTLY INTO THE CYLINDER.

AND DROP IN A 44 GRAIN
ROUND PROJECTILE IN IT.

THE COLT WALKER

STILL NEEDS TO BE
LOADED FROM THE FRONT.

I'M GONNA CENTER
IT ON THE BALL,

AND I'M GONNA PUSH
IT DOWN AND SEAT IT.

IT CAME TO COMPLETE REST

AND NOW I KNOW THAT
IT IS ACTUALLY SEATED

IN THE BOTTOM OF THE CYLINDER.

SO, IMAGINE THE DIFFICULTY
IF YOU'RE RIDING OR IN COMBAT

AND SOMEBODY'S SHOOTING
AT YOU RIGHT NOW

AS YOU'RE TRYING TO
MANIPULATE AND LOAD YOUR GUN.

FIREARMS
EXPERT JON RIVERA

WILL DEMONSTRATE HOW QUICKLY

HE CAN FIRE SIX SHOTS
WITH THE COLT WALKER.

THIS IS CONSIDERED
CAVALRY-STYLE

WITH THE BUTTS FORWARD

BECAUSE IF YOU'RE RIDING A HORSE

AND YOU NEED TO GET
OUT YOUR FIREARM,

IT'S EASIER TO CROSS DRAW
AND COME UP TO YOUR TARGET

THAN IT IS BECAUSE
THE BARREL IS SO LONG,

COMING ALL THE WAY UP YOUR
SIDE AND COMING ONTO TARGET.

IT'S PULLED OUT ACROSS
THE BODY, UP, HAMMER BACK,

ACQUIRE THE TARGET, AND FIRE.

SEE THE CAPS FALLING OUT?

ACQUIRE TARGET.

AFTER EVERY SHOT,

JON NEEDS TO RAISE THE WEAPON
UP TO A VERTICAL POSITION

SO THAT THE DETONATORS FALL OUT.

WITH THIS EARLY VERSION, KNOWN
AS A SINGLE-ACTION REVOLVER,

THE SHOOTER HAS TO MANUALLY
COCK THE GUN EVERY TIME.

THIS ROTATES THE BARREL

AND LOCKS IT INTO CORRECT
POSITION FOR THE NEXT SHOT,

BUT THE COMPLEX MECHANISM
IS PRONE TO MALFUNCTIONS.

WE HAD A
MISFIRE ON THIS ONE,

SO I ONLY GOT FOUR
SHOTS OFF ON TARGET.

AND THIS ONE IS A PRIME
EXAMPLE OF WHAT HAPPENS

IF YOU DON'T RAISE
THE GUN AND CLEAR IT.

WHAT HAPPENED IS IT'S FRAGMENTED

AND IF I CONTINUE AND IF IDIDN'T RAISE IT UP AND SHAKE IT,

WATCH, IT'LL JAM DOWN BELOW,

AND NOW MY GUN IS
NO LONGER GOOD.

JON NEEDS
A TOTAL OF 15 SECONDS

TO FIRE FOUR SHOTS.

RELOADING IT WOULD COST
HIM ANOTHER MINUTE.

THEN, THERE ARE
OTHER DISADVANTAGES

FOR SOLDIERS USING IT IN COMBAT.

IT IS RIDICULOUSLY HEAVYAND IF YOU'RE HOLDING IT OUT,

YOU'RE GONNA BE SHAKING.

AND IF YOU'RE RIDING A HORSE,

IT'S GONNA BE HARD TO ACQUIRE
YOUR TARGET AND STAY ON IT.

IT WAS STATE OF THE
ART AT THE TIME.

I MEAN I'LL GLADLY
TAKE SIX SHOTS,

FIVE SHOTS, FOUR
SHOTS OVER SOMEONE

WHO ONLY HAS ONE,
ANY DAY OF THE WEEK.

THE MILITARY
CALLS THE REVOLVER

A SIDE WEAPON, A LAST RESORT
IN CLOSE-COMBAT SITUATIONS.

IT CAN BE EASILY
BEATEN BY A RIFLE

IN TERMS OF RANGE AND PRECISION

BUT IT STILL WAS
FIRED COUNTLESS TIMES

ON CIVIL WAR BATTLEFIELDS.

SO, SAMUEL COLT
SOLD THE FIREARM

TO BOTH THE CONFEDERATE
AND TO THE UNION.

AND ALTHOUGH IT WAS
THE SAME WEAPON,

IT WAS USED DIFFERENTLY.

THE CONFEDERATE, SMALLER,
NOT QUITE AS FUNDED,

WERE GUERRILLA WARFARE.

SO, WHAT THEY WOULD DO IS,

THEY WOULD SNEAK IN THROUGH
THE TREES, THROUGH THE BUSHES,

AND IT WAS EASY
TO CARRY A PISTOL,

WHEREAS A LONG RIFLE
WOULD GET CAUGHT ON SHRUBS

AS YOU WENT THROUGH, OR TREES.

WHEREAS THE UNION,
THIS WAS A CAVALRY GUN.

THEY WOULD CARRY IT
CROSS DRAW, QUICK, AGILE,

THEY COULD GET UP ONTO
THE CONFEDERATE QUICKLY,

AND COME UP ON THE
TARGET AND SHOOT.

SAMUEL COLT
CONTINUED TO DEVELOP HIS WEAPON

AND PUT A POPULAR IDEA
OF THE ERA INTO PRACTICE,

MASS PRODUCTION

USING STANDARDIZED,
INTERCHANGEABLE PARTS.

WITH HIS REVOLVER MODELS,

COLT CONTINUED TO
BUILD UPON HIS LEGEND.

THE 1851 NAVY IS HIS
MOST SUCCESSFUL MODEL,

SELLING 250,000 UNITS.

MANY CONSIDER HIS
1860 ARMY MODEL

TO BE THE BEST OF
THE EARLY REVOLVERS.

AND FINALLY, HIS
SINGLE ACTION ARMY 1873

IS THE FIRST REVOLVER
THAT CAN BE LOADED

WITH COPPER CARTRIDGES,
ALLOWING FOR EVEN MORE SPEED.

BY INTRODUCING
THE CARTRIDGE,

YOU COULD CARRY MULTIPLE
ROUNDS IN YOUR POCKET,

YOU CAN CARRY THEM ON YOUR BELT,

YOU SEE THE OLD COWBOY MOVIES
WITH THE LOOPS IN THE BACK.

YOU COULD LOAD AND COME
UP ON YOUR TARGET FASTER

AND IN DOING SO,
GET OFF YOUR SHOTS.

VERSUS THE OLD ONE, REMEMBER,
WE HAD TO DO THE CAP AND BALL

AND MAKE SURE THE
CAP WOULD FALL OUT.

AND, IF YOU BECAME
PROFICIENT WITH YOUR FIREARM,

YOU CAN ACTUALLY COME UP

AND WITH YOUR OPPOSITE
HAND, GET OFF SIX SHOTS.

THE ULTIMATE
LEGEND OF THE WILD WEST,

AN OUTLAW AND A SHERIFF
FACE OFF IN A DUEL.

THEY BOTH PULL QUICKLY,
SHOOTING FROM THE HIP.

IS IT REALISTIC, OR JUST
A HOLLYWOOD FANTASY?

JON WILL DEMONSTRATE THIS
KIND OF TARGETED HIP SHOT,

IT TAKES A LOT OF TRAINING
TO AIM ACCURATELY.

SO, IF YOU NOTICE I
NEVER BROUGHT THE GUN

UP HIGHER THAN MY HIP, OKAY?

SO, MOTION IS TIME.

IF I'M TAKING THE GUN
AND COMING ALL THE WAY UP

AND COMING ON TARGET
VERSUS A GUNFIGHTER

WHO PRACTICES ENOUGH,

AND CAN HIT FROM THIS,
IT'S NOT A FAIR FIGHT.

SO
WHAT'S THE SECRET?

HOW FAST CAN JON
SHOOT WITH A REVOLVER?

HE USES A MODERN WEAPON
OPTIMIZED FOR COMPETITION,

WE TIME HIM FOR SIX SHOTS.

A SLOW MOTION REPLAY SHOWS

THAT WITH A FLUID
MOVEMENT OF BOTH HANDS,

JON CAN FIRE SHOT
AFTER SHOT IN SECONDS.

THAT'S HOW IT'S DONE.

SO BASICALLY ALL THOSE SHOTS

WERE RIGHT ABOUT WITHIN JUST
OVER A SECOND AND A HALF.

I WOULD SAY THAT'S PRETTY FAST,

I WOULD HATE TO BE DOWNRANGE.

TO COMPARE THE TWO,

IN THE TIME IT TAKES JON
TO FIRE JUST ONE SHOT

WITH THE SINGLE
-ACTION COLT WALKER,

HE CAN MANAGE SIX WITH
THE NEWER COLT MODEL.

THE REVOLVER'S LEGENDARY STATUS

BEGAN IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE 19TH CENTURY

WITH SAMUEL COLT'S EARLY MODELS.

WHAT WE GOT
WITH SAMUEL COLT

IS SOMEBODY WHO
SEES AN OPPORTUNITY

TO CREATE SOMETHING
MORE THAN A PRODUCT.

HE'S CREATING, WELL, I
DON'T THINK A REVOLVER

IS A LIFESTYLE,
BUT IT'S CERTAINLY,

IT'S THAT KIND OF
DESIGNER-BRANDED GOOD.

BUT AN OBSESSION
WITH THESE KINDS OF FIREARMS

ALSO KILLS AROUND 15,000 PEOPLE

PER YEAR IN THE UNITED STATES.

FROM A NUMERICAL STANDPOINT,

THERE'S ALMOST ONE GUN
FOR EACH AMERICAN CITIZEN,

THE HIGHEST DENSITY
IN THE WORLD.

AND THE NATIONAL RIFLE
ASSOCIATION, NRA FOR SHORT,

SUPPORTS THIS WHOLEHEARTEDLY.

SINCE THE 1970S,

THE NRA HAS PLAYED A MAJOR
ROLE IN U.S. POLITICS.

THEIR MOST IMPORTANT PRIORITY,

PREVENTING STRICTER
LAWS ON FIREARMS,

EVEN IF BLOODY TRAGEDIES

HAVE BECOME A PART
OF EVERYDAY LIFE.

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING
AT IS A COUNTRY

WHERE THE GUN IS PART
OF CULTURE AND IDENTITY

IN A WAY THAT IT ISN'T
IN OLDER COUNTRIES.

AND THE NATIONAL
RIFLE ASSOCIATION

HAS DEMONSTRATED THAT THERE IS
AN ENORMOUS POLITICAL SUPPORT

FOR RETAINING THE
RIGHT TO KEEP AND BEAR

WHATEVER WEAPONS
YOU'D LIKE TO HAVE.

THESE CAN BE MILITARY-GRADE
ASSAULT RIFLES,

HUNTING RIFLES, ALL
KINDS OF WEAPONS.

THE AMERICANS ARE ESSENTIALLY
IN LOVE WITH WEAPONS.

MASS
SHOOTINGS IN SCHOOLS

HAVE IGNITED DEBATES ABOUT
CONTROLLING FIREARMS,

AS A RESULT, SOME STATES
HAVE CHANGED THEIR LAWS.

BUT THE NUMBER OF ACTS OF
VIOLENCE HAS NOT DECREASED.

SAMUEL COLT'S INVENTION OF
THE REVOLVER ALSO CONTRIBUTES

TO THE UNITED STATES' CURRENT
ISSUES WITH GUN CONTROL.

BY THE 20TH CENTURY, THE
MILITARY REPLACES THE REVOLVER

WITH SEMI-AUTOMATIC
SELF-LOADING PISTOLS.

TODAY, THE REVOLVER
IS PRIMARILY POPULAR

WITH COLLECTORS AND MARKSMEN.

SPEED IS STILL A DECISIVE
FACTOR IN WARFARE.

HOW FAST WILL WEAPONS
OF THE FUTURE BE?

HAVE WE ALREADY REACHED THE
LIMITS OF WHAT'S POSSIBLE?

A U.S. NAVY DESIGN COULD
OPEN UP A NEW CHAPTER

IN THE RACE FOR
HIGH-SPEED WEAPONS,

A LASER GUN THAT CAN
DESTROY A TARGET PRECISELY,

WITHIN MILLISECONDS.

INITIAL TESTS DONE BY NAVY SHIPS

IN THE ARABIAN GULF
HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL.

AN INVISIBLE LASER BEAM
THAT COMES OUT OF NOWHERE

AND STRIKES AT THE
SPEED OF LIGHT.

IS THIS THE FUTURE OF WAR?