what is the most powerful throwing weapon?

Answer 1

Hand grenade is a great answer!! But if you're not looking for a modern weapon certainly go with the javelin.
By itself, without compounding force with a vehicle's momentum or an atlatl, definitely a javelin. It has the perfect balance of mass and momentum (speed of throw) to be the most powerful throwing weapon.

Answer 2

I know not the most powerful, for there may be one stronger than what I know of. It's a Japanese weapon that was once used by Ninjas and Samurai. It's a star-like object that was the inspiration for the training weapon, the star with the suction cups which I know not the name to. The real weapon, however, is called a Shuriken. The razor tips of each star point were deadly and could kill a man quickly. It's a stealth weapon and very effective. The Shuriken would be tossed at the opponant or target, and if it hit, which was most of the time, it could kill. The Shurikens are often small and thin. Many can be kept in a small pouch and taken out for use quickly as a person could draw a gun. Each deadly point was often lathered in dried poison that WOULD kill if the wound did not. I have gathered some images of the Shuriken and provided links here.

http://www1.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/568447/2/istockphoto_568447_shuriken.jpg

http://files.turbosquid.com/Preview/Content_on_5_15_2004_12_49_30/shurikens_08.jpg6dfc6ce0-f84e-4123-a456-00da3ab09684Large.jpg

This is a video on youtube. It shows a monk in a chinese monastary throwing Shurikens at a target. It's actually the introduction to my favorite television show, and the Shurikens are shown near the middle of the video.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=_iaamkUEF_A

Answer 3

There are so many throwing weapons from which to choose.

There are throwing axes, throwing knives, and throwing hatchets.

The famous throwing stars of Ninja fame have their big brothers being used in today's modern Korean Army (think several rail road spikes welded together in the form of a star).

Spears are very powerful throwing weapons, particularly those spears propelled by the Atlatl. A hand held flinging stick.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlatl

The Australian 'boomerang' is a very effective throwing weapon both for hunting and for defense.

Answer 4

This is tough. Throwing weapons...If you hadn't said that I would have said a nuclear IBCM. The best THROWING weapon, however, is the hand grenade. Spreading an explosive punch, plus if it didn't go off in time it would still conk a guy on the head hard enough to leave a bump. I also read Scientific American, and they said the military may be developing nuclear grenades...

-Your Weapons Expert

Answer 5

this depends on what you mean by throwing, there was the medieval trebuchet which was at times used to throw diseased corpses over the walls of a city to start plagues, and were the first form of biological warfare, they also threw pots of burning oil, rocks doused in said oil, bunches of rocks(like medieval grapeshot), and of course the common but oh-so-effective really big rocks.
if you mean hand thrown then it is of course the modern hand grenade, and throwing dynamite is a real 'blast' as well. before the modern era it would have been one of the many versions of the throwing axe, which could case more damage than any other thrown bladed weapon, and the roman pila, which because of its construction could not be thrown back and rendered shields all but useless.
then again there is one that trumps all other weapons of any kind by far. fat man and little boy, the atomic bombs were not simply dropped out of the B-29's they were thrown(the actual areal manuever is called 'tossing' a bomb) because if they had simply been dropped they would have taken out the plane dropping them as well as the city, so they were thrown to give the plane a chance to escape, so as you can see there are several popular answers to this question depending on your definition of throwing.

Answer 6

Anything that uses mechanical advantage with some device-

Such as spinning a sling for hurling small stones, which have enough power to double normal throwing range and enough power to kill humans or even wild animals.

balls on chains, like olympic hammer throwers use.

Spear throwers like woomera's and atlatls.

The most powerful of the lot is said to be the woomera of the Australian Aborigine. Its a long flat piece of wood that the spear notches into, effectively increasing the length and leverage of the arm, and it doubles the spear's range.

This a lot more powerful than a thrown spear from a chariot and anything else anyone can throw from a bare arm.

Answer 7

Words
have been known to do the most damage and move the most people. This is amazing in that there is no solid object, yet it can do serious harm. You can strike an enemy far away, and even one that is being sheltered by others.
It was found so powerful, that we made ways to send them anywhere at anytime. The top names go to school to learn how to put them together in a manner to make them more effective, and in so a specialized weapon. We call them Diplomats, lawyers and scholars And a saying was made as to it's effeciency
A Pen is Mightier than a Sword !

Answer 8

Besides a grenade? Probably a javelin. It was aerodynamically designed to be thrown in an arc over a distance which gave it an added punch from gravity on the way down the end of it's flight. Either that or Batman's Batarang : P

Answer 9

Basically, you want something with a lot of mass that is still capable of being thrown. So yes, as others have said, a spear is good, particularly with the aid of an atlatl.

Another candidate would be the African Hunga-Munga or the European hurlbat, pictured here:

http://www.dawnofmagic.net/images/hungamunga.jpg

and here, respectively:

http://www.spartakus.pl/images/axes/AX002.jpg

These wouldn't have the penetrating power of a spear, but they would still mess a target up. Plus they would cover more lateral area and possibly take even less skill to throw.

Happy hurling!

Answer 10

A shuriken. Not so much the power coming from the weapon itself but that it distracted you so you could then be cleaved in half by a razor sharp katana.

The most powerful weapon is the weapon of distraction.