Prayer helps - but eventually David had to pick up the rock to slay Goliath.

Credit: Seth Michael @sethmichael3910

German researcher and slingshot enthusiast Jörg Sprave has since analysed their kinetic energy to make the startling discovery that they would have had the same stopping power as a modern .44 Magnum handgun. https://t.co/mOb9VQ912W? pic.twitter.com/Msqd8n8lxC
— systembuster (@stlsystembuster) December 27, 2022

ANCIENT BULLETS - Roman sling bullets used against Scottish tribes 2,000 years ago were as deadly as a .44 Magnum https://t.co/mOb9VQ912W via @MailOnline
— systembuster (@stlsystembuster) December 27, 2022

Weighing about 1 oz (30 grams), ea of the bullets had been drilled w/ 0.2-inch (5 millimeters) hole, which created a noise as the bullets travelled through the air > buzzing sound compared to an agitated wasp. > phychological warfare https://t.co/LRw6iGNwCr via @MailOnline pic.twitter.com/B1ZNmWto7o
— Scotty (@StLHandyMan) February 1, 2024

Here is size reference examples > 1/5 or .2 inches is so tiny it's smaller than the silver drill bit that's 1/8 inches> drill bits this small break so easily is why I just spent 5 mins finding one for the pictures pic.twitter.com/X6dudfVbQb
— Scotty (@StLHandyMan) February 1, 2024

@HHAspasia i tracked you down and sent email to livescience and a wordpress blog you have at: https://t.co/SdSyTPbnNZ?

how did they drill little holes in them rocks thrown by the slings? pic.twitter.com/vz2dQWuGKo
— Scotty (@StLHandyMan) February 1, 2024

My question is still unanswered at this point: How did they drill holes in rocks before the advent of power tools?

Here are the replies from the Author

these are called sling "stones" because that is the usual name for them but they are actually made (in this case) of cast lead (sometimes they are called "sling bullets.") So I guess they were cast with holes in them.
I don't know what the bit was made from!
The article (which I wrote many years ago) says the holes were "drilled" and I would have reported this based on what the archaeologists at the site think. But it might be difficult to tell for sure.