Lets see historical Scottish weaponing...........

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Technological historian Conrad Schreier published any number of articles on firearms in the 1970s and 80s, many of them in GUNS & AMMO magazine. According to him the gun was originally invented by the Chinese as a signaling device. Although a gun was expensive to produce and fire, the sound of exploding gun powder carried farther than the sound of a bell, drum, or trumpet. While these early signal guns performed their task quite well, they were not immediately adapted to the role of launching a projectile. This didn't happen until the Chinese had made sufficient advances in the technology of casting bronze and were able to produce guns that could withstand the pressures generated by firing a projectile without exploding.

Probably the most famous gun in Scotland is "Mons Meg", which dates from the 15th century (most likely 1449), and may be seen at Edinburgh Castle. The gun was last fired at midnight December 31/1 January, 2009/2010 during the Hogmanay celebrations. (Just to keep things on topic.)