Grenade

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Historically, a grenade was a small explosive charge that could be thrown by hand. The hand grenade still exists but has evolved, but there are also a number of grenades fired by specialized launchers.

The most common filler for a grenade is explosive, sometimes broken into "offensive grenades" that do not scatter metal fragments, and the more common "defensive grenade" (or grenade without qualifier) that has a blast and fragmentation effect. Other fillers include colored smoke for signaling, white phosphorus for incendiary and screening smoke effect, thermite for incendiary effect, illumination, and tear gas.

Hand grenade[edit]

Once past the early stages, there was considerable differentiation of grenade types and designs among nations. For example, the U.S. Army's general-purpose grenades increasingly were shaped more and more like a baseball, assuming that many soldiers could throw that shape accurately. Countries that do not have a sport like baseball often used a "potato masher" type with a cylindrical explosive charge with a concentric, throwing handle, which could get more distance than a ball-shaped grenade.

The fuze of a typical grenade consists of a safety ring, a spring-loaded "spoon", a fuse igniter, and a fuse that leads to the detonator. When the safety ring is pulled, the spoon is free to move, although the user can delay the triggering by holding it down -- this is also common in improvised explosive devices/boobytraps, where the trip wire or other activating mechanism releases pressure on the spoon.

When the spoon is freed, its spring drives an igniter, much like an ordinary match -- creating fire by friction on a sensitized chemical mixture. The flame moves to a pyrotechnic fuse, which gives the delay before explosion, when the flame front reaches the primary explosive detonator and the detonator sets off the main charge. Especially in Soviet-bloc grenades, the fuse may be interchangeable to provide different delays -- effectively zero for improvised explosive devices/boobytraps, 3-5 seconds for general infantry use, 7-12 seconds for long range.

Some grenades, such as thermite used principally to destroy equipment, do not have a time delay as they are not thrown.

Historic[edit]

World War I[edit]

World War II[edit]

Modern[edit]

In addition to grenades intended for combat, the "flash-bang" is used for police hostage rescues, military special operations, etc. It disorients with an extremely bright light and loud noise, but rarely does more damage than a broken eardrum. The user can wear eye and ear protection.

Grenade launchers[edit]

Grenades can be mechanically launched as well as hand-thrown. One characteristic of a grenade launcher is that it propels the grenade at speeds considerably lower than that of a bullet. In some respects, this is an advantage, as it offers the opportunity to develop large, slow, nonlethal grenades, which act by kinetic energy of the entire round (i.e., a "beanbag") or of submunitions such as rubber balls.

Rifle grenade[edit]

Essentially obsolete by mid-1950, rifle grenades are launched from standard infantry rifles, using a blank cartridge as a gas generator, and a grenade launcher that attaches to the muzzle of the rifle.

Dedicated grenade launchers; individual weapons[edit]

The U.S. and many other countries use variants of 40mm grenades, fired from:

M79[edit]

The M79 grenade launcher is carried much like a large shotgun or tear gas gun, the M79 breaks open at the breech to accept a single grenade. In addition to blast/fragmentation, smoke, white phosphorus, and illumination, it accepts a flechette round made up of a bundle of darts for short-range antipersonel work. The other grenades must fly a minimum distance before they arm.

M203[edit]

A major disadvantage of the M79 is that its user either must also carry a rifle, or be restricted to a specialized single-shot weapon. The M203 grenade launcher is a single-shot launcher attachment for the M16 rifle or M4 carbine; they mount under the barrel and fire the same 40mm grenade as the M79.

M320[edit]

There were disadvantages to the M203, including its single-shot limitation, the need for a specific mount, and a limitation on grenade dimensions. The newer M320 grenade launcher mounts to a multiple-weapon Picatinny rail, loads from the side rather than the bottom allowing for other grenade lengths, and can be adapted to be an independently carried weapon.

Dedicated grenade launchers; crew-served or aircraft[edit]

Mark 19[edit]

The MK 19 40mm automatic grenade launcher is s belt-fed full-automatic automatic grenade launcher, with versions that can be fired from a tripod, from a mount on a HMMWV or other vehicle, on river patrol boats, and helicopters.

Rocket propelled grenade[edit]

A hybrid weapon, generally called a rocket propelled grenade, is typified by the German Panzerfaust or Soviet RPG-7. These have a large warhead, really too large to be thrown by hand, that protrudes from the muzzle of a rocket launcher. The grenade is similar to early anti-tank grenades, in that it is a Munroe-effect shaped charge optimized for armor penetration. They have a range of a few hundred meters.

These weapons are inexpensive and extremely common. They can also be used against ground targets and, with some modifications, helicopters.