*German, WW2, c1942, K98 Anti-Personnel Rifle Grenade – Gewehr-Sprenggranate, Inert*
Approx Measurements: 14.2cm total length, 13.3 to driving band. 2.8cm diameter
Inside marked: jmh, 3 7, K 1378
Plastic cap.
This is the German Gewehrgranatgerät, “rifle grenade equipment” developed for the K98k (Karabiner 98 kurz, “Short Carbine Model 98”), the main battle rifle of the German Wehrmacht (German Defence Force) during WWII. The first Gewehrsprenggranate version (Feb. 1942), was a configurable (hand or rifle) grenade with a self-destruct feature.
Its steel body, painted brown, includes a bakelite fuse and screw-off bakelite. This has two characteristic spanner wrench indentations in the sides of the nose. Inside, the maker code “jmh” signifies Keinrich Kopp, Inh. Theodor Simoneit, located in Sonneberg, Thüringen. This company, typically manufacturing electrical equipment, was tasked with producing fuzes during the war.
Propelled by a blank cartridge from a Gewehrgranatengerät or Schießbecher (“shooting cup”) on a standard service rifle, the German launcher had a short rifled barrel with a caliber of 30mm, engaging the grenade housing’s rifling ridges for spin and a regular trajectory. The grenade, filled with PETN, includes a rifled driving band, nose impact fuze, friction igniter, and time fuze. While the fuze and base assemblies are detachable, they screw into the grenade’s nose and base. Upon firing, the flash from the blank cartridge activates a friction igniter and time fuze through a hole in the grenade’s base. It detonates upon impact, after 4.5 seconds via the friction igniter, or after an additional 6.5 seconds via the time fuze, totaling 11 seconds.
There were three models of the Gewehrsprenggranate. The first version, introduced in February 1942, could be used as either a hand grenade or a rifle grenade and had a self-destruct function. When used as a hand grenade, the base could be unscrewed to reveal a pull ball attached to a time delay fuze (lasting 5-7 seconds). The second version, designed for use as a rifle grenade, included a flash pellet in the Bakelite base ignited during launch through a small flame port in the bottom screw plug. This ignited the delay fuze, acting as a self-destruct mechanism. The third variant did away with the self-destruct feature but kept the hand grenade function. Unscrewing the base exposed a smaller Bakelite pull connected to the delay lanyard. In this version, the base was fixed and solid.
*Condition*
Good used condition. Base can be unscrewed. Please see photographs as part of the condition report.
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