Kugelhandgranate
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| Kugelhandgranate | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | Fragmentation hand grenade |
| Place of origin | German Empire |
| Service history | |
| Wars | World War I |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 1 kg (2.2 lb) |
| Diameter | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Effective firing range | 20 m (66 ft) |
| Filling | Mixture of black powder, barium nitrate, and potassium perchlorate |
| Filling weight | 45 g (1.6 oz) |
Detonation mechanism | Friction wire & delayed fuse |
The Kugelhandgranate ('ball hand grenade') is a model of hand thrown fragmentation grenade manufactured in Germany, also known as Mod. 1913.
M1915 Kugelhandgranate NA
[edit]By 1915, German industry was preparing for a long war and resources were already becoming stretched, making it beneficial from both an economic and manufacturing point of view to design a replacement for the Kugelhandgranate Mod. 1913. The Kugelhandgranate Mod. 1915 (which was considerably easier to produce) was thus introduced and used from 1915 onward.
Description
[edit]The body of the grenade was cast iron 8 mm (0.31 in) thick, spherical shaped and externally segmented designed to produce between 70 and 80 fragments. A bronze-like stick (which was the igniter) was introduced to the spherical body. The filling was a mixture of black powder, barium nitrate, and potassium perchlorate, and did not require a detonator. The friction igniter consisted of a bronze body with a central chamber filled with black powder and supplied with a 5 or 7 second delay, the powder train was topped with a priming wire made of brass with a loop at one end and serrated on the other. The serrated portion was coated with a mixture of ground glass, manganese dioxide, and potassium chlorate.
Method of use
[edit]To be used, the friction wire had to be pulled from the igniter, starting the delay train at the last possible moment. To do this, a piece of leather was attached to the igniter with a snap hook; pulling this removed the wire so the grenade could be thrown. A man with average strength could throw this grenade about 15 m (49 ft).
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- Kugelhandgranate at ORDATA
- http://www.inert-ord.net/gerimp/kugels/
- Images and description of Kugelhandgranate 1913 and other grenades
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