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Grenade Cartridges

Grenade Cartridges or launched grenades are specialized large-caliber cartridges, often with an explosive, smoke or gas warhead, designed for use in Grenade launchers. While they tend to be in similar caliber ranges as autocannon ammunition, they differ by role, focus on payload over terminal ballistics and lower velocity. The most common grenade cartridges use the High-Low Propulsion System.

These cartridges are traditionally separated into Low Velocity, for use in hand-held weapons such as the M79, M203, and the multi-shot M32 MGL, and High Velocity, for use in crew-served weapons such as automatic grenade launchers like the Mk 19 grenade launcher. In crew served roles, the rounds are often linked together with a metallic disintegrating link. Other permutations exist such as the smaller caliber, high velocity cartridges used in payload rifles and airburst grenade launchers.

History and Design

History of launched grenades

Project NIBLICK

20mm Grenades

This section describes and lists grenade cartridges which have a bullet in the 20 mm (0.79 in) to 30 mm (1.2 in) caliber range. The term 20mm Grenade will be used for all cartridges in this range.

Weapons in this caliber range have been varying defined as a light 20 mm cannon, grenade launchers, or airburst weapons. It poses a classification problem in that they often do not fit neatly into any one category. On one hand, these calibers are much smaller and have much flatter trajectory than traditional grenade cartridges. On the other, while the caliber and velocity are more similar to light cannon ammunition, they do share traits with other grenade cartridges. For the purpose of this article, it is assumed they are grenade cartridges.

20×28mm

Background

A low-velocity cartridge developed for the XM29 as part of the Objective Individual Combat Weapon project. The 20 mm High Explosive Air Bursting (HEAB) was deemed to not be lethal enough in testing and after the XM29 project was split into the XM8 and XM25, development of the cartridge was abandoned and replaced with 25×40mm as part of the OICW Increment Two program. The 20x28mm grenades achieved a muzzle velocity of 180 m/s (590 ft/s) from the XM29's 460 mm barrel.

20×30mm

Background

The 20×28mm next to its parent weapon, the S&T Daewoo K11

A low-velocity cartridge developed for the S&T Daewoo K11 Dual-barrel Air-burst Weapon. There are two types of 20 mm grenade rounds for the K11; the K168 training round is for practice and has no explosives, while K167 explosive ammunition weighs 100 g (3.5 oz) and has an internal fuse with three selectable settings for point detonation, point detonation-delay, and airburst. The integrated weapon sight programs the airburst warheads after the laser rangefinder sights a target when the launcher is selected (the sight automatically provides aiming points for either bullets or grenades when their firing modes are selected). Point detonation explodes the shell on impact with a target and point detonation-delay lets the warhead penetrate a target before exploding; penetration ability is unknown.

The airburst setting detonates the grenade round in front of, over, or behind a target to hit troops in cover yielding an airburst effect capable of killing targets within a 6 m area and seriously wounding those within an 8 m area. Users enter a range at which the shell is to detonate into the sighting unit, which automatically calculates the time of flight and sets the chambered round's fuse to detonate when it reaches that point. If a round is not fired within two minutes of targeting information being programmed, it will disarm itself. If a grenade does not explode, a backup self-destruct safety mechanism automatically detonates it after being at rest two seconds after impact to leave no unexploded ordnance.

One of the problems with the previous American Objective Individual Combat Weapon, which influenced the combination rifle/airburst launcher concept, was that its 20 mm grenade rounds were not very lethal. The fragments were often too small and light to be effective, there was not enough explosive material to create a large kill radius, and many fragments were dispersed vertically and away from the target. This was one of the reasons the OICW effort was cancelled, and it is not known if these deficiencies were addressed with the K11's airburst grenades of the same size. The 20x30mm grenades achieve a velocity of 200 m/s (660 ft/s) in the K11's 405 mm barrel.

20mm x 42mm

Background

The 20x42 mm cartridge was specifically developed for the Neopup PAW-20 by Denel PMP, decreasing the overall weight and size of the weapon, and enabling it to hold more rounds in the magazine. It has a muzzle velocity of 310 m/s (1,000 ft/s), and a much flatter trajectory than the more common 40mm grenade launcher round. A number of less-than-lethal rounds are also available for the PAW-20.

25×40mm

Background

Armor-piercing ammunition for XM25

A low-velocity round developed for the XM25, and derived from the OCSW 25×59mm round after concerns about the lethality of the smaller 20x28mm cartridge used by the XM25's predecessor, the XM29. These rounds arm after traveling a safe distance. The typical payload is the High Explosive Air Bursting (HEAB) round which depending on mode may explode on impact or explode in mid-air after traveling a certain distance—used to clear entrenched or barricaded positions, however other payloads exist. Each round weighs approximately 0.27 kg (0.60 lb) and achieves a velocity of 690 ft/s (210 m/s) from the XM25's barrel.

Variants

• Thermobaric
• Flechette
• Training
• High-explosive airbursting (HEAB) with 4 firing modes:
  • Airburst (In front of or over aiming point)
  • Point Detonation
  • Point Detonation Delay
  • Window (Beyond aiming point)
• Non-lethal
• Armor Piercing (50 mm armor penetration)
• Door breaching

25×59mm

Background

25 mm rounds for the XM109: XM1050 TP and XM1049 HEDP

A high-velocity round developed for the OCSW, later known as the XM307 ACSW and further developed for the Barrett XM109 payload rifle. These rounds arm after traveling a safe distance. The typical payload is the High Explosive Air Bursting (HEAB) round which depending on mode may explode on impact or explode in mid-air after traveling a certain distance—used to clear entrenched or barricaded positions, however other payloads exist.

Variants

• High-explosive Airbursting (HEAB)
• XM1049 HEDP
• Armor-Piercing (AP)
• Training (TP, TP-S) including the XM1050 TP

QTS-11 20mm Grenade

Background

The Chinese QTS-11 combination weapon uses a grenade with a caliber of 20mm but its dimensions and designation are unknown. These grenades are reportedly capable of a 7.7 m (25 ft) damage radius with 220m/s muzzle velocity.

Variants

• Impact detonation
• Airburst
• Armor-piercing
• Improved fragmentation
• Shotgun or Canister Shot style

30mm Grenades

This section describes and lists grenade cartridges which have a bullet in the 30 mm (1.2 in) to 40 mm (1.6 in) caliber range. The term 30mm Grenade will be used for all cartridges in this range.

35×32 mm grenade

QLZ-87 grenade launcher

30×29mm grenade

Used in AGS-17 and AGS-30 and RGSh-30 The AGS-17 fires 30×29 caliber (belted) cartridges with a steel cartridge case.[8] Two types of ammunition are commonly fired from the AGS-17. The VOG-17M is the version of the original 30 mm grenade ammunition, which is currently available and has a basic high explosive fragmentation warhead. The VOG-30 is similar, but contains a better explosive filling and an enhanced fragmentation design that greatly increases the effective blast radius. New improved VOG-30D grenade was taken into service in 2013 for use with AGS-17 and AGS-30 grenade launchers.[9][10]

Variants

The Bulgarian weapons manufacturer Arcus produces AR-ROG hand grenades based on VOG-17 cartridges and UZRGM (Russian: УЗРГМ), which is also a Soviet design of fuse.[11]

   VOG-17M (HE)
   IO-30 (HE)
   IO-30TP (Practice)
   VOG-30 (HE)
   VOG-30D (HE)
   VUS-30 (Smoke)

The AGS-30 is fed from special belt drums that hold 30 linked rounds.[13] Loaded belt drum weights about 14 kg. Interestingly, spade grips are installed on a gun cradle integral to the tripod, instead of to the gun body; the trigger is located on the right spade grip, making firing more controlled and comfortable. The AGS-30 can only fire in full automatic modes. Standard sighting equipment is a 2.7X magnification PAG-17 optical sight.

AGS-30 uses standard VOG-17M, enhanced fragmentation VOG-30, VOG-30D[14] and extented range GPD-30 grenades.[15][16][17]

   VOG-17M (HE)
   IO-30 (HE)
   IO-30TP (Practice)
   VOG-30 (HE)
   VOG-30D (HE)
   VUS-30 (Smoke)
   GPD-30 (HE)

40mm Grenades

This section describes and lists grenade cartridges which have a bullet in the 40 mm (1.6 in) to 50 mm (2.0 in) caliber range. The term 40mm Grenade will be used for all cartridges in this range.

40mm Caseless

Used by Russian GP-25 Kostyor ('Bonfire'), GP-30 Obuvka ('Shoe') and GP-34 UBGLs, RGM-40 Kastet

Rounds for the muzzle-loaded GP-25 consist of a single piece containing both propellant and warhead, unlike the more traditional two piece casing-and-projectile design of the comparable American 40x46mm round used in breech-loaded grenade launchers, such as the M203. Fuse arming range: 10–40 m (33–130 ft) Fuse self-destruction time: 14–19 s

Variants

Designation	Type	Weight	Payload	Velocity	Description
VOG-15 (7P17)	Fragmentation			Low Velocity	Obsolete, replaced with VOG-25
VOG-25	Fragmentation	250 g	48 g of A-IX-1 explosive.	Low Velocity	Lethal Radius: 6m, Round Length: 102.6mm
VOG-25P	Fragmentation, Bouncing	278 g	37 g of TNT	Low Velocity	Bounces on impact up to between 0.5 and 1.5 m. Lethal Radius: 6m
VOG-M	Fragmentation			Low Velocity	Modernized VOG-25, 1.5x effectiveness
VOG-PM	Fragmentation, Bouncing			Low Velocity	Modernized VOG-25P, 1.5x effectiveness
GRD-40	Smoke			Low Velocity	Obsolete, replaced with GRD-50, GRD-100 and GRD-200
GRD-50	Smoke	265 g	90 g	Low Velocity	50m range, 20m2 coverage, 1 minute duration in winds of up to 5m/s.
GRD-100	Smoke	265 g	90 g	Low Velocity	100m range, 20m2 coverage, 1 minute duration in winds of up to 5m/s.
GRD-200	Smoke	265 g	90 g	Low Velocity	200m range, 20m2 coverage, 1 minute duration in winds of up to 5m/s.
Gvozd ("Nail")	CS gas			Low Velocity
7P39	Fragmentation			High Velocity	Used in the AGS-40 Balkan

40×56mm

Used by the Howa Type 96

43x30mm

Developed for the GM-94 pump action grenade launcher, the 43x30mm grenade is designed for close engagments, with a minimum safe distance of only 10m.

Variants

• High explosive
• Fragmentation
• Thermobarics such as the VGM-93 introduced in June 2005.
• Smoke
• Tear gas
• Rubber slugs
• Less-lethal payloads.

Other 40mm Grenades

Metal Storm

Other

RGS-50M's grenades

used in the RGS-50M less lethal launcher

Variants

• GS-50 tear gas
• GSZ-50 flashbang
• EG-5Q shock-effect rubber baton round
• EG-50M shock-effect rubber pellets buckshot
• GO-SO lethal fragmentation grenade
• GK-50 lethal shaped-charge grenade
• GV-5Q door-buster
• GD-50 instantaneous smoke screen
• BK-50 glass-breaking
• GS-50M improved tear gas grenade
• GS-50PM training grenade