Grenade?

[Johnny P]

Anyone have information on this? Appears to be a rifle grenade. The rod is just shy of 9 1/2 inches long.

http://i48.tinypic.com/2vnrv40.jpg

[John Sukey]

Grenade.303 inch, short rifle No3 MkII (Hales Grenade) Patented in 1911 but issued in 1914.
Point detonating.

Note that the sliding sleeve is in the ready position, Normaly it would be slid forward and safety pinned preventing the wheel being turned by the wind to arm the grenade.

There should be a knurled brass knob at the top which is unscrewed to insert the firing pin.

[Johnny P]

Thanks for the information. There is nothing on the top, so missing that piece.

[Mk VII]

What is the rod dia. (in thou) ?

[Johnny P]

The rod has some scale rust on it, but in the cleanest part I could find it measures .300/.301

[Mk VII]

Anybody else got any rodded ones they can measure?

[John Sukey]

Same on myNo.22 Newton "pippin" grenade, .301 and the rod is NOT rusty. There is a copper button on the end of the rod.

Just an add, the rods came in different lengths which adjusted the range.

The rodded Mills grenade was the No. 23.

Now there is an Australian book on the subject published in 2001

GRENADE
British and Commonwealth Hand and Rifle Grenades by Rick Landers
It covers EVERYTHING up to the current L85
that includes the launchers and the cartridges.