Trisha Shetty (Editor)

Kugelhandgranate

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Place of origin
  
German Empire

Diameter
  
80 mm

Weight
  
1 kg

Effective firing range
  
20 m

Type
  
Fragmentation hand grenade

Filling
  
Mixture of black powder, barium nitrate, and potassium perchlorate

The Kugelhandgranate ("ball hand grenade") is the name given to a model of a hand thrown fragmentation grenade manufactured in Germany also known as Mod. 1913.

Contents

Description

The body of the grenade is cast iron 8 mm thick, spherical shaped and externally segmented designed to produce between 70 and 80 fragments, a bronze-like stick (which is the igniter) is introduced to the spherical body. The filling was a mixture of black powder, barium nitrate, and potassium perchlorate, and does not require a detonator. The friction igniter consist 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

To be used, the friction wire must be pulled from the igniter, starting the delay train at the last possible moment. To be done, a piece of leather was attached to the igniter with a snap hook, pulling this will remove the wire so the grenade can be thrown. A man with average strength could throw this grenade about 15 m.

References

Kugelhandgranate Wikipedia