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German Hand & Rifle Grenades
Bulletin No. 59, March 7, 1944
[DISCLAIMER: The following text is taken from a U.S. wartime publication on enemy ordnance. As with all wartime material, the text may be incomplete or inaccurate. No attempt has been made to update or correct the original contents. Any views or opinions expressed do not necessarily represent those of the website.]


Hollow Charge Grenade
Schuss Gg. P-40

Data

Overall length       9.3 inches.
Maximum diameter2.4 inches.
ColorOlive green.
MarkingsBlue band round projection at the base of body.
Length of body3.1 inches.
FillerCyclonite/Wax

Description

The grenade consists of a streamlined bell-shaped body, with a slightly convex closing disc of aluminum, a graze fuze which screws into a projection on the base of the body, and a vaned tail unit which screws on the base of the fuze and is closed by a rubber plug.

The body is made of thin steel and is streamlined with a cylindrical projection welded at the base. The projection is screw-threaded internally for the insertion of the fuze. A hole in the base of the body is fitted with an aluminum cup to accommodate the protruding magazine of the fuze. The head of the body is closed by a concave disc of aluminum which is secured by the overturned rim of the body.

The bursting charge consists of cast cyclonite-wax with a hemispherical cavity in the head. The cavity is fitted with an aluminum liner of corresponding shape with a flange which fits inside the body at the head.

The fuze is cylindrical with an external screw-thread at each end for assembly as the connecting piece between the tail unit and the body. A central recess contains the striker and creep spring and is closed at its enlarged front end by an aluminum magazine which is screwed in and contains a detonator and an intermediary explosive. A transverse channel near the base contains a spring-loaded screwed shearing pin which engages in a recess in the stem of the striker. Another channel containing a cutting pin with spring, is bored from the base of the body and communicates with the shearing pin at a point where the shearing pin is reduced in diameter. A circular plate, secured in a recess in the base of the body by two screws, retains the cutting pin in its channel. The base end of the cutting pin passes through a hole in the circular plate and is thus exposed to the pressure of the propellant gases.

The tail units screws on to the base of the fuze and consists of a drawn-steel tube with six vanes formed in pairs. The cartridge is placed inside the tube for transport and the tube is closed at the base by a rubber plug.

The cartridge is of the 7.92 mm small arm type with an undyed hollow wooden bullet.

Operation

The grenade is fired from the spigot type discharger. On firing the hollow wooden bullet is shattered by the propellent gases, which project the grenade. The propelling gases overcome the spring of the cutting pin and drive the pin forward, causing it to cut the shearing pin away from its screwed end. The sheering pin is then ejected by the spring held in compression under its head, and thus leaves the striker held off the detonator only by the creep spring. On graze the momentum of the striker overcomes the creep spring and the detonator is pierced.

[Hollow Charge Grenade: Schuss Gg. P. 40]

 


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