| Article. | Completed to Nov. 8, 1918. | Completed to Feb. 1, 1919. | Sent overseas. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dummy hand grenade | 415,870 | 415,870 | |
| Practice hand grenade | 3,605,864 | 3,605,864 | |
| Defensive hand grenade | 17,477,245 | 25,312,794 | 516,533 |
| Offensive hand grenade | 5,359,321 | 7,000,000 | 173,136 |
| Gas hand grenade | 635,561 | 1,501,176 | 249,239 |
| Phosphorus hand grenade | 505,192 | 521,948 | 150,600 |
| Thermit hand grenade | |||
| Note.—In above figures all grenades are unloaded with the exception of those sent overseas, which were loaded. | |||
RIFLE GRENADES.
In the construction of our rifle grenades there was another unfortunate experience due to a faulty design. The rifle grenade fits in a holder at the muzzle of an ordinary service rifle. When the rifle is fired the bullet passes through a hole in the middle of the grenade, and the gases of the discharge following the bullet throw the grenade approximately 200 yards. Any man within 75 yards of an exploding rifle grenade is likely to be wounded or killed. The rifle grenade is used both as a defensive and offensive weapon, since the firer is well out of range of the exploding missile.
In developing a rifle grenade for American manufacture our engineers adopted the French Viven-Bessiere type. The French service ammunition is larger than ours, and it was therefore necessary to design our grenade with a smaller hole. But in the anxiety to produce this weapon in the shortest time possible the models were not sufficiently tested, and no consideration was taken of the difference in design between a French bullet and an American bullet. The result was that the French grenade did not function well with our ammunition, due to the splitting of the Springfield bullet as it passed through the grenade. The result was that in May, 1918, several months after the manufacture of this grenade had been in progress, the entire undertaking was canceled pending the development of new designs; and 3,500,000 completed grenades had to be salvaged.
LEFT TO RIGHT—DEFENSIVE HAND GRENADE, OFFENSIVE HAND GRENADE, GAS HAND GRENADE, PHOSPHORUS HAND GRENADE.
THROWING A HAND GRENADE. FIRST OPERATION: WITHDRAWING THE COTTER PIN.
THROWING A HAND GRENADE. SECOND OPERATION: RELEASING THE GRENADE AND FIRING LEVER.