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image:grenade_m24pm.png recopoker.com stick grenade The Model 24 Stielhandgranate was the standard hand grenade of the German Army from the end of World War I until the end of World War II. The very distinctive appearance led to it being called the stick grenade, or "Potato masher" in British trench language. The illustration on the right is an impression of the familiar M24 stick grenade as used in WW2 .The stick grenade was introduced recopoker.com in 1915 and the design developed throughout WW1, with improved models being introduced in 1915, 1916, and 1917. A friction igniter was used - uncommon in other countries but widely used

for German grenades. The handle was hollow and a pull cord ran from the detonator within the explosive head down through the handle to terminate in A porcelain ball in the base closing cap. For operation the base cap was unscrewed, the ball and string fell out, and pulling the string dragged a roughened steel rod through the ignitor causing it to flare-up recopoker.com and start the ten second fuse burning. The first stick grenades featured a permanently

revealed pull cord which came out recopoker.com from the handle near the bottom , and the tendency of this to snag and spontaneously ignite caused inevitable accidents. Stick grenades were stored in cases for transport, and their fuze assemblies inserted prior to use, as reminded on the stenciled instruction on their head . soldiers in the field usually carried a one or two tucked in their belts, and paratroops often stored them in special carrying bags on their chest.This type of grenade, recopoker.com featuring a high explosive charge encased in a thin sheet steel can is an example of an offensive , rather

than defensive grenade. a fragmentation sleeve was adopted which could be slid over the head of the grenade and whose serrated body would be scattered on detonation, making it of more use against personnel. The stick allowed the thrower to achieve a longer throwing range than other grenades.Though they were virtually ineffective against armoured vehicles, they were extremely useful for clearing out entrenched infantry positions. Against armour the grenade could be used in an improvised recopoker.com bundle style with a number of unscrewed warheads taped around a central grenade .The grenade went through numerous

variants, ten versions being deployed in WW I before a settled design emerged in 1917. Into WW II the grenade had a slightly smaller head and the un-needed belt clip was removed. Two casing sleeves were also issued, a smooth and a square-grooved fragmentation sleeve. recopoker.com Each change was essentially a move towards a lighter device which was easier and less costly to manufacture. The final war-time variant was the Model 43, in which the handle was solid with the

fuze mounted at the recopoker.com top of the warhead, allowing for the head to be used as a grenade in its own right dismounted from the stick. Other than the common high recopoker.com explosive stick grenade, germany produced a screening smoke version. The idea of a grenade mounted on a stick was also recopoker.com used in the Far East by the Japanese in WW2, then the Chinese, who supplied

the Chicom manufactured type 67 to the Vietcong and Peoples_Army_of_Vietnam German stick grenades made desirable souvenirs for Allied soldiers in WW2, and originals are still much sought after by collectors. There is a market in replicas also, with examples of these being of varied quality and accuracy.See also of Axis firearms of WW2GrenadesWorld War II German infantry weaponsWorld_War_I_infantry recopoker.com weaponspl:Stielhandgranate