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Subject: Hole-and-twine grenade?
jastayme3    9/27/2007 12:35:16 AM
Suppose grenades were issued with a ring attached to them and a coil of twine or rope thin enough to be cut with a knife. This would be threaded through the ring. This would serve two goals. It can be used like a sling or bolo giving the range of a stick grenade without the encumberance. As a bonus several grenades can be strung together to make an ad-hoc satchel charge. Perhaps even combinations(a bundle containing a WP an HE and a frag for instance). Or single type bundles. But it is an interesting option.
 
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tenX    Slings   9/28/2007 7:07:24 PM
Anybody been watching Ken Burn's "The War" on PBS?  In the first episode there was a very brief clip of someone throwing a grenade with a sling.  They looked like Spanish civil war Republicans (Berets, scarves, etc).  I can imagine them slinging grenades with a Hai Lai racket...

TenX
 
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Horsesoldier       9/28/2007 9:39:41 PM
I'm not sure if the possibilities bring anything to the table that are not already provided by hand grenades on one hand and the 40mm grenade launcher on the other.  I don't know if the extra range of the grenade-bolo idea would compenate for the open space required to use it and the need to be up and clear of cover to swing the thing.
 
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jastayme3       11/22/2007 10:24:52 PM
I recently read about "explosive cutting tape" in the 2003 "How to Make War", but don't know much about it. Could one make an ad-hoc grenade with a wad of it?
 
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andyf       11/28/2007 5:41:56 PM
im liking the idea of a foam explosive.
liquefy tnt (88 c) foam it with a hydrocarbon gas possibly, practical?
 
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jastayme3       5/15/2008 12:59:10 PM
I never thought of it before but who do grenades have to be metal anyway? They only need enough weight to carry. They can
be simply cloth-tiny satchel charges. And a frag can be made simply by putting chunks of metal or even stone in.
And why not optimize the shape for packing efficiency? The traditional oval shape is good aerodynamically but grenades are seldom thrown very far. I suppose an RPG would be different in that regard.
 
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jastayme3       5/15/2008 1:02:14 PM

I never thought of it before but who do grenades have to be metal anyway? They only need enough weight to carry. They can
be simply cloth-tiny satchel charges. And a frag can be made simply by putting chunks of metal or even stone in.
And why not optimize the shape for packing efficiency? The traditional oval shape is good aerodynamically but grenades are seldom thrown very far. I suppose an RPG would be different in that regard.

I suppose cloth is ok for a thrown charge. Not for a rpg-it would burn through. Still a lighter weight might do well.
Like I said, it needs only enough weight to keep it from traveling on an erratic path when thrown. And the charge will
probably supply that.
 
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WarNerd       5/16/2008 3:59:33 AM


I never thought of it before but who do grenades have to be metal anyway? They only need enough weight to carry. They can
be simply cloth-tiny satchel charges. And a frag can be made simply by putting chunks of metal or even stone in.
And why not optimize the shape for packing efficiency? The traditional oval shape is good aerodynamically but grenades are seldom thrown very far. I suppose an RPG would be different in that regard.


I suppose cloth is ok for a thrown charge. Not for a rpg-it would burn through. Still a lighter weight might do well.
Like I said, it needs only enough weight to keep it from traveling on an erratic path when thrown. And the charge will
probably supply that.

 
Grenades come in a variety of shapes depending on their roles.  The metal grenades you are referring to are generally fragmentation grenades, sometimes also called 'defensive' grenades because they had a nasty tendency to nail the thrower as well if he was not under cover when they detonated.  There are also concussion grenades, also called offensive grenades, which were used very light cases to produce minimal fragments.

 
Most early designs were based on the tin can for ease of manufacture.  Oval designs came later not for aerodynamic reasons, but to generate a more uniform coverage from fragments.  The latest ones use plastic cases with engineered  fragments embedded in the plastic.  The advantage of this is that the designer has complete control over the fragment size, weight, and distribution and therefore the lethal effect and range. 

Lastly, for your "simply cloth-tiny satchel charges", look up the British "Gammon" grenade or bomb.
 
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WarNerd       5/16/2008 4:03:24 AM
D**n links --  British "Gammon" grenade or bomb.
 
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