The Model 1914 grenade () is a Russian stick concussion grenade ( fragmentation grenade via an optional jacket) that was used during

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

and

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

Operation

The M1914 is a time-delayed grenade. To activate it, the user must hold the grenade with the safety pin between two fingers, move the safety catch so that it is away from the hammer's front, then throw it. The safety pin is released as soon as the grenade is thrown.

History

Origins

The M1914 is a heavily modified Model 1912 grenade. The head of the grenade went from a box to a cylinder, the wooden handle was removed in favor of a welded sheet of metal and the belt hook was removed.

World War I

The M1914 was one of the few grenades used in the conflict that was in service before the war started. It was used throughout the war, along with the Stender grenade, by Russian forces until Russia withdrew from the conflict on March 8, 1918.

Inter-war

In 1930, the M1914 was modified to use a different

explosive An explosive (or explosive material) is a reactive substance that contains a great amount of potential energy that can produce an explosion if released suddenly, usually accompanied by the production of light, heat, sound, and pressure. An ex ...

, TNT. TNT was a common explosive in Soviet grenades at the time, as seen in grenades such as the F-1 grenade and RGD-33 grenade.

World War II

The M1914/30 also saw use in

, but it was eventually replaced by the RGD-33 grenade as the

Red Army The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Republic and, from 1922, the Soviet Union. The army was established in January 1918 by a decree of the Council of People ...

's primary stick grenade. The Axis forces used captured M1914/30 grenades, which they classified as the HG 336(r), or ''Handgranate 336'' (''russische'').

Post-World War II

After World War II, the M1914 was completely retired in favor of other designs, such as the RGD-5 grenade. However, inert versions of the M1914 were used for training up until the 1980s.

Variants

M1914/30

The M1914/30 is a variant of the M1914 that uses TNT instead of picric acid. Otherwise, it is exactly the same as the M1914.

M1917 Chemical

The M1917 is a modified and larger M1914 that expels chemical gas when it bursts. The primary chemical agent in this grenade is 500 g of chloropicrin, which is an irritant and choking agent. The M1917 can be told apart from the M1914 because it is larger than the M1914 and has a skull and crossbones on it with the Russian word for chemical underneath the image.

Fragmentation Sleeve

The M1914 has an optional fragmentation sleeve that turns the M1914 into a fragmentation grenade. The sleeve's pattern was later used on the

RGD-33 The Soviet Union, Soviet RGD-33 (''Ручная Граната Дьяконова образца 33 года'' >''Ruchnaya Granata Djakonova obraztsa 33 goda'', "Hand Grenade, Dyakonov design, pattern year 1933") is a dual use (Grenade#High explos ...

grenade's fragmentation sleeve.

References

Sources

* А. А. Благонравов, М. В. Гуревич. Боеприпасы стрелкового вооружения. Патроны, ручные и ружейные гранаты. Их устройство. Ленинград, издание военно-технической академии РККА имени тов. Дзержинского, 1932. - 210 стр.

External links

Pictures of the M1914 and its fragmentation sleeve

{{Use dmy dates, date=June 2017 World War I Russian infantry weapons World War II infantry weapons of the Soviet Union Hand grenades of the Russian Empire Hand grenades of the Soviet Union Concussion grenades ru:РГ-14