The Splitterring (German compound combining ''Splitter'' (splinter or fragment) and ''Ring'' (ring)) was a fragmentation sleeve for the M24 and M43 stick

grenade A grenade is an explosive weapon typically thrown by hand (also called hand grenade), but can also refer to a shell (explosive projectile) shot from the muzzle of a rifle (as a rifle grenade) or a grenade launcher. A modern hand grenade ge ...

s, developed by the '' Heer'' in 1942. German stick grenades had only a thin steel casing surrounding the

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 expl ...

charge, which relied principally on blast for effect; the addition of a ''Splitterring'' gave it greatly increased anti-personnel fragmentation ability. A ''Splitterring'' was also developed for the never issued ''

Panzerfaust The ''Panzerfaust'' (, "armour fist" or "tank fist", plural: ''Panzerfäuste'') was a development family of single-shot man-portable anti-tank systems developed by Nazi Germany during World War II. The weapons were the first single-use light an ...

'' 150 anti-tank weapon late in World War II. Combined with a time delay detonation of the ''

'' 150's projectile, it enabled the weapon to achieve

air burst An air burst or airburst is the detonation of an explosive device such as an anti-personnel artillery shell or a nuclear weapon in the air instead of on contact with the ground or target. The principal military advantage of an air burst over ...

s above troops' positions.''Panzerfaust and Panzerschreck'' by Rottman, Gordon L. Shumate, Johnny, pp. 24.

Background

Concussion grenades are best used in enclosed spaces such as buildings or

bunker A bunker is a defensive military fortification designed to protect people and valued materials from falling bombs, artillery, or other attacks. Bunkers are almost always underground, in contrast to blockhouses which are mostly above ground. T ...

s, which contain the blast for maximum effect; anti-personnel fragmentation grenades are designed to be effective against personnel in the open. The ''Splitterring'' was a simple cylindrical steel sleeve, with either a smooth or serrated surface, clipped in place over the head of a stick grenade with three keepers around the base, and secured with a tension ring. This easy modification allowed a single type of grenade to be manufactured and carried by soldiers, whereas other nations often produced separate types of concussion and anti-personnel grenades. A similar sleeve was fitted as a standard item to the

Soviet The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...

RGD-33 Grenade The Soviet RGD-33 (''Ручная Граната Дьяконова образца 33 года'' >''Ruchnaya Granata Djakonova obraztsa 33 goda'', "Hand Grenade, Dyakonov design, pattern year 93") is an anti-personnel fragmentation stick grenade ...

Sources

{{WWIIGermanInfWeapons Fragmentation grenades Hand grenades of Germany Military equipment introduced from 1940 to 1944