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unknown handgrenade fragmentation body

orpheus72

orpheus72

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
Does anybody have an idea what grenade used this fragmentation sleeve ?

It's most likely Spanish origin, as it exists in the typical 3 Spanish colors: Olive (plastic with embedded steel balls), Orange and blue (both made out pure plastic).

Diameter is 56mm and is 71,50mm high.
The upper side has an inside thread of 39,5mm

There are no markings at all.

Thanks.
 

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I can't help with the identification, but is it odd that I really like the colors used? They're unorthodox and not what you would normally expect...

Thank you for sharing this, hope you get some help!
 
cmack said:
I can't help with the identification, but is it odd that I really like the colors used? They're unorthodox and not what you would normally expect...

Thank you for sharing this, hope you get some help!
Click to expand...

Unorthodox colors ?

Olive green (high explosive grenade), and Blue (Practice grenade) are NATO standard colors ! Just the bright orange color for the 'Drill grenade' is typical Spanish.
 
They look very much like DM51, but they are not the same. The ribs of the DM51 body are more "aggressive" and less rounded. I thought Expal MB-8, but that doesn't fit either.
 
I should clarify... I certainly meant no disrespect. It's "unorthodox" from what someone like me (US-based, with limited knowledge of ordinance) would initially picture for an grenade body. I'm accustomed to the olive green/metallic colors of the US pineapples and occasionally a blue color for the practice round. I'd never seen an orange frag body like that before.

Anyway, back to lurking before I really show my lack of knowledge any further. :)
 
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Cmack. Ask as many questions as you like . It's the only way to learn & I'm sure nobody minds . I've collected & dealt for years & know only about 1% , if that !
 
I confirm sleeves are experimental grenade join Spanish, tested in the army test center.
Saludos
 
Thanks to further research by our Spanish friend Hasag, the mystery of the unknown grenade bodies has been solved !

It appears to be an experimental handgrenade, manufactured by "Empresa Nacional Santa Barbara de Industrias Militares S.A." and was designated SB-M474

I do not have any printed resources, but this is what he found on a Spanish forum:


SB-M474, Fragmentation Grenade with pyrotechnical delay.


Length: 94mm
Diameter: 64mm
Weight: 350g
Loading: 90g (unknown composition)
Material: Body from ABS plastic, embedded with 2000 hardened steel balls (diameter 2,2mm)
Primary Delay time : 2.5s
Secondary Delay time : 4.5s
Kill-radius: 8m
Safety radius: 20m


The special safety feature of the grenade is the split delay train, wich insures that the delay train is interrupted when in transport-position (secured by safety pin), and so no accidental detonation can occur.
The alignment of both parts of the delay-train happens only when the safety pin is removed, the striker moved and the primary delay train is ignited.
 

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Hi, some more info, that model is not the M-474, its a variant called M-474 A-1. The two grenades are very similar but the main differences between this models are: M474 is quite bigger, its an offensive-defensive grenade, and the fuze dont have the pin that hold the ring. The model M474 A-1 is smaller and its ONLY A DEFENSIVE GRENADE, those bodies are the grenade body, they are not a suplementary fragmentation body. And yes, they where experimental grenades made by Santa Barbara.
 
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