Rifle Grenade
The Mills bomb was developed into a rifle-grenade by simply attaching a metallic rod to the base. This rod-type rifle-grenade has an effective range of about 150 yards.
If the soldier did not immediately launch the grenade, it would time-out and explode. It was also found that the repeated launching of grenades by this method caused damage to a rifle’s barrel. This led to the development of a cup-type launcher to replace the rod-type rifle-grenade. This soup-can shaped launcher attached to a rifle's muzzle. The cup-type launcher could launch a Mills bomb with a special gas check disk screwed to the base to about 200 yards. This arrangement also gave the soldier enough time to accurately launch the grenade. Lee-Enfield rifles equipped with the cup launcher were modified with copper wire wrapped around the stock, to prevent the wood from cracking under the increased recoil.
If necessary both the rod and the gas check grenade can be thrown as a standard hand-grenade.
Read more about this topic: Mills Bomb
Famous quotes containing the words rifle and/or grenade:
“At Hayes’ General Store, west of the cemetery, hangs an old army rifle, used by a discouraged Civil War veteran to end his earthly troubles. The grocer took the rifle as payment ‘on account.’”
—Administration for the State of Con, U.S. public relief program (1935-1943)
“Good manners, Madam, are had these days not
For your asking, nor mine, nor what-we-used-to-be’s.
The day is a loud grenade that bursts a smile
Of serious weeds in a comic lily plot....”
—Allen Tate (1899–1979)