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M67 grenade

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M67
M67 fragmentation grenade
TypeHand grenade
Place of originUnited States
Service history
In service1968–present
Used byUnited States, Canada, Argentina, Turkey, Malaysia, Philippines, Ukraine
WarsVietnam War
Falklands War
Operation Urgent Fury
Operation Just Cause
Persian Gulf War
War in Afghanistan
Iraq War
Operation Inherent Resolve
Russo-Ukrainian War
Production history
DesignedLate 1950s
Unit cost$45 (avg. cost in 2021)
Produced1968–present
Specifications
Mass14 oz (400 g)
Length3.53 in (90 mm)
Diameter2.5 in (64 mm)
FillingComposition B
Filling weight6.5 oz (180 g)
Detonation
mechanism
Pyrotechnic delay M213 fuze (4–5.5 seconds)
M69
M69 training grenades
TypeHand grenade
Place of originUnited States
Service history
In serviceCurrent
Used byUnited States
Specifications
Mass14 oz (400 g)
Length3.53 in (90 mm)
Diameter2.5 in (64 mm)
FillingNone
Detonation
mechanism
Pyrotechnic delay fuze – 4 seconds

The M67 grenade is a fragmentation hand grenade used by the United States military. The M67 is a further development of the M33 grenade, itself a replacement for the M26-series grenades used during the Korean and Vietnam Wars, and the older Mk 2 "pineapple" grenade used since World War I.

Overview

The M67 grenade has a spheroidal steel body that contains 6.5 oz (180 g) of composition B explosive. It uses the M213 pyrotechnic delay fuse. The M67 grenade weighs 14 oz (400 g) in total and has a safety clip to prevent the spoon on the grenade from being triggered in the event the safety pin is accidentally pulled. The safety pin prevents the safety lever, or "spoon" on the grenade from moving and releasing the spring-loaded striker which initiates the grenade's fuze assembly.[1]

The M67 is typically known as a "baseball" grenade because it is shaped like a ball that can be easily thrown.[2] According to the FY2021 US Army Justification, the average cost of a single M67 grenade is around 45 US dollars.[3]

The M67 can be thrown 35 meters (115 ft) from the standing position by the average male soldier.[4] Its fuze delays detonation between 4 and 5 seconds after the spoon is released. Steel fragments are formed by the grenade body fracturing and have an injury radius of 15 meters (49 ft) and a fatality radius of 5 meters (16 ft), though some fragments can travel as far as 230 meters (750 ft).[4]

Variants

M33 fragmentation grenade

The M33 was the original successor to the M26 fragmentation grenade. It was essentially identical to the M67, but lacked the safety clip that is fitted to the safety lever of the M67.

M68 fragmentation grenade

This is a variant of the M67 fitted with the M217 impact fuze and a safety clip on the safety lever. This fuze has an electrical impact function which arms within 1 to 2 seconds and will detonate the grenade upon impact, and a back-up pyrotechnic delay function which will initiate the grenade after 3 to 7 seconds if the impact function fails. The M68 has the same specifications and markings as the M67 except it has a red-painted fuze and lever to indicate it has an impact fuze.

M33A1 and M59 fragmentation grenades

Predecessors to the M68, these impact-fuzed grenades used the M33 grenade body fitted with the M217 impact fuze, without a safety clip on the safety lever, and are marked similarly to the M68.

M69 practice grenade

The M69 grenade is used for grenade training to safely simulate the M67 grenade. The fuze screws into the body, and is replaceable after use. The simulator produces a report and a small puff of white smoke when employed.

The M69 has a blue-painted lever and a blue body with white markings. This is to indicate that it is a safe practice grenade rather than a live fragmentation grenade like the M33 or M67.

Users

See also

References

  1. ^ US Army Technical Manual 43-0001-29 Army Ammunition Data Sheets for Grenades
  2. ^ "The U.S. Army Is Designing Its First New Grenade in 40 Years". 20 September 2016. Archived from the original on 7 February 2023. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
  3. ^ Department of Defense Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 Budget Estimates
  4. ^ a b "TC 3-23.30 Grenades and Pyrotechnic Signals, pg.3-23".
  5. ^ Nick van der Bijl (30 July 1992). Argentine Forces in the Falklands. Osprey Publishing. pp. 41, 43. ISBN 9781855322271.
  6. ^ "F1 GRENADE SAFETY". Department of Defence. 14 September 2007. Archived from the original on 28 July 2012. Retrieved 31 October 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  7. ^ General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems - Canada. "Hand Grenades". Archived from the original on 5 June 2023. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  8. ^ "Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) – Ammunition for the Royal Saudi Land Forces (RSLF) | the Official Home of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency". Archived from the original on 18 January 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  9. ^ Weapons Transfers and Violations of the Laws of War in Turkey. Human Rights Watch. 1995. ISBN 9781564321619. Retrieved 13 March 2014. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  10. ^ "Defence Minister Anand announces additional military support to Ukraine". Government of Canada. 3 March 2022. Archived from the original on 28 May 2023. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
  11. ^ Ukrainian forces are now training to remove landmines with drone-dropped grenades, as seen here at a training range, a Ukrainian quadcopter drops a NATO-standard M67 grenade into a TM-62 anti-vehicle mine, clearing the local area. July 13, 2023
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