Practice Grenade M10A3

[wildcat123]

Picked up this pair today... you can see the blue paint under the green. Fuses are both marked M10A3. I’m not very well versed in these, are these a proper match? Or just stuck together? Era? Thanks in advance.

 

 

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[wildcat123]

 

 

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[Bodes]

I don't believe practice grenades had threaded bottoms....The fuze bodies and spoons are WW2 era...Not sure about the green paint, as it looks fresh and lacking the yellow ring around the body's top....Would say they're training grenades somebody repainted green....Bodes

[Ray42]

Are there any markings on the body? A training grenade wouldn't normally have a threaded body as Bodes pointed out unless it was an early screw bottom ww2 grenade because occasionally those were emptied out and used as trainers. I don't really think it is one of those however because ww2 grenades generally have sharper edges then this grenade.

[Kaptainssurplus]

These are real MK2 practice grenades. They are not the later M21. MK2 practice grenades had offset threaded holes in the bottom, also had various manufacturers so the markings can vary. Later M21 practice grenades where mostly RFX made, not to be confused with the RFX marked cast fakes. The paint is incorrect as they would have been the robin color blue used at that time period, looks like some buddy spray painted them that color as you can see the blue underneath. That color and sheen of green wasn't used by the military. The fuzes are the later M10 series 3, found on grenades used at the end of WW2 and later. These bodies would be early war to mid war I believe.

[917601]

Two issues here. Firstly, I would examine the grenade bodies closely, do they have any markings? C-BB- AA-AF- U- A....are some markings found. Bodies were required to be marked. If none visible, I would wonder about their authenticity. The segments do not look right, however that could mean they were overly sand blasted or wire brushed up at one time. The question about the base threads, plenty of training examples are found with threads. I need to dig out what thread size the plugs were. My curiosity is in the spoon markings. I see the Shamrock ( harder to find spoon) and M10A3 properly inked, my question, are they also engraved? In other words, has the engraving been over stamped in your visible ink markings? They appear to be legit, just curious.My recommendation, chemically strip the paint to bare metal, then examine the metal finish for sanding, wire brushing, or blasting and of course the makers mark.

[wildcat123]

So the blue paint peaking through is not the original paint?

[wildcat123]

No engraving in the spoons. Should they be?

 

Thanks for the input... Im a stranger in a strange land.

[917601]

What Kaptain surplus said about the off center is correct. What concerns me ( I have a few examples) is the neck. The indentations on my examples are sharp, and all go straight up to the fuze, yours seem to stop short , which is why I suspect they have been cleaned up by some method, sanding? Grinding? Also, if you can remove the fuze and take a picture looking down of the threaded hole would answer that question. I will post a few examples later for comparison. I will add, the M10A3 fuze used for EC blank powder fill became " limited standard" in April 1944, it was replaced by the TNT filled grenade with the M6A1C detonator fuze till mid 45 when the new two pronged fuze ( M205 I believe) became the new standard. Official Ordnance records and directives exist explaining those changes.

[917601]

No engraving in the spoons. Should they be?

 

Thanks for the input... Im a stranger in a strange land.

Not necessarily so. A large majority are found engraved M10A2/ over engraved " A3" or inked over the engraving M10A3. Still , some examples found just inked M10A3.No doubts with the spoons, in fact the shamrock marked one is a harder one to,find. Also, when stripping the paint off,( try one section in a groove?) be on the look out to possibly see some yellow paint under the blue, that was the color of frags prior to / including 1942. I suspect yours were the earlier plugged bottom Frags, which were usually yellow, plugs removed, painted blue and used as trainers.

[wildcat123]

Here’s the top of the one that I was able to remove the fuse.

 

 

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[917601]

Necks and threading is good. I can also see the neck indentations clearly in these pictures. Next, you may have to strip the paint to see the body markings. Nothing to lose, all grenade collectors always look for body markings, some are harder to find than others...then you can repaint them in the correct Fed Standard yellow, or OD, or FS blue, all would be correct. Prior to Dec 42 frags were yellow and had base plugs, then they were overpainted/ painted OD, when used as trainers , plugs removed, they were painted FS Blue ( Hobby Lobby has all the correct Fed Standard paints in their modeling paint section. Find the body markings and I will get you the correct FS paint numbers and tips in repainting.

[917601]

Lastly, do a search here on pineapple grenades and you will learn much. There is ALOT more to grenade collecting than most realize.....also forgot to say the pins are installed on the wrong side....when putting the grenade in your right hand, the spoon in the fatty part between the thumb and finger, the pin should be facing your thumb.

[wildcat123]

Thanks so much, Ill be doing more reading. I quickly found my general WWII references were not much help. Im more a uniform, Patch, medal, and helmet guy... but never pass up a chance to learn more.

[Ray42]

Glad to see that someone more knowlageble came along to help you and that they ended up being real mk2 trainers. The segments still seem off to me and a little too knobby but I think you had a good point 917601 that if they had been sand blasted that detail may disappear. I am interested what you find when you strip the paint.

[wildcat123]

Thanks again, this has been enlightening. For my own info, restoring paint is common with ordnance collecting? Im assuming original is still the best? Been debating whether to mess with these or pass them along.

[ccyooper]

Interesting I didn't realize that M6 fuze was produced in the A1 variant with a curved spoon. I thought the most common prior to the later 200 series fuze was the M6A4C. When I get home in a couple weeks I'll have to find a reference publication that covers that. thanks for the thread...

[Bodes]

Thanks again, this has been enlightening. For my own info, restoring paint is common with ordnance collecting? Im assuming original is still the best? Been debating whether to mess with these or pass them along.

Restoration is okay since they have been historically altered any way.....If possible, you could try and see if you can remove the green from atop the blue training color....If successful, just retouch the blue...If going to early war yellow, you may want to completely strip and repaint...If your investment is minimal, you may want to just add a yellow paint ring under the fuze and sell them for what they are...The choice is yours....Bodes

[917601]

Interesting I didn't realize that M6 fuze was produced in the A1 variant with a curved spoon. I thought the most common prior to the later 200 series fuze was the M6A4C. When I get home in a couple weeks I'll have to find a reference publication that covers that. thanks for the thread...

You are correct, I had meant to type M6A4C. I would like for you to post any pubs, TM's, or directives you have. The WW2 grenade has very little information to be found to confirm what shows up in collectors hands.

[Dirt Detective]

Hi Wildcat,

I believe the grenades with the threaded bottom.... the threads size is the same as the fuze thread. Can you thread your fuze into the bottom?