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M-18 Smoke question


green hell
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Hi All -

      I have an unusual dilemma. I recently bought 3 M-18 smoke grenades to use in VN SF displays. When they arrived, however, I was surprised to discover that they are still sealed in their original tubes. I am afraid that if I take them out and stick them on webgear to display at an event, some chucklehead will set one off. Is there a way to make them inert without altering their appearance? 

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I would buy replica or used grenades and display those.  Did you purchase these as inert?  Live smokes are expensive. Check some of the more weapon-friendly auction sites and you'll see what I mean.  Already popped grenades appear all the time on various buying platforms and shouldn't cost you too much.  

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Live M18’s going for $150 + apiece. I would unscrew the spoon/ igniter assembly and buy some expended ones. GB has them. Save the unscrewed original igniters for when the day comes you want to sell the live smokes, no telling what they will bring in a few years.

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Yeah... the resale on those are expensive... especially for unopened tubes! The colored smokes are bringing more $$$ than the white smoke (HC). And the price is just going to continue to go up. Smokes are fun and get set off so they are getting few and far between.

If you set them off the heat they generate really do a number on the paint... it will chip off, discolor and rust.  It would be much better like others have mentioned... get some inert ones that someone has repainted/restored.  You could easily sell one of your live smokes and use those funds to buy a couple two or three really nice display models.

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On 3/15/2021 at 9:14 PM, Spike said:

These are some that I forget I have.

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The AN M8 HC ( High Capacity) are great finds. Very hard to find today. I believe they are no longer in use.

 

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The HC stands for hexachloroethane (HC). It produces a heavy smoke and is an irritant.  In WWII it was actually hexachloroethane-zinc. 

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viking4zero

The newer M 83 smoke has the "TA" designation, for Teraphthalic acid, I guess more environmentally friendly than the "HC"

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WW2 smokes a rarity, in the can more so, with the launching adapter unbelievable.Thanks for showing pics. An up close picture of the inking and engraving of the top of the spoon would be very much appreciated.

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That WWII grenade and launching adapter are now in storage until I finish the room it will be displayed in, but here is a pic of it's twin that I ended up selling.  The grenades were identical.  

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Here is one in my collection, in a metal container, like the posts above by opus 5150.  Are these more scarce/valuable?

 

Thanks, Al

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