Grenade Launching 303s

[collector67]

Iraquiveteran8888 has a cool video of a Mills grenade launcher deploying tennis balls. I'd love to find one for my 1942 Lithgow wire wrap!

 

[stencollector]

Somewhat lesser known- in WW2 there was a shaped charge anti-tank grenade designed to be shot from the 2.5 inch "cup". It was called the No. 68 and has fins for stabilization. I have never seen a picture of one being fired but I would assume it was to be fired from the shoulder given the purpose (ie hitting a fairly small target dead on)?

milsurpo

Some photos of my 68 and a regular 36m with gas-check. The 36M appears to have had a second life as a piggy bank.

 

[albayo]

I have the rifle and the launcher but no 303 blanks.
But I could use my 2A1 and use 7.62 blanks I have some of them.
Dos anyone have a base plate that is used on the Mills grenade for launching grenades?

 

[Grizzly Adams]

Somewhat lesser known- in WW2 there was a shaped charge anti-tank grenade designed to be shot from the 2.5 inch "cup". It was called the No. 68 and has fins for stabilization. I have never seen a picture of one being fired but I would assume it was to be fired from the shoulder given the purpose (ie hitting a fairly small target dead on)?

milsurpo

Fact that they were later only issued to the Home Guard, says something.

http://www.militaryfactory.com/smallarms/detail.asp?smallarms_id=892

Grizz

 

[Doug2500]

Just to be clear, I am not looking at trying to find original grenade firing blanks to launch a tennis ball. Will normal 303 blanks work for this?

 

[XRCD011]

Just to be clear, I am not looking at trying to find original grenade firing blanks to launch a tennis ball. Will normal 303 blanks work for this?

Yes. It will blast a hole in the ball but launch it nicely.

 

[albayo]

What if some type of wad was installed under the ball to lessen the damage to the ball?

 

[twincamharley]

I have a few hundred .303 blanks, guess i better buy some tennis balls

 

[stencollector]

On another forum, we are having a discussion on the smoke dischargers, and someone mentioned firing canisters with .303 blanks. Wheaty chimed in and mentioned that blank ammunition is not the correct ammunition. Ballistite cartridges are. He feels that blanks burn much faster, and could result in a dangerous condition. Something to think about before trying to launch an actual grenade or starting to make gaschecks for your tennis balls.

 

[ipscgraz]

Seems to me that I have some 303 blanks...anyone know a fair market value on these, seeing as there is some interest?

Gonna have to dig them up and see how many I have.

 

[wheaty]

If you are going to do launching of anything of mass you need the correct cartridge.
Pictures attached of launching cartridges and if you are going to launch a Mills bomb or No.36 grenade you need the kit as shown, with the base plates.
Hope this clears up some of the confusion on launching.
I'm not sure if there is a difference in cartridges for launching rods, but one of the boxes of cartridges is over stenciled for launching rods but not sure if there was a difference in the powder or charge.
MOST grenade launching cartridges were paper wrapped by the way and some are star crimp and some are rounded with a paper wad, just to add to the confusion.

 

[BUSHMAN79]

Don't use a grenade blank on a tennis ball, it will blast it to shreds. Regular noise blanks will launch one as far as it will carry. The cans of "Pacific" evapourated milk were a perfect fit in the cup, even a standard blank threw a frozen can of milk past 200m.

 

[albayo]

Could you use black powder or a substitute in a crimped cartridge or plugged cartridge to launch the balls?
Less power.

 

[BUSHMAN79]

Yes, I have done that. It was messy, though.

 

[dinsdale]

Fact that they were later only issued to the Home Guard, says something.

http://www.militaryfactory.com/smallarms/detail.asp?smallarms_id=892

Grizz

Not true, they were also used in Italy in house to house fighting.

 

[dinsdale]

Somewhat lesser known- in WW2 there was a shaped charge anti-tank grenade designed to be shot from the 2.5 inch "cup". It was called the No. 68 and has fins for stabilization. I have never seen a picture of one being fired but I would assume it was to be fired from the shoulder given the purpose (ie hitting a fairly small target dead on)?

milsurpo

Mine, sold the silver one to another Nutter:

Manual:

.

Test results

 

[The Wizard]

Speaking of grenade cartridges, I have 31 cartridges in a box labeled "n. 50 propelling cartridges cal. 7.7 for ATF. only". Below that is B.P.D. inside a "irregular" hexagon. The head stamp is (12 / 6 o'clock) BPD / 954. The case mouth is closed with a 5-petal star crimp and sealed with red lacquer. The cartridges are made by Bombrini - Parodi - Delfino SpA, Rome. The cases are dimensionally .303 cases. Ant information on these?

Also, I have a copy of the British Army manual "Infantry Training Volume 1 INFANTRY PLATOON WEAPONS PAMPHLET NO. 9, PART I THE ANTI-TANK GRENADE, No. 94 (ENERGA) dated 20 April 1953. This shows the "grenade" being launched off the No. 4 rifle.

 

[wheaty]

The yellow 68 is a rare bird.
It looks like one of the ones made in the USA for England during WW II and they are not that common.
If you want the complete story on them get the book by Norman Bonney on Grenades.
Norm is probably one of the best in the world on British Grenades and accessories.

 

[dinsdale]

The yellow 68 is a rare bird.
It looks like one of the ones made in the USA for England during WW II and they are not that common.
If you want the complete story on them get the book by Norman Bonney on Grenades.
Norm is probably one of the best in the world on British Grenades and accessories.

copy that
;-)