Providing you remove the detonator and leave the pin in place, it will not go off. Removal of the filler plug will tell you if it is inert. I can't remember the all-up weight of the Mills 36, but you should be able to find out on the internet, and if you then weigh the grenade you will know if it is carrying a charge of explosive. Alternatively, you could get Brodie to weigh his example and compare weights between yours and his.by Heer 17
Cheers,
Steve
If it was sold as inert, and passed through an auction house, then in all likelihood it is perfectly safe. The detonator should be easy to remove, simply by pulling on the wick that joins the igniter to the fuse. It won't go off unless you pull the pin and let go of the lever.
And here's one of mine, fully disassembled. The inner tube is easily removed by inserting a pair of pliers into the two detonator holes. That is, assuming the grenade is empty.
B.B.
Last edited by BrodieBartfast; 04-23-2019 at 01:11 AM.
The weight of my grenade, fully assembled and empty of explosive, is 649 grams.
B.B.
I agree. It was a common practice to use the rings as an extra pull on the tab of the main zipper of the DPM smock. I have even more reason to recall that because the practice even though common accross the forces was forbidden to those of us wearing the para smock on the grounds that it constituted a snag hazzard when parachuting!
Regards
Mark
"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing he cares more about than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature with no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."
Brodie, you cannot remove the inner assemly if the grenade is still full of explosives, the assembly would not turn foŕ starters! There is a method that squaddies used when they 'lifted' a grenade as a momento of their service, but it is not the kind of information you share on a forum for rather obvious reasons.
I meant to correct my last post, but got a little sidetracked. I've fixed it now.
B.B.
Last edited by BrodieBartfast; 04-23-2019 at 01:11 AM.
Steve is absolutely correct which is because the explosive filling surrounds the inside tube having been poured in through the "filler hole". If the central tube was not fitted before the explosive was "fillied" it would simply have fallen out of the base plug hole
Personally, like Steve and many others with experience of these I would have no difficulty or concerns in handling this item and determining whether it was inert.
However, with no experience if you have any doubts you should have it checked by your local police / military unit but be aware that they might just blow it up anyway!
In the first instance, as you have the base plug off just remove the fuse/igniter as stated above.
I think it should be clear that nobody here is about to start giving advice on deactivation remotely even if they themselves are fully competent with the type.
Generally speaking, if you find something like this especially if it has been buried in the earth etc do not mess with it!
Regards
Mark
"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing he cares more about than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature with no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."
"In the first instance, as you have the base plug off just remove the fuse/igniter as stated above."
Good advice from Mark. It may have a dummy detonator, but it may not be easy to tell. The problem you've got is if you take it to the authorities they will likely confiscate it in suspicion of it being live.
Here is a 1944 dated No.36M correct replacement pin -solid piece of metal-.
Aghs
Ah - beat me to it !
Here's my unpainted example with 'solid' ring.....
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