M17Na German WW1 Imperial Eierhandgranate "egg grenade"

**CSW** · 09-18-2020, 08:14 AM

Definitely a gorgeous piece and very well photographed!

**HoundsTooth** · 09-18-2020, 01:25 PM

Glad you decided to go for it on this item - and it looks so good in the photos.

So how powerful were they, compared to to the other grenades of the time?

nick

**Chopperman** · 09-18-2020, 01:28 PM

Cool little grenade.

**toot** · 09-18-2020, 02:54 PM

nice I like it.

**MAP** · 09-18-2020, 05:56 PM

Thanks all.

Nick: Yeah, I went for it. Glad I did. As far as how powerful? Not really sure, but certainly much less than the M13. They are however still deadly. Plus, a soldier could carry a dozen of these very easily vs. just a couple of the M13's. They could also be thrown much further than the M13. Given the size, they held much less explosive powder.

**Dos** · 09-18-2020, 06:03 PM

by MAP

It's roughly the width of a golf ball (excluding the middle band). The band was added as the early version (which lacked it) was hard to throw and slipped out of muddy hands.

I also read that in addition to making it easier to throw, the band also helped with better and more fragmentation in comparison to it's predecessor

**MAP** · 09-18-2020, 07:08 PM

by Dos

I also read that in addition to making it easier to throw, the band also helped with better and more fragmentation in comparison to it's predecessor

Yes, that is correct. There are two versions of bands. I think (i.e. I read a view which is not supported by period documentation) that the first version with the band, was designed to help throwing, then they realized after the fact that it improved the fragmentation so the 2nd version with the band (mine) was created with more pronounced ridges to improve the fragmentation further.

**AZPhil** · 09-20-2020, 07:39 PM

Congrat's Michael,
A very nice addition.
I am surprised by the dimensions you give of these.

They must of been very handy when tossing into the trenches.

Semper Fi
Phil

**MAP** · 09-20-2020, 09:11 PM

by AZPhil

Congrat's Michael,
A very nice addition.
I am surprised by the dimensions you give of these.

They must of been very handy when tossing into the trenches.

Semper Fi
Phil

Thanks Phil. I have read, given the small size and portability, that they would throw many at the same time and then in volley's to keep the opposing side staying under cover, while the Germans would try to advance.

**vegetius** · 09-21-2020, 08:17 AM

I've dealt with several hundred of these over the years, actually far more than Kugel's. Both use an alloy friction fuze and these have a real habit of rotting which leaves a friction sensitive compound with a loose wire and no idea if it is safe or not. Neither, as an EOD Operator are favourites of mine.
In my other role as an archaeologist I part of a team was making a documentary series a few years ago and two episodes were at Loos. On one in addition to four soldiers i found a stash of Pickelhaube in a trench store. About 200+ were of the steel design but about 20 to 30 were leather. What had presumably happened was that they had been withdrawn and replaced with stahlhelm and dumped there. The trench was securely stratified as 1917 so they were still around then. Actually thinking about it when we dug Pte Alan Mather NZ Army in Plug Street he had a Pickelhaube in his small pack and he died on 7 June 1917.