Mills No5 and 36M grenade

**Grimebox** · 06-06-2011, 09:04 PM

For your viewing pleasure to show the subtle differences- a Mills No5 and 36M grenade (both deactivated!) from my collection. And to make you all jealous both were 'technically' free! The No5 was given to me and I found the 36M in a rucksack that I bought for the Para helmet it contained.

**davejb** · 06-06-2011, 09:13 PM

Very nice GB, it really shows the subtle differences between the designs, i was lucky enough to be given a 36mills in mint condition dated 1918 all with original pin , spoon handle , paint etc

**Grimebox** · 06-06-2011, 09:17 PM

From a design point of view I think that they are brilliantly ergonomic - just the right weight, size and shape. I read somewhere that they could be thrown considerably further than the German stick grenade.

**davejb** · 06-06-2011, 10:13 PM

Strictly speaking its the method of throwing that determines the distance, the stick grenade can be thrown in the sense of the word, the mills really needs to be over arm lobbed similar to a cricket player, then theres the overall strength of the user, the main character difference is the explosive force, the mills is devastating even over a fair distance, the stick grenade has a smaller killing radius but both deadly in a confined space, ive remotely detonated a mills bomb and we were over 300yds away, a piece of red hot shrapnel landed just beside us at force, it certainly would have caused a bad injury if it had connected

**Grimebox** · 06-06-2011, 10:31 PM

by davejb

Strictly speaking its the method of throwing that determines the distance, the stick grenade can be thrown in the sense of the word, the mills really needs to be over arm lobbed similar to a cricket player, then theres the overall strength of the user, the main character difference is the explosive force, the mills is devastating even over a fair distance, the stick grenade has a smaller killing radius but both deadly in a confined space, ive remotely detonated a mills bomb and we were over 300yds away, a piece of red hot shrapnel landed just beside us at force, it certainly would have caused a bad injury if it had connected

Funny, I too have also remotely detonated a WW1 Mills No5! Although it was detonated in a 1-2ft hole so the explosion went straight up. Unfortunately I couldn't locate any shrapnel as a memento.

**davejb** · 06-06-2011, 10:46 PM

Mine was at ERDE in Hertfordshire, the grenade was in a bunker which had a macer type lid but an expansion opening all round to let the explosive forces out

**Grimebox** · 06-06-2011, 10:52 PM

Mine was found when it rolled off a garage shelf and on to the floor! EOD were called out, took it to a nearby field (never did find who the framer was) dug a hole, wired it up and asked if anybody wanted to press the button - Stand forward that man! (In fairness everybody who was stood there, knowing my interest, pointed at me)