page_title: Grenade
section_title: Fragmentation (defensive)
hierarchical_section_title: Grenade / Explosive grenades / Fragmentation (defensive)
caption_attribution_description: Deutsch: Sprenghandgrante_und Splitterkoerper DM51 der Bundeswehr
context_page_description: A grenade is an explosive weapon typically thrown by hand, but can also refer to projectiles shot out of grenade launchers. Generally, a grenade consists of an explosive charge, a detonating mechanism, and a firing pin inside the grenade to trigger the detonating mechanism. Once the soldier throws the grenade, the safety lever releases, the striker throws the safety lever away from the grenade body as it rotates to detonate the primer. The primer explodes and ignites the fuze. The fuze burns down to the detonator, which explodes the main charge.
  There are several types of grenades like the fragmentation, high explosive concussion and smoke grenades.
  Fragmentation grenades are probably the most common in modern armies. They are designed to disperse shrapnel on detonation. The body is generally made of a hard synthetic material or steel, which will provide limited fragmentation through sharding and splintering, though in modern grenades a pre-formed fragmentation matrix inside the grenade is commonly used. The pre-formed fragmentation may be spherical, cuboid, wire or notched wire. Most anti-personnel grenades are designed to detonate either after a time delay or on impact.
context_section_description: Fragmentation grenades are common in armies. They are weapons that are designed to disperse lethal fragments on detonation, in order to do damage in as wide an area as possible. The body is generally made of a hard synthetic material or steel, which will provide some fragmentation as shards and splinters, though in modern grenades a pre-formed fragmentation matrix is often used. The pre-formed fragmentation may be spherical, cuboid, wire or notched wire. Most AP grenades are designed to detonate either after a time delay or on impact.
  When the word grenade is used without specification, and context does not suggest otherwise, it is generally assumed to refer to a fragmentation grenade.
  Fragmentation grenades can be divided into two main types, defensive and offensive, where the former are designed to be used from a position of cover, (e.g. in a slit trench or behind a suitable wall,) and have an effective radius greater than the distance they can be thrown, while the latter are for use by assaulting troops, and have a smaller effective fragmentation radius.
  The Mills bombs and the Soviet F1 are examples of defensive grenades. The Dutch V40, Swiss HG 85, and US MK3 are examples of offensive grenades.
  Modern fragmentation grenades, such as the United States M67 grenade, have a wounding radius of 15 m (49 ft) – half that of older style grenades, which can still be encountered – and can be thrown about 40 m (130 ft). Fragments may travel more than 200 m (660 ft).
caption: German DM51[[1]] hand grenade with blast core (top) and fragmentation sleeve (bottom)
exif: {}