Was this type of grenade launcher actively used?

This picture is about the only place I've seen one, besides in parts for sale.

What kind of a grenade would it take?



Thanks,
Bugs762

Used an Energa grenade for a friction fit.  Found on 601s and some 602s.

Seen commonly on Israeli 653s in the 80s.  They referred to them as "rosebud" grenade attachments.

I have one on my 601 replica, thanks to uxb.

Would have all 601's left the factory with the rosebud?

Hmmmm...  I'll have to find one or two for future projects.  They would look great on a 601 and 653.

Thanks for the replies.

Bugs762

Quoted: Would have all 601's left the factory with the rosebud?

They are not all shown in The Black Rifle with the rosebud, but I do not know...

M29 & M31


The use of these was dropped pretty quickly because the .223 round from the AR lacked the power necessary to launch these heavy rounds effectively. These had originally been launched with the M1 and M14 which obviously had a much larger round and enough power to make them effective.

"Capt Richardson"


Edit - finally found the report on the grenades:
M16 Rifle Grenade Report

This also includes the M1A2 Adapter, and the various grenades used with it.

What kind of range would you get out of one of these grenades?

5.56 really doesn't seem like a lot of propelant compared to a 7.62.

I asked this elsewhere but got no answer.
What's stopping someone from puting a rifle grenade on a barrel with a muzzle brake or a postban barrel with no muzzle device at all?
Looking at all the flash hiders there seems to be the two rings cut into the bases of them (three prong,bird cage and A2 style). From an engineering standpoint..........I have seen these rings cut into hydraulic and pneumatic pistons on different machinery and they act as a seal. The fluid or air rushing past these cuts cavitates and actually creates a form of a seal. Does anyone know if that is why the flash hiders have these rings cut into the bases or has anyone ever given thought to why they're there? It makes sense to me.
My curiousity is.....under the old fedban , there is an assumption that a muzzle brake has to be larger in diameter than a flash hider so a rifle grenade cannot be mounted to the rifle. If a heavy barreled post ban rifle had a similar diameter without a muzzle device , does anyone think one of these would still launch ( granted it would not perform as well as on what it was designed for ) making the whole muzzle brake/flash hider issue just utter crap??

Just my thoughts.

You can launch any nato standard rifle grenade off an AR barrel

I have a an israeli practice grenade and have shot it off my a1 several times with out any attachment it has an a1 flash hider.

use blanks and do not shoot it from the shoulder place the butt on the ground

Quoted: use blanks and do not shoot it from the shoulder place the butt on the ground

You also do not use your knee as a platform for a "knee" mortar, either.

Quoted: You also do not use your knee as a platform for a "knee" mortar, either.

"Knee mortar" is a Western concept.  The Japanese didn't call them knee mortars...

Quoted: I asked this elsewhere but got no answer. What's stopping someone from puting a rifle grenade on a barrel with a muzzle brake or a postban barrel with no muzzle device at all? Looking at all the flash hiders there seems to be the two rings cut into the bases of them (three prong,bird cage and A2 style). From an engineering standpoint..........I have seen these rings cut into hydraulic and pneumatic pistons on different machinery and they act as a seal. The fluid or air rushing past these cuts cavitates and actually creates a form of a seal. Does anyone know if that is why the flash hiders have these rings cut into the bases or has anyone ever given thought to why they're there? It makes sense to me. My curiousity is.....under the old fedban , there is an assumption that a muzzle brake has to be larger in diameter than a flash hider so a rifle grenade cannot be mounted to the rifle. If a heavy barreled post ban rifle had a similar diameter without a muzzle device , does anyone think one of these would still launch ( granted it would not perform as well as on what it was designed for ) making the whole muzzle brake/flash hider issue just utter crap?? Just my thoughts.

The barrel is a smaller diameter than the shaft of the rifel grenade.  Woudl it launch?  Well, yeah.  But the accuracy wouldn't be for anything and it would not go very far without much of a seal.  

You would also probably get a wondrous blast of gas coming back striaght at you when the gas turned 180 degrees to come back out of the gap between the rifle grenade shaft and the barrel

When the XM148 and M203 came along in 1966-1968 it was basically the end of the rifle grenade. The rifle grenades were never that accurate or reliable, plus the .223 AR lacked the power to launch them effectively.

FYI,
The first shipment of XM148s went to Vietnam in Dec 1966, by Jan of 1967 just under 11,000 had been produced. The XM148 was declared unsatisfactory for service by May of 1967.

The first XM203s were fielded and tested in May 1968 by AAI. Colt ended up with the production contract, and the M203 made it into production and distribution by early 1969.

"Capt Richardson"

Quoted: When the XM148 and M203 came along in 1966-1968 it was basically the end of the rifle grenade. The rifle grenades were never that accurate or reliable, plus the .223 AR lacked the power to launch them effectively. FYI, The first shipment of XM148s went to Vietnam in Dec 1966, by Jan of 1967 just under 11,000 had been produced. The XM148 was declared unsatisfactory for service by May of 1967. The first XM203s were fielded and tested in May 1968 by AAI. Colt ended up with the production contract, and the M203 made it into production and distribution by early 1969. "Capt Richardson"

The other part of the equation is that the .223 round was insufficient to launch the heavier HEAT grenades that had been developed, but that the development of lightweight antitank weapons (such as the LAW) removed the need for such a rifle grenade anyways.

You can also throw in the M79 coming into the picture in 1961.

Nothing better than carrying a chopped M79 with an AP round in it! Made a shotgun look like a BB Gun, want to talk about clearing a room!



"Capt Richardson"

Quoted: Finnish Infantry video showing rifles grenades in use. video

Intersting video.  I guess those are Valmets or are they an updated version?

Is it true that more bad guys have done themselves in than caused damage overseas because they used live rounds to launch grenades from their SKS's instead of blanks?

I mean... I like it!

Just curious - how does the arming clip on the M1A2 adapter work?

Quoted: Just curious - how does the arming clip on the M1A2 adapter work?

You'll notice its wedged in place by a piece of metal, against one of the gripping arms that holds the grenade.  The shock of impact dislodges it and the spoon is allowed to move, arming the grenade as it otherwise would if thrown normally.  The safety pin is pulled before the whole thing is fired.  The M1 was designed to be used with the Mk 2, M26, and M34 grenades.  A separate design, the M2, was created for launching cylindrical chemical grenade types (such as the M8 and M18).  An experimental type was tested for use with the M33/M67 grenades, but as rifle grenades had largely ceased to be part of the arsenal at that point it did not enter production.

A good overview is available here: www.inert-ord.net/usa03a/usarg/adapts/index.html