a. How to Identify

The stick hand grenade, model 24, may be identified by—

(1) Metal casing or body screwed onto a wooden handle with a metal cap.

(2) Model marking on the casing or body of the grenade.

(3) Porcelain ball attached to a cord in the exposed cavity after the metal cap is unscrewed.

b. Characteristics

(1) General.—This grenade consists of a thin iron or steel casing, or head, containing the explosive filler and screwed onto a hollow wooden handle, through the center of which runs a double length of cord (see fig. 25). This cord is attached at one end to a lead ball which is part of the friction-igniter-detonator system, and at the other end of a porcelain ball. The cavity in which the porcelain ball rests is closed by a metal cap that screws on. Inside the cap is a spring-actuated metal disk that prevents movement of the porcelain ball.

(2) Table of characteristics.—

c. How to Operate

(1) Safety.—(a) The detonator is not assembled to the grenade until it is carried into combat.

(b) The metal cap on the end of the handle holds the porcelain ball in place and is not removed until the grenade is to be thrown.

(2) To arm and throw.—(a) To arm grenade.—The wooden handle is unscrewed from the head, and the metal end of the delay fuze is exposed in the interior of the handle. Insert a detonator into the open end of the delay fuze. The head and the handle are screwed together again.

Figure 25.—Sketch of Stielhandgranate 24 (stick hand grenade, model 24), showing outside and cross section of grenade and fuze. (The cross section of the grenade is drawn to a larger scale than the scale of the sketch of the outside view.)

(b) To throw grenade.—Unscrew the metal cap, pull out the porcelain ball as far as it will go, and throw. Do not throw too soon, as there is a 4- to 5-second delay.

(3) To disarm grenade.—(a) Unscrew the handle from the head; (b) remove the detonator from the open end of the delay fuze; (c) replace the handle.

d. Method of Carrying

Stick hand grenades, model 24, are carried in—

(1) A metal case holding 15 grenades and 15 detonators (see fig. 26);

(2) A sleeveless jacket fitting over the blouse. (In this jacket there are 10 pockets, 5 in front and 5 in the back, in which the grenades are carried with the heads down.)

(3) The belt with the grenades stuck in, handle first.

Figure 26.—Method of carrying and packing stick-type grenades.

e. Use as a Booby Trap

This grenade may be made into a booby trap by removing the delay fuze. (See fig. 25.) When troops attempt to use the captured grenades, pulling the friction wire causes the grenades to explode immediately without the usual 4- to 5-second delay.

To see whether or not the delaying device has been removed from the grenade, it may be tested as follows: (1) unscrew the head (explosive cylinder) from the wooden handle; (2) remove the detonator and the fuze which project from the handle; (3) unscrew the cap at the end of the handle and let the porcelain ring hang down; (4) unscrew the delayed-action device in the top of the handle to make sure whether the delayed-action cylinder actually contains the column of compressed black gunpowder.

To reassemble the grenade, carry out the above operations in the reverse order.

If time is short, it may be sufficient to take one from each batch of suspected grenades, unscrew the handle from it, and operate the fuze by pulling the cord from a distance. It will then be obvious whether the explosion takes place immediately or after an interval of 4 to 5 seconds.