Question for ex-military types. How far can a grenade be thrown?

[rzemanfl]

I know John Wayne could throw one 200 yards and swish the turret hatch on a Nazi tank, but in the real world, how far can a person chuck a grenade? The "grenade" landed 100 feet from * (supposedly). Was this a weak arm? Was someone supposed to catch it, pull the pin, throw it the last 100 feet and seal the deal?

[EVDebs]

1. Using a diaper and surgical hoses, UCBerkeley students at Cal Stadium

could shoot water balloons from the top of the stadium clear across to the opposing side of the stadium. I'd say at least 50 yards therefor; this is a fond memory from the good old days.

[HawkerHurricane]

3. From the Army Study Guide

About the M67 Fragmentation Grenade:
• Body - steel sphere.
• Filler - 6.5 ounces of Composition B.
• Fuse - M213.
• Weight - 14 ounces.
• Safety clip - yes.
• Capabilities - can be thrown 40 meters by average soldier. The effective casualty-producing radius is 15 meters. Although the killing radius is 5 meters and the casualty-producing radius is 15, the fragments can disperse as far away as 230 meters.
• Color/markings - olive drab body with a single yellow band at the top. Nomenclature and or lot number markings are in yellow.

http://www.armystudyguide.com/grenades/studyguide.htm

[Joey Liberal]

9. I find this hard to believe

Capabilities - can be thrown 40 meters by average soldier.
============
If our soldiers can't throw it more than 40 meters, we've got problems. But I think the grenades that we used way back in the day may have been lighter. We practiced throwing training grenades a LOT. I hope they still do.

[Stand and Fight]

17. Approximately 120 feet.

That is about the length that the average soldier can throw a grenade. The weight of them have NOT changed since the 1980s. They still practice throwing them a lot, but you have to understand that the Army is geared toward urban combat now. Lobbing a grenade even 40 meters is not so important as the placement of a claymore mine or precisely thrown fragmentation or incendiary grenade in -- say? -- a town square.

[Joey Liberal]

25. I agree with you

It's more important to be accurate than to throw it a long distance. I wish the Army spent less time worrying about beret's and more time on the basics of soldiering.

[Stand and Fight]

26. [sarcasm] Didn't you know we have to look pretty? [/sarcasm] n/t

[HawkerHurricane]

41. Rule of Thumb

The side with the nicer uniforms loses.

[DS1]

37. It's harder than it sounds

One - you want to get it out of your hands as quickly as possible
Two - You're not inclined to follow through, as your being shot at in the process. If not being shot at, you'll still want to duck down asap, preferably in the same motion as throwing the grenade.
Three - Your kevler flak jacket, strapped on tight by your gear belt makes quick movement a lot more difficult

[HawkerHurricane]

40. Grenades don't need a lot of range.

nt

[rzemanfl]

13. Thanks for this information. For some reason I am reminded of

a 1950's tactical nuclear missile, "Little John" or somesuch, that had a blast radius larger than its range.

Anyway, from your post it seems that unless there was interference from them freedom lovin' Georgian folks the so-called grenade was a long ways from killing our so-called President.

[HawkerHurricane]

39. Sounds like...

the 'Davy Crocket' nuclear mortar round, that couldn't be fired farther than it's blast radius.
And there was the 'Honest John' nuclear rocket, which could be carried by a truck and launched.
In the 1950's, every branch and sub branch of the military had nuclear weapons... for every concievable purpose. As time went on, we learned that the disadvantages outweighed the advantages.

[EVDebs]

43. My earlier posting was meant to show that an accurate mortar or slingshot

using the grenade could have thrown the object farther than just throwing it. Plus, as the Sadat assassination showed, an 'inside job' brings everything closer than anyone would like.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

4. 50 yards sounds about right.

Only threw a couple in boot camp and they didn't measure it, and you had to hit the deck after you threw them so you couldn't see.

[Nickster]

8. Same here, hard to say though, the "official" way is very funky

I'm sure you can't throw it nearly as far using the text book method as you could throwing it like a baseball. I'd say 50 yards might be a stretch, but close enough for government work.

[democracyindanger]

5. A diaper?

No, no, no: Big plastic funnel. I thought Cal was supposed to be an engineering school.

[rzemanfl]

7. With all due respect, I think attacking someone from a crowd

with a diaper, surgical hoses and a hand grenade would tend to attract unwanted attention. That's what I love about DU, ask for informed opinions and get collegiate hijinks memories...

Ever pour a whole bottle of Joy detergent into a fountain when you were in school?

[DS1]

38. Eh, in the Marines we shot water balloons 70 yards, and we broke

windows on the impact building (the Engineers barracks next door) in the process :D

[yella_dawg]

2. About as far as you can throw a good sized rock.

It varies a lot from person to person. I'd imagine someone who practiced a lot could chunk one a good ways.

[Joey Liberal]

6. It's been awhile, but.......

To me, throwing a grenade was a lot like throwing a baseball. Of course, they wanted us to throw it John Wayne style. And we had our gear on, so that made the throwing motion more difficult.

[alfredo]

29. Fear makes that first throw of a grenade a long throw.

We had a pro baseball player that heaved his 150 ft. One guy bounced it over the bunker wall. We gave him so much shit for that.

[kohodog]

10. apparently not far enough! n/t

[rzemanfl]

19. This fits in somehow, in a perverse way, with the "Stop the

Violence" bit...

[yurbud]

11. What kind of grenade doesn't go off? sounds like PR stunt

Don't grenades have a lever that once it separates from the body, an irreversible timer starts ticking? Or have I just seen too many movies.

If Bush had caught the grenade himself, then I'd really be suspicious.

[Redstone]

14. Not a timer. A fuse.

Redstone

[punpirate]

12. From my own experience...

... it depends on how it was thrown. In the army, one is taught to throw a grenade in a sort of modified shot-putter's motion. This is meant to prevent whip injuries to the arm because of the weight of the grenade.

I was well over six feet and two hundred pounds and with that kind of motion, I could only get one about thirty-five or forty yards. When it came to throwing one for real, I wanted that sumbitch as far away from me as I could manage, so I threw it in a kind of sidearm pitch and I would guess from the trajectory and the blast, it went perhaps sixty to seventy yards.

Now, all this is dependent upon what kind of grenade. If a pineapple or tin-can style, a really good, strong thrower could get one eighty or ninety yards. But, if it was of the potato-masher style, with a handle, it could probably be thrown even farther.

[Redstone]

15. About as far as you could throw a softball, wouldn't you say?

Smaller than a softball but heavier, so the characteristics average out, yes?

Redstone

[punpirate]

21. No, not really...

... more weight and poorer aerodynamics, and the correct way to throw it is with the handle in place, so that makes it a little more awkward to grip and throw. I'm pretty sure I could throw a softball farther--not a lot farther, but some.

And, gotta remember, there's a lot more adrenalin pumping when you've got something like that in your hand instead of a softball.... :) Without that going for you, it wouldn't go as far. :)

[Redstone]

31. Hence the M203.

Redstone

[punpirate]

33. Yup...

... a 300-yard comfort zone is a lot better than 30.

But, since I'm a pacifist, I'd rather see them not used at all. :)

[Redstone]

34. Concur. Ain't gonna study war no more myself either;

got enough reminders without having things that make loud noises around.

Redstone

[artv28]

35. 14 Oz's is more than twice the weight of a softball

The average recreational league softball player can easily throw a softball over 200'. I don't know what that would equate to when tossing a grenade. I assume that people who grew up playing baseball would have an advantage when it comes to throwing grenades.

[punpirate]

36. Not really, as far as an advantage...

... to ball players. A grenade isn't a softball. They can't be thrown the same way, at least not consistently--would hurt your arm--all I can refer to is what I was taught in the army, and what my own experience was. Your mileage may vary. :)

[rzemanfl]

16. I recall reading that the potato masher style could be thrown a

long ways. From what you say about your experience I probably would have a fifty-fifty chance of not killing myself with a grenade if I tried to throw one.

[punpirate]

18. I saw people nearly do it to themselves...

... in basic during live grenade practice. Especially the ones who were trying to impress the DIs with their perfect form and the damned thing would roll off their bent wrist and bounce about three or four feet....

[Stand and Fight]

20. It all depends on several factors how far a grenade can be thrown.

For one there are several types of grenades, to include the following:

What types of grenades should every soldier be able to identify?
• M67 Fragmentation
• M18 Colored Smoke
• M34 WP Smoke
• AN-M8 HC Smoke
• AN-M14 TH3 Incendiary
• ABC-M25A2 CS Riot Control



About the M67 Fragmentation Grenade:
• Body - steel sphere.
• Filler - 6.5 ounces of Composition B.
• Fuse - M213.
• Weight - 14 ounces.
• Safety clip - yes.
• Capabilities - can be thrown 40 meters by average soldier. The effective casualty-producing radius is 15 meters. Although the killing radius is 5 meters and the casualty-producing radius is 15, the fragments can disperse as far away as 230 meters.
• Color/markings - olive drab body with a single yellow band at the top. Nomenclature and or lot number markings are in yellow.



About the M18 Colored Smoke Grenade:
• Body - sheet steel cylinder with four emission holes at the top and one at the bottom to allow smoke release when the grenade is ignited.
• Filler - 11.5 ounces of colored smoke mixture (red, green, yellow, and violet).
• Fuse - M201A1.
• Weight - 19 ounces.
• Safety clip - no.
• Capabilities - can be thrown 35 meters by average soldier. The grenade produces a cloud of colored smoke for 50 to 90 seconds.
• Color/markings - olive drab body with the top indicating the smoke color.



About the M34 WP Smoke Grenade:
Body - The M34 WP grenade body is compressed fiber or plastic sphere.
• Filler - The filler has 15 ounces of white phosphorous.
• Fuse - The fuse is an M206A2.
• Weight - The grenade weighs 27 ounces.
• Capabilities - The average soldier can throw the grenade 30 meters. The grenade has a bursting radius of 35 meters. All friendly personnel within this 35-meter area should be in a covered position to avoid being struck by burning particles. The WP filler burns for about 60 seconds at a temperature of 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit. This intense heat causes the smoke produced by the grenade to rise rapidly, especially in cool climates, making the M34 grenade less desirable for use as a screening agent.
• Color and Markings - Under the old ammunition color-coding system, the white phosphorous grenade is light gray with a single yellow band and yellow markings. Under the new standard color-coding system, the M34 grenade is light green with a single yellow band and light red markings.



About the AN-M8 HC Smoke Grenade:
• Body - sheet steel cylinder.
• Filler - 19 ounces of Type C, HC smoke mixture.
• Fuse - M201A1.
• Weight - 24 ounces.
• Safety clip - no.
• Capabilities - can be thrown 30 meters by average soldier. The grenade emits a dense cloud of white smoke for 105 to 150 seconds. The AN-M8 Grenade produces harmful hydrochloric fumes that irritate the eyes, throat and lungs. It should not be used in closed-in areas unless soldiers are wearing protective masks.
• Color/markings - light green body with black markings and a white top.



About the AN-M14 TH3 Incendiary:
• Body - sheet metal.
• Filler - 26.5 ounces of thermate (TH3) mixture.
• Fuse - M201A1.
• Weight - 32 ounces.
• Safety clip - no.
• Capabilities - can be thrown 25 meters by average soldier. A portion of the thermate mixture is converted to molten iron, which burns at 4,000 degrees Fahrenheit. It will fuse together the metallic parts of any object that it contacts. Thermate is an improved version of thermite, the incendiary agent used in hand grenades during World War II. The thermate filler of the AN-M14 grenade burns for 40 seconds and can burn through a 1/2-inch homogeneous steel plate. It produces its own oxygen and will burn under water.
• Color/markings - gray with purple markings and a single purple band (current grenades). Under the standard color-coding system, incendiary grenades are light red with black markings.



About the ABC M25A2 CS Riot Control:
• Body - compressed fiber or plastic.
• Filler - CS1 varies in weight and composition according to the type of agent contained in the grenade. All fillers are mixed with silica aerogel for increased dissemination efficiency.
• Fuse - integral.
• Weight - 8 ounces.
• Safety clip - no.
• Capabilities - can be thrown 50 meters by average soldier. The radius of burst (visible cloud agent) is about 5 meters, but grenade fragments may project as far as 25 meters.
• Color/markings - gray body with red band and red markings.

What are the three characteristics of all hand grenades?
1. Employment range is short
2. Small effective casualty radius
3. Delay element permits safe throwing


In what five areas can the hand grenade assist the individual soldier in the accomplishment of the mission?
1. Producing casualties
2. Signaling
3. Screening
4. Producing incendiary effects
5. Riot control



What are the four general types of hand grenades?
1. Fragmentation - time delay and impact M68; grenades to inflect casualties
2. Chemical/Smoke - canister type grenades used for signaling, screening, or CBR
3. Riot Control - bursting type grenades or burning type grenades used for control of unruly crowds
4. Special Purpose - grenades used for specific results to include: Incendiary - Used to destroy by heat, Concussion - Used for destruction by shock wave, Practice - Used for training



What 6 things should you look for when inspecting grenades for defects?
1. Ensure the fuse is not unscrewed from the body of the grenade
2. Ensure the safety clip is in the correct position, if no safety clip, attach one.
3. Check the safety clip for bends and security
4. Check safety lever for breaks
5. Check safety ring for cracks
6. Check for dirt and wipe off the dirt if it is necessary

SOURCE: http://www.armystudyguide.com/grenades/studyguide.htm
When I was in this was a pretty good indicator as to how far a grenade -- the varied types, of course -- can be thrown. Keep in mind that when most people refer to a grenade they are refering to a fragmentation grenade.

[rzemanfl]

22. Very thorough, but apparently (see above) the burning question

is how far one can be projected with surgical hoses and a funnel or diaper in a football stadium. Thanks.

[Stand and Fight]

23. That's sarcasm, right? Right??? n/t

[rzemanfl]

27. Well, it's sarcasm with a big chunk of post #2 thrown in. n/t

[Swamp Rat]

24. Let's see, Rove has access to millions of minds through FOX, et al.

I would say one "hand-grenade" can be thrown a few thousand miles.

[rzemanfl]

28. That is SO reality-based. n/t

[Swamp Rat]

30. Know your BFEE

[lectrobyte]

32. far enough to make you forget Bolton, Halliburton bonuses etc?

[TahitiNut]

42. Under combat conditions? Nowhere near as far as practice.

Consider this: the soldier has no interest in standing up on a pitching mound and going through a full windup. One's life expectancy would be very limited. Thus, it's thrown from behind cover (often sandbags) and the conditions under which one would resort to hand-thrown grenades are not the kind of conditions one wants to contemplate. Figure 20-25 yards.

Under 'practice' conditions, soldiers are encouraged to take cover. The shrapnel and concussion aren't trivial. Figure about 30-35 yards. We didn't throw them like baseballs. More like a cross between a baseball and a shot. When it's in your hand, you're interested in keeping the fuse lever compressed. We didn't do the 'release and heave' approach. We just heaved and let the lever release on/after the throw.

[evlbstrd]

44. Close only counts

in horseshoes, hand grenades and nuclear weapons.

[KansDem]

45. Whatever, but now I want to go on the record as one who supports...

the "single grenade theory" (sorry Arlen, you had your 15 minutes), and it wasn't thrown from a grassy knoll...

[DS1]

46. I once saw a guy get hit by shrapnel, who was standing 50 feet behind

the throwing bunker, which was right up against the side of a cliff.

In other words this tiny piece of shrapnel came back up over the 400 foot cliff, over the throwing area, and burned him right above his sternum after slipping between him and his flak jacket.