Canadian No36 with excellent markings

[Infanteer]

Just received this No36 that is marked "M" on the body and lever. This is by far the best marked Mills that I have in my collection and one of the better one's that I have seen.

Does anyone else have a Mills with original markings in excellent condition that they can share photos of?

 

[MissingSomething]

My 1940 FW

This is the best one I have come across... All FW marked and Dec 1940 marked base...still has some of the sealant on it.

 

[Bannerman]

Infanteer & MissingSomething,

Guys, what truly terrific grenades, the pair of them, many thanks for sharing.

I have 2 x WW2 No 36m Mk1's in my collection, both 100% with mint finish, but no markings, suggesting they were never filled. It makes me wonder how they found their way out of the ordnance factory and into the collector world. Pilfered by ordnance workers?

I hope to eventually get around to posting pictures of these and others on the "My Collection" thread in due course.

Kind regards
Bruno

 

[Infanteer]

This is the best one I have come across... All FW marked and Dec 1940 marked base...still has some of the sealant on it.

What a killer grenade!! That is now the nicest that I've seen. Interesting to see the difference in how the markings were applied, especially the X's. Yours was obviously hand painted. Thanks for sharing the photos.

 

[EODGUY]

A couple of great grenades with super markings. My example is lacking the nice X's but is still in pretty good shape considering. It also came with the discharger cup plate attached. The other is a 1980 Pakistani version right out of the crate.

 

[Infanteer]

A couple of great grenades with super markings. My example is lacking the nice X's but is still in pretty good shape considering. It also came with the discharger cup plate attached. The other is a 1980 Pakistani version right out of the crate.

Interesting that the body is marked with the letter M the same as mine but the markings are different. I was under the impression that the M stood for Montreal Munitions which makes sense as I have found numerous examples with this marking here in Canada. Is there another company (perhaps in England) that used M as their maker mark which would explain the lack of X's on EODGUY's example?

 

[Infanteer]

Here's another M marked No36 that I picked up last weekend. This one is just missing the safety lever.

 

[dano1917]

Great #36 Infanteer, one of the best i've seen and thanx for sharing with us. I am working on a 36 that should be done in a day or 2 and will post result..Best..Dano

 

[EODGUY]

Infanteer, I have an "M" in my codes listing for Morum & Company, London as a maker of grenades. I do not have a timeframe for that though. Maybe someone else can pin it down.

 

[staples57]

Hi Infanteer,

I hate to disagree with EODGUY, however, it's a well discussed topic on BOCN... "M" is Montreal Munitions, a Canadian 36M Mk.1.

The Canadian made Mills had the band of red X's just above the centre line and the green band just below the centre line of the cast body. A slightly different placement as compared to British made Mills and another way to help identify the origin of your Mills.

That is a very nice Mills, well done! I'd love to have one that nice in my collection.

Cheers,
Brad

 

[Infanteer]

Hi Infanteer,

"M" is Montreal Munitions, a Canadian 36M Mk.1.

The Canadian made Mills had the band of red X's just above the centre line and the green band just below the centre line of the cast body. A slightly different placement as compared to British made Mills and another way to help identify the origin of your Mills.

Herein lies the mystery.... EODGUY's mills is marked with an "M" but has a solid red band as opposed to the normal X's..... so is his mills Canadian? If so, why is it marked differently? Have the markings been redone?

Also, MissingSomething's mills is Canadian and made by Frost and Woods but is marked in the manner of a British mills if I follow what you are saying about the placement of markings. Someone else stated on another thread that these "Canadian" marking rules of thumb are not hard and fast.

 

[gothica7]

Someone else stated on another thread that these "Canadian" marking rules of thumb are not hard and fast.[/QUOTE]

There, you have said it, you have answered your own question.

I am sure these excellent well marked 36s are all Canadian. Its possible that another maker used an M that was from N. Ireland but they made very few Grens and Morum and Co used M & C L and i believe they ceased trading as Morum sometime after WW1. All this is in a previous thread.

Anyway, great to see some well marked 36s. Lets see more.

Andy

 

[pointblank0]

For any that are interested, I will be listing a Canadian Mills, with reasonable markings on classifieds in about 2 weeks (I am away next week so would be pointless). Keep an eye out, it is in very good condition.

 

[Infanteer]

For any that are interested, I will be listing a Canadian Mills, with reasonable markings on classifieds in about 2 weeks (I am away next week so would be pointless). Keep an eye out, it is in very good condition.

Too bad it's overseas.... it would be risky trying to import something like that these days. Especially since ordnance is a prohibited item in the Canadian postal system even if it's deactivated or reproduction.

 

[exat808]

With reference to the presence of the the red line either in the form of a series of "X"'s or a solid band - from my distant past I seem to have a recollection that the format of the band indicated a variance to the standard type of filling of the grenade body and that the "X" markings were for fillings more suited to extreme climatic conditions. I'm sure someone will correct me.

 

[gothica7]

The Xs indicated its a live No 36 M Mk 1, not a No 36 Mk 1 which had the top section painted red. After WW1, all No 36s were designated M Mk 1s and waterproofed accordingly. The colour of the central band indicated type of filling.

Andy

 

[staples57]

Hi Infanteer,

Check out Collectors Source (http://www.collectorssource.com).
They're located in Acton, Ontario and will ship anythere in Canada.
They have a few very well marked Canadian Mills 36M Mk.1s is going for approx. $225 CDN.

Cheers,
Brad

Too bad it's overseas.... it would be risky trying to import something like that these days. Especially since ordnance is a prohibited item in the Canadian postal system even if it's deactivated or reproduction.

 

[Millsman]

Infanteer, I have an "M" in my codes listing for Morum & Company, London as a maker of grenades. I do not have a timeframe for that though. Maybe someone else can pin it down.

M is Montreal Munitions.

Morum & Co actually went out of business in 1919 and their factory was sold off. Morum's did make the 36M but the marking on the body was M & C / L . The L standing for Lewisham in South East London.

John

 

[Infanteer]

Hi Infanteer,

Check out Collectors Source (http://www.collectorssource.com).
They're located in Acton, Ontario and will ship anythere in Canada.
They have a few very well marked Canadian Mills 36M Mk.1s is going for approx. $225 CDN.

Cheers,
Brad

Thanks Brad. I am very familiar with that site and have purchased from them before. $225 is IMO at the upper limit for Mills bombs. It would have to be complete and pristine for me to pay that much. But maybe that's because I already have a few examples and I still see them often enough in the $140-$175 range which I would consider to be "the going rate" for a good example.

My comment about the importation was me lamenting how it has become difficult to deal in ordnance on an international level due to the current world situation. I miss the old days when I could purchase items from the guys in England. I suspect that ordnance is going to become quite scarce (and expensive) in Canada as the items that are available end up in collections and the supply is finite for all intents and purposes.

 

[staples57]

I agree with you completely...

I've heard that Canada Post is beginning to randomly open and x-ray domestic packages, not just inbound international packages. A stepped-up effort to enforce their ban on mailing ordnance and firearms. I've found that several of the more popular ordnance vendors (Collectors Source included I believe) have stopped shipping via Canada Post entirely. DHL seems to be the emerging courier of choice for ordnance.

Once you have one or two Mills bombs, you really start to get selective in your collecting. Collectors Source prices are at the top end of the scale, however, the Canadian Mills 36M Mk.1 they have is in excellent condition. A couple of months ago, the same Mills was $185. A $40 price increase is a little steep!!

I've found that at Military shows you can still find Mills ranging in price from $40 to $350. The lower end is usually for incomplete grenades and the top end are usually from vendors that really don't have a grasp on reality.
I recently picked up a beautiful sectioned F&W Mills 36M Mk.1 for $150 (complete with gas check), a Chatco 36M Mk.1 (casting with center piece only) for $25 and a beautiful early No.5 (complete) for $225.
The No.5 was at the upper end, but the other two were very reasonably priced.

I'm finding that the parts (levers, base plugs, center pieces, strikers, springs & pull rings) are getting harder to find than complete Mills.

I never thought that the day would come when I would be looking for more parts that complete Mills.

Finite indeed!
The "old days" of collecting are gone.

Cheers,
Brad

Thanks Brad. I am very familiar with that site and have purchased from them before. $225 is IMO at the upper limit for Mills bombs. It would have to be complete and pristine for me to pay that much. But maybe that's because I already have a few examples and I still see them often enough in the $140-$175 range which I would consider to be "the going rate" for a good example.

My comment about the importation was me lamenting how it has become difficult to deal in ordnance on an international level due to the current world situation. I miss the old days when I could purchase items from the guys in England. I suspect that ordnance is going to become quite scarce (and expensive) in Canada as the items that are available end up in collections and the supply is finite for all intents and purposes.