Another not overly abundant British WWI experimental percussion grenade, this one was created by Frank James Chambers Carruthers, an independent inventor from Dumfries, Scotland.
It was both hand and rifle grenade, but also in the latter mode could be launched by both blank and ball rounds. A central hollow bore was terminated with a brass cap which was sufficiently robust to contain the blast from a blank round, while being thin enough to allow a bullet to pass through without destroying the grenade; it was not a bullet trap as such. It proved of interest to the Munitions Inventions Department (which was also working on the concept of a bullet-through grenade) to the extent that in March 1918 it reported "Grenades, Carruthers and MID - Drawings have been prepared and issued for experimental models to be made." The example shown is probably one of those models.
To use, the safety pin was pulled and the grenade thrown, or fired from a rifle using a discharger cup, whereupon the 18-inch weighted tape unwound and fell away. This left the bottom square section of a steel-lead T-shaped weight precariously locked by the sharp lower edge of the circular steel body of the coaxial firing pin, under the force of a strong compression spring. Shock of impact dislodged the weight and allowed the firing pin to hit the percussion cap of the detonator, and set off the grenade. Images show the partially stripped grenade with armed striker (T weight in place), then fired, finally fully disassembled. The base view shows filler hole, detonator sleeve, and central bore.
A comparison image shows the Carruthers with the French VB rifle grenade, and it interesting that the body diameter of both grenades is exactly the same, at 49.7mm, suggesting that the Carruthers grenade was made to allow testing from the French discharger cup. The bullet channel of the VB is 8.9mm diameter, that of the Carruthers is 8.0mm so not useable with a Lebel rifle. However, MID reports have this summary (without explaining the mechanics of attaching a French discharger cup to a British rifle):
"A comparative test with the French 'VB' 50mm bulletted-round grenade gave the following results: French rifle ammunition and cup, mean range 201 yards. SMLE rifle ammunition and French cup, mean range 130 yards."
Ultimately the Carruthers was an experimental novelty, with the primary interest being able to use both blank and ball ammunition for launching. The danger of blinds (use of a knife-edge suspended weight in combination with spring loaded firing pin) was of secondary concern and it is unlikely many, if any, were actually filled.
Tom.
It was both hand and rifle grenade, but also in the latter mode could be launched by both blank and ball rounds. A central hollow bore was terminated with a brass cap which was sufficiently robust to contain the blast from a blank round, while being thin enough to allow a bullet to pass through without destroying the grenade; it was not a bullet trap as such. It proved of interest to the Munitions Inventions Department (which was also working on the concept of a bullet-through grenade) to the extent that in March 1918 it reported "Grenades, Carruthers and MID - Drawings have been prepared and issued for experimental models to be made." The example shown is probably one of those models.
To use, the safety pin was pulled and the grenade thrown, or fired from a rifle using a discharger cup, whereupon the 18-inch weighted tape unwound and fell away. This left the bottom square section of a steel-lead T-shaped weight precariously locked by the sharp lower edge of the circular steel body of the coaxial firing pin, under the force of a strong compression spring. Shock of impact dislodged the weight and allowed the firing pin to hit the percussion cap of the detonator, and set off the grenade. Images show the partially stripped grenade with armed striker (T weight in place), then fired, finally fully disassembled. The base view shows filler hole, detonator sleeve, and central bore.
A comparison image shows the Carruthers with the French VB rifle grenade, and it interesting that the body diameter of both grenades is exactly the same, at 49.7mm, suggesting that the Carruthers grenade was made to allow testing from the French discharger cup. The bullet channel of the VB is 8.9mm diameter, that of the Carruthers is 8.0mm so not useable with a Lebel rifle. However, MID reports have this summary (without explaining the mechanics of attaching a French discharger cup to a British rifle):
"A comparative test with the French 'VB' 50mm bulletted-round grenade gave the following results: French rifle ammunition and cup, mean range 201 yards. SMLE rifle ammunition and French cup, mean range 130 yards."
Ultimately the Carruthers was an experimental novelty, with the primary interest being able to use both blank and ball ammunition for launching. The danger of blinds (use of a knife-edge suspended weight in combination with spring loaded firing pin) was of secondary concern and it is unlikely many, if any, were actually filled.
Tom.
