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EXPERIMENTAL No68 FINALY COMPLETE

paul the grenade

paul the grenade

Well-Known Member
Hi all.
Ive had this all steel experimental No68 gren for years now and it has always been missing its gas check plate. Well after a quick email to Jay at Dugup.co.uk he was quite happy to make a repro one for me. Well, it arived yesterday and fitted perfectly. I i dont think i would ever have found an original so this one will do just fine.
cheers, paul.
 

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Paul,
Showing my total lack of knowledge now, but what is the difference in the gas check on the 68 and a practice version which seem to be around?
Would it not be better to pinch an original gas check from a practice round than have a repro, or are they totally different.
Also are mills gas checks different to these?

Nice grenade by the way? Does it have all its internals?
regards
Kev
 
hi kev.
it is completely different to the more common ones. normall 68's have the gas check attached by a large bolt so the hole is large and unthreaded or they are cast in one piece with the fins. this one has a small threaded hole to attach to the stud. a mills gas check has a small threaded stud attached to it.
and yes, the gren has all its internals.
cheers, paul.
 
Ah ha, I see now - first photo!! Ought to look more closely!!
Its Sunday morning!
Internals, very nice- is it dated? I have seen pics of experimental 68's with additional small vanes also.

regards
Kev
 
Nice job Paul.

Kev,

They tail and plate should be marked with Briscoe's details and dated 1942.

The small vane example was the 1st Service pattern No 68. For the discerning collector there were two Mark Is; one with a bakelite screw holding the gascheck plate on which was supposed to shear off in flight and allow better aerodynamics to the fins - it made no difference to the flight and frequently broke in transit. The second model rectified this by using a brass screw to hold the plate on.
 
heres a few more pics showing the stamps and inners.
Also some different fiting methods for the gas checks.
top left, experimental Briscoe
top right, Mk4 cast with the fins
bottom left, Mk3 press fitted to fins
Bottom right, Drill fitted with brass screw.
Cheers, Paul.
 

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Thanks Paul for showing the breakdown photos and details of markings, very nice to see.
Am I right in thinking this was the first grenade to employ the hollow charge principle for penetrating armour?

regards
Kev
 
I remember bidding for the all steel one myself, back in the good old days ! Is it unusual for the gas checks to be marked on No 68's ? I dont think any of mine are. Tony.
 
Hum, Ive been always tempted on start to collect these Brit AT grenades, but as they are not very cheap and difficult to find with all the inner parts, I always passed on. Also, too many variations, etc. But they are very nice grenades, congrats Paul on have them.
 
roller63 said:
... Is it unusual for the gas checks to be marked on No 68's ? I dont think any of mine are. Tony.
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I have seen steel plates that are screwed on with brass screws (Mk I for instance) marked. The Briscoe was unusual in that the markings that you saw on the body of Paul's was/is also included in full on the plate.

(PS I like the 'any of mine' remark, one is hard enough to find I expect)
 
I have got a Mk 2, 3, 4 and Drill but not an all steel one, Paul beat to that ! :tinysmile_twink_t: there seemed to be quite a few sectioned ones for sale years ago.
 
There was quite a lot for sale at the War n Peace show a couple of years ago for around 30 quid each. Most that i saw were drill jobbies, wish i had bought one. Will be on the lookout this year.
Nice bits of kit.

Andy
 
roller63 said:
I have got a Mk 2, 3, 4 and Drill but not an all steel one, Paul beat to that ! :tinysmile_twink_t: there seemed to be quite a few sectioned ones for sale years ago.
Click to expand...


The all steel one was (IIRC) just experimental in order to create a design that could be manufactured in India where they had no facilities for Mazak production (lucky people). A slightly different steel fabricated version was designed for North American production and became the Mark VI.

As you will know there were also conversions which is why you see tails overstamped with a higher mark number.
 
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