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No: 20 Rifle Grenade Rod

BMG50

BMG50

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
Does anyone have the diameter of the 10 inch long steel rod that sits in the barrel of a .303 rifle for a No:20 grenade. I assume all rods for these rifle grenades for the .303 is of a standard size and don't vary from models. Is the rod 10 inches including thread or 10 inches plus the thread.
Does anyone have the length and diameter of the creep spring for the No:20.

Many thanks.
 
If you have Rick Landers' bible "Grenade..", all the information you seek is inside the front cover.

If you don't, rod length is 10-inch exclusive of thread, or 10.26 inclusive; diameter 0.3-inch. Spring is 1.45-inch long, tapered from 0.2-inch diameter to 0.36-inch.
 
I measured my rod on my No20 and it is 7.90 mm exactly obviously not the correct size for .303. But I did notice that the No2 grenade also had a rod made for the 8mm Lebel French rifle, is it possible the French used No20 grenade and other British rifle grenades in their rifles fitted with a bigger dia rod.
 
The French ordered 65,000 No 2 Rifle Grenades but only a part of the order was delivered to them. The majority were converted for British use with new rods or handles. By the time the No 20 was being introduced the French were bringing in the VB grenade so I'm not sure they would have used the later British Rifle grenades. They did have their own rodded rifle grenade, the Feuillette.
 
Would this be the case with the No3 rifle grenade which was made around the time of the No2 which was converted to the No20 by removing the clip and wind vane, just wondered if the rod i got on mine got swapped as they are both identical unless you have a set of verniers or try and fit in down a .303 barrel.
 
There is the strong possibility that it is simply a fake rod. 8mm mild steel rod has been very readily available for many years, certainly much easier to find than 7.62mm rod, and an electroplated copper layer does not take long to oxidise to a deep dark brown colour.
 
Your most probally right but it clocks out at 7.90 which is a bit off for 8mm rod.
 
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