The usual suspets

[dano1917]

Pictured here are some m1917 and m1917 n/A grenades with the full line-up of igniters save the practice pull igniter which to this point for one reason or another has eluded me. Left to right 1) m1917 n/A with Bass instant fire booby trap igniter 2) m1917 smooth body egg with trandport plug 3) m1917 n/A wide band egg with m1917 zinc-alloy pill wire igniter 4) m1917 smooth body egg with m1913 brass pull wire igniter 5) m1917 n/A wide band egg grenade with transport plug 6) m1917 n/awith wide band and m1913 brass pull wire igniter 7) m1917 n/A wide band egg with rare 1916 percussion igniter. 8) m1917 n/A eg with 1916 tin igniter..... I am very proud of this near complete line-up.............Dano

 

[munfrosch]

Nice collection but hard to see like the story of this "boby trap version" would be alive...it would never work! If anybody had used the "Reibzndschraube" he know the reason. only some clever people srewed them in for better selling long time ago and from this time the story was born...

 

[dano1917]

Have pic of one on a kugel fresh out of ground. Cannot post due to live status. It's real unless someone went through a buttload of trouble to stage a photo. I am open minded and realize this is a possibility. The French Digger site has the igniter only dug on a WW1 battlefield (this one not screwed in a grenade). Originally an artillery fuze and adapted to booby trap eggs and kugels (as the story goes) and left for the unsuspection enemy to extract the wire for an instant surprise. You ask 20 knowledgable collectors and you're liable to get 15 different answers, right down to that it was used in American civil war! I KNOW they have been found on WW1 battlefields with at least one example being atop a 1915 kugel. All comments (like you're nuts Dano) definately welcome as this has been a topic of controversy for years. Interesting write up on in at inertord.net which touches on all facets of its use. One thing for sure it looks "cool as hell" on a German grenade. Peace out............Dano

 

[Dronic69]

Hey Dan,

Very nice line up there Mate!

The number (1) m1917 n/A with Bass instant fire booby trap igniter - can you post a photo of the igniter by itself?

Thanks
Cheers
drew

 

[dano1917]

Bass igniter

Yes Drew, Here it is, camera leaves a bit to be desired so best I can do. The wire is a 1/2 assed replacement which I plan to do that better....................Dano

 

[DICKAREN]

Nice line up Dano.
Richard

 

[Dronic69]

Hi Dan,

Firstly thanks for posting the igniter.....it has remarkable similarities to the primers used on the German Minewerfer mortars.

Not sure if they are of similar physical size - I haven't any to "test" with my one remaining Egg.

Cheers
Drew

 

[dano1917]

Drew, the Bass plug will fit some eggs and some it will not, which is also true of the various igniters and transit plugs. Seems to be 2 different thread pitches on various eggs. Included an updated snap (you should read on the plug on inert-ord.net as it has the most info i've seen....Dano