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Two No5's ..I think!

C

corblimy

Well-Known Member
Hello all,
I have been given another grenade recently, not really sure as to what it is. but I believe it to be another No5.
I have a relic dug (ebay purchase) item found on the Somme (on left in images), and which has an early type of drilled lever for the pin to pass through. It also has brass centre tube remains (it looks like it has been butchered to remove the det. And has a brass filler screw. Overall, this is almost identical to other 1916 dated items as seen on various websites ect.

This new addition has a different lever, slightly different shoulders, and alloy centre tube that has signs of milling or lathe turns on the inside, and the filler screw is raised and flush as opposed to the first one which is slightly recessed.
Are they both No5's or is one a different mark.

I would like to buy a correct year stamped base plug if anyone can help?

grenades (6).jpggrenades (1).jpggrenades (3).jpggrenades (4).jpggrenades (5).jpg
 
Hi.It looks to me that its a good nice old centre cast no5mk1 .Darrol.
 
Darrol said:
Hi.It looks to me that its a good nice old centre cast no5mk1 .Darrol.
Click to expand...

Yep, both look centre cast to me.

These appear to be both no 5s. You have to remember that there were so bloody many of these made and by different casters, there will be differences. The early lever you have was done away with after a short while as it meant that you had to have the lever made specifically for the grenade body in the same factory (pain in the arse when doing lots), the one on the right has the later lever which could be used on any of the no5s and later 23s,
 
Many thanks pointblank & Darrol!
I see there are base plugs on ebay, so something dated around 1917 would be ideal for this new addition?
 
Hi.i think you should go for 1915/16 dated plug .an alloy 1915 dated one would be ideal but are very scarce.
 
Yeah. 1917 baseplug would have been too late for a centre cast grenade.Like Darrol says, 1915/16 would be fine. Brass one would be fine if your budget is a little low. You can usually pick these up for about a fiver.
 
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