pzgr40
Well-Known Member
Cutaway model of a ‘2,6cm Wurfgranatpatrone 326 LP’, which translates as a ‘2,6cm propelled grenade 326 flare gun’. The development of this type of cartridge started in December 1937, the goal was changing a flare gun from a pure means of signalling into the muli function role of signal pistol and grenade launcher. It was observed that hand grenades could not be thrown very far, and with the development of the WGr.326 LP the German army had the means of launching an explosive charge with a flare gun up to 200 mtrs with a degree of precission. The WGr. 326 Lp could also be fired from the Kampfpistole -a rifled gun-, the WGr.326 LP projectile fitted the lands of the rifling. As the WGr,326 LP has a tail, it dit not require the spinning of the projectile for accuracy.
The total weight of a WGr.326 LP cartridge is 140 grams, the explosive charge in the projectile is 10 grams.
Total length of the cartridge is 133mm, projectile length is 115mm. Length of the shellcase is 67mm.
The fragmentation of the porojectile is lethal up to 10 meters of the impact point.
Description and functioning of the projectile:
The body and tail of the projectile are made from aluminium. They are connected by means of an aluminium bolt, placed inside the projectile body. This bolt has a hole drilled through, small at the base, wide in the middle and smaller to the top. The nose cap and pressed in firing pin are steel made. The explosive charge is placed in a sheet steel cup which has an internally threaded ring placed in top , fixated to the sheet steel cup with four indentations. An aluminium ring, housing the pressure spring is screwed into the steel ring. Under this aluminium ring, an aluminium duplex detonator is placed in the explosive charge of TNT. Looking at it’s dimensions this is most probably the same duplex detonator as used in the nose fuze of the 2cm Brandgranate.
To the base of the sheet steel cup a small steel pipe is rivetted, which has an axial and a radial hole, the radial hole housing two steel balls.
When safe (projectile in shellcase) the rivetted steel pipe is placed in the hole of the aluminium bolt . The two balls in the steel pipe are kept in outward position by the safety piston, which is made of a pin with a flange. As long as this pin keeps the two balls apart, the cup with the explosives is fixated from any movement. As soon as the projectile is fired, the airstream will push the flanged pin out (Pict.02) , allowing the steel balls to move inward.
Upon impact, inertia swings the cup with the explosives forward -riding the spring- pushing the duplex detonator into the firing pin, exploding the detonator and the main charge.
The shellcase is aluminium made, with a plastic ring placed it the base of the shellcase. This ring has a cone shaped hole on the inside , housing the propulsion charge (powder). Between the powdercharge and the tail of the grenade a set of three discs are placed; a thick felt disc just above the powder charge, a steel disc above it, and a thin felt disc on top of the steel disc. The set of discs has two purposes; the first is to act like a sort of piston, the second to enshure the arming pin cannot fall out of the tail before the projectile has left the barrel of the weapon.
Regards, DJH
The total weight of a WGr.326 LP cartridge is 140 grams, the explosive charge in the projectile is 10 grams.
Total length of the cartridge is 133mm, projectile length is 115mm. Length of the shellcase is 67mm.
The fragmentation of the porojectile is lethal up to 10 meters of the impact point.
Description and functioning of the projectile:
The body and tail of the projectile are made from aluminium. They are connected by means of an aluminium bolt, placed inside the projectile body. This bolt has a hole drilled through, small at the base, wide in the middle and smaller to the top. The nose cap and pressed in firing pin are steel made. The explosive charge is placed in a sheet steel cup which has an internally threaded ring placed in top , fixated to the sheet steel cup with four indentations. An aluminium ring, housing the pressure spring is screwed into the steel ring. Under this aluminium ring, an aluminium duplex detonator is placed in the explosive charge of TNT. Looking at it’s dimensions this is most probably the same duplex detonator as used in the nose fuze of the 2cm Brandgranate.
To the base of the sheet steel cup a small steel pipe is rivetted, which has an axial and a radial hole, the radial hole housing two steel balls.
When safe (projectile in shellcase) the rivetted steel pipe is placed in the hole of the aluminium bolt . The two balls in the steel pipe are kept in outward position by the safety piston, which is made of a pin with a flange. As long as this pin keeps the two balls apart, the cup with the explosives is fixated from any movement. As soon as the projectile is fired, the airstream will push the flanged pin out (Pict.02) , allowing the steel balls to move inward.
Upon impact, inertia swings the cup with the explosives forward -riding the spring- pushing the duplex detonator into the firing pin, exploding the detonator and the main charge.
The shellcase is aluminium made, with a plastic ring placed it the base of the shellcase. This ring has a cone shaped hole on the inside , housing the propulsion charge (powder). Between the powdercharge and the tail of the grenade a set of three discs are placed; a thick felt disc just above the powder charge, a steel disc above it, and a thin felt disc on top of the steel disc. The set of discs has two purposes; the first is to act like a sort of piston, the second to enshure the arming pin cannot fall out of the tail before the projectile has left the barrel of the weapon.
Regards, DJH
