Early MK2 practice

[Grenademan2005]

Dont touch it, you have 95% choices of broke it, they are aluminium with zinc alloy, (I believe), and it is a very hard metal, but in the same time very fragile.

 

[dano1917]

Hi Joe, Great find on the MKII. If you don't mind, i'd also like to see pics of your 1953 practice pineapple. Cheers and welcome....Dano

 

[35thid]

Ask and ye shall receive... Here are some pictures of the grenade that got me started. a 1953 dated fuse on a MK2 Practice grenade. Sorry about the color, but my camera is just about ready to kick the bucket. It is the original paint.

 

[dano1917]

Excellent Joe, Thanks so much for sharing. 2-53 is an early modern fuze on the RFX M21. That piece is better than you know. Thanx again........Dano

 

[Kilroy was Here]

Looked at the grenade more closely last night and there is a cork plug that was bouncing around inside of it. I got it out and it looks old. Did they use cork plugs on these?

Also, The fuse on it is an early fuse. It had the extra part ground off. The more I study this grenade, the more I like it!

Joe

Hello Joe, welcome to the forum. Excellent grenade you picked up....and almost for free!! Can you please post a pic of your fuze where it had the "tail" cut off? I have one also, and have never seen another one yet. They are very rare to find. They are the original WWI side swing lever fuze bouchons that were modified and had the "tail" cut off with a band saw. At least it looks like a band saw did it to me.

Here's a pic of my late WWI-early post WWI grenade with one of these modified fuze bouchons.

 

[Kilroy was Here]

It is only me or the fuze head is damaged, (bent)? 20$ for that grenade is a really bargain, maybe God still exists yet, short spoon, cut back fuze with dust cover, early dark blue paint.... what more can you ask?

No, it's not you, it is bent, it was dropped at sometime, and can be fixed, but only by someone who knows how to do it. I have seen them fixed before. The early bouchons (fuze body) are made from a lead alloy, not zinc or aluminum.

 

[Kilroy was Here]

A cork plug? STEEEEEEVE!!!!!!!!!!!! :tinysmile_tongue_t:

Yes Miguel, I'm here.......OK, there was a cork inside a early blue trainer.......did you want to say something more about this?
It's a little unusual to have one still rattling around inside after this long, but a cork plug is correct. Although I will say, from the pics, I do not think I see any varnish or laquer on the bottom of this grenade to seal the cork plug, which I also think is correct for time period.

Did we ever get a definitive answer to when this varnish-laquer sealer started to be used to seal corks on trainers?

 

[hink441]

Take a look at the bottom of this M21. The paint looks like it has been faded. Any thoughts on the cause?? This is not my auction, but I was just curious.:neutral:

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=213054861

 

[Kilroy was Here]

Take a look at the bottom of this M21. The paint looks like it has been faded. Any thoughts on the cause?? This is not my auction, but I was just curious.:neutral:

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=213054861

I have one very similar to that one with the discolored blue paint at the bottom. It is probably from the heat of repeated black powder explosions or ignitions. It could be also from the varnish or laquer that was sometimes used. Hard to tell what caused it.

 

[Grenademan2005]

I bet for the first cause.