What's new
British Ordnance Collectors Network

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Hungarian M 42 operation

batonroundcollector

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
I have just acquired an M 42 (drill version) and wondered when throwing live grenade, would just one end of the tape be pulled to release pin - with the remaining tape being released in flight (like Allways fuze), or would it be pulled clean off, with it being then armed?
 
Here you are:

Cutaway model of an Hungarian M42 stick grenade. The grenade can be modified from defensive to ofensive by removing the cast iron M58 fragmentation sleeve.
The grenade is build up of a sheet metal grenade body, threaded in top and at the base. This allows charges to be screwed on top of one another, as to form a more powerfull handgrenade either a demolition charge. In the center of the grenade body a pressed sheet metal detonator well is placed. The wooden stick is hollow and houses an ingenious ignition system.
Before throwing, the safety pin (A) with the fabric strip is removed. One takes the explosive charge in one hand, the stick in the other and pulls them apart. This causes the firing pin (B) in its housing (C) attached to the wooden stick by means of a radial pin (D)- to move backward. The side of the flat firing pin has a bulge (E, green) on the side that fits a slot (F) in the pipe piece (G)of the detonator housing assembly. By moving the firing pin backward, the bulge will be moved inward by the slot, pushing the firing pin into the centerline of the firing cap (purple arrow).
By releasing the explosive charge, the springs (H) wil pull the firing pin into the firing cap (J), igniting the pyrotechnic fuze. This will ignite the detonator.
The lethal radius of the grenade is 5 to 10 meters.

Weight of the grenade : 310 grams
Weight of the explosive charge : 134 grams of TNT
Length of the grenade : 194 mm
Length of explosive body : 76 mm
Diameter of the grenade : 48mm
Diameter of the M58 Frangentation sleeve: 63,5 mm
Delay : between 3,5 and 4,5 seconds.

Regards, DJH

To my regret, only a woorden stick was available for the pyrotechnic delay and detonator part. I replaced the wood with an aluminium dummy
 

Attachments

  • M42 stick grenade, Hungary, backside cutaway model.JPG
    M42 stick grenade, Hungary, backside cutaway model.JPG
    114.4 KB · Views: 28
  • M42 stick grenade, Hungary, cutaway model.JPG
    M42 stick grenade, Hungary, cutaway model.JPG
    160.5 KB · Views: 54
  • M42 stick grenade, Hungary, fuze detail, cutaway.JPG
    M42 stick grenade, Hungary, fuze detail, cutaway.JPG
    171.2 KB · Views: 46
more complex than I imagined - thanks for posting DJH :)

when you say "One takes the explosive charge in one hand...", do you mean you grip the 'head' and pull upwards (away from the stick)?

also, do you know where I might get a M58 fragmentation sleeve for my M42?
 
Last edited:
Top