I recently received this item with a group of grenades, an unusual piece in somewhat rough condition. I’m not convinced it is a grenade, and while I suppose a rifle grenade is possible I am leaning toward submunition. Personal bias I suppose, to a carpenter everything looks like a nail. I would be most happy if someone could correct me…
Body is heavy and fragile, seems to be made of a mortar/masonry/concrete type mix. Has a green band around the circumference, but may be faded from some other color. The top is flat, with emission holes around the edge. The center of the top has the remnants of a possible post, which may have been for a suspension cable if it was in fact dispensed. The fill is/was CN (chloroacetophenone) tear gas, enough remains to made identification quick and obvious. The bottom of the item has raised letters, reading “B&T Missile Pat. Pend”. This commercial reference is the main detail that pushes me away from a submunition identification, though Federal Labs made small gas bombs in the 30s. The flat top with the raised ridges is familiar to me, but I cannot quite place it. The closest I’ve come is the appearance of some of the fuze tops on the M83 submunition, though that is not quite it….
Body is heavy and fragile, seems to be made of a mortar/masonry/concrete type mix. Has a green band around the circumference, but may be faded from some other color. The top is flat, with emission holes around the edge. The center of the top has the remnants of a possible post, which may have been for a suspension cable if it was in fact dispensed. The fill is/was CN (chloroacetophenone) tear gas, enough remains to made identification quick and obvious. The bottom of the item has raised letters, reading “B&T Missile Pat. Pend”. This commercial reference is the main detail that pushes me away from a submunition identification, though Federal Labs made small gas bombs in the 30s. The flat top with the raised ridges is familiar to me, but I cannot quite place it. The closest I’ve come is the appearance of some of the fuze tops on the M83 submunition, though that is not quite it….
