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MK-2 Grenade Marks?

Pea Shooter

Pea Shooter

Well-Known Member
I have been away from finding ordnance. I have been finding other things. I picked up a mint WWI K-98, a Commission 88, a mint KAR-88, a mint WWI Shako, and a few small items.
Just recently a friend gave me these two MK-2 bodies. Are they WWII? Can anyone tell me anything about them? Thank you, Vaughn
 

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I'd say the first one is pre-WW2 ('20s-'30s era) due to the color (if original). May be late WW1. A complete pic would help narrow things down.

The 2nd one is most likely WW2 vintage. A MK2A1

Bottom shots are helpful, as well.
 
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Actually according to my research the Mk 2A1 would have been defined by using only the M10A3 fuze mechanism with a filling of EC blankfire powder. The bodies did not define the Mk 2 or Mk 2A1. Either of them could have a body style with the solid bottom or a bottom with a filling plug. Does this fit with what you have found?
 
sgtlynn said:
Actually according to my research the Mk 2A1 would have been defined by using only the M10A3 fuze mechanism with a filling of EC blankfire powder. The bodies did not define the Mk 2 or Mk 2A1. Either of them could have a body style with the solid bottom or a bottom with a filling plug. Does this fit with what you have found?
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Just going by this:
http://members.shaw.ca/dwlynn/Markings.htm#American Manufacturers

"S on its side in an oval" = "Mk. IIA1 body"

Not a MKII frag collector, so have to go by what's out there on the intraweb.
 
OOPs, guess I will have to change that :smile:, haven't had much chance to amend the website with new information lately.
 
You are my go to guy on things like this. Scoured your books on this prior to my original comment. That "S" thing was all I could find that narrowed the search. I'm sure more learned fellows will jump in with corrections and definitive answers before it's all done.

What are your thoughts on the gray one?
 
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We recovered to of the same grey color a few years back from the wife of a WWII and Korea vet who was a Ranger. Both had M205 Fuzes and both were grey and both were MKII TNT grenades. One is shown in the photo below.

From "Rifle and Hand Grenade Development, 1945 - Research and Development Service"

"The MKII Grenade body with the M10A3 fuze was designated the MKIIA1 to distinguish it from the MKII bodies equipped with previous fuzes such as the M10, M10A1 and M10A2. Some of these bodies contained a tapped hole and a metal plug in the base while others had a solid metal base. The decision as to whether the plug was used or not was optional with the manufacturer."
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The procurement for the M10A2 fuze was terminated on October 1, 1943.

In June 1944 procurement for 6 Million grenades designated "Grenade, Hand, Fragmentation, MK II (TNT) with Fuze, Hand Grenade, M204, (T2E1) was let. This was done because the light from the primer flash on the MKIIA1 with M10A3 fuze was 50 yards and that was deemed too much. The M204 was considered a "Noiseless and Flashless fuze).

I would say that the body on the left is probably a later version than the one on the right and I would base that on the design on the bottom row of frag. The left is more sharp which seems to have appeared later in the development and the body on the right, while green with a yellow stripe at the top has a less pronounced design which was common in the early years (30's to early 40's).
 

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sgtlynn said:
Whats with the grey paint on such a late grenade, it looks original ?????
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It is and the spoon is the same color. We think that it was something the Rangers did specifically but haven't been able to pin it down.
 
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