No77

[Andysarmoury]

Hi, can any body tell me what MB stands for please its an early one being 3/43 can any one throw any more light on this one also its missing its top or was it made that way?
thanks
Andy

 

[butterfly]

Hi Andy,

Can't tell you what it stands for but possibly manufacturer. I think I may have seen the same marking on a naval action ration tin I owned many years ago. May be barking up the wrong tree, but all the info I can give you.

regards Kev

 

[Andysarmoury]

Hi Kev, thanks i have seen others the same but a later date and with the top serrated bit and there is one for sale on J Carlin web site
Andy

 

[Big Dave]

Hi Andy does the MB have a number after it ? MB is the Metal Box Company which had branches in Carlisle ,Hull ,Mansfield ,Newcastle and at least 3 in London they made everything from 73 AT Grenades ,ration tins ,parts for Sten guns .Hope this helps ,Dave

 

[Andysarmoury]

Hi Dave, thanks all it has is 10 MB nothing else apart from 77-1
Andy

 

[TimG]

10MB - Metal Box Company,
Metal Box Co., Henry Grant, Boutle & Co., Bermondsey
Riley Road. SE1
Jilt, Berm
BERmondsey 2803 (3 lines)
(Tin box makers)

Regards

TimG

 

[Big Dave]

Sorry Andy i dont know where 10 MB Factory was but someone else here might .I have a Boiled sweet ration tin with a 5 MB mark .a Boiled Sweet Salt &Matches tin with 3 MB and a foot powder tin marked 12 MB,so it looks like there were a least 12 factories

 

[Andysarmoury]

Thanks Tim G and big Dave.
Regards
Andy

 

[TimG]

1 M. B. - Metal box Co., Atkins Branch. (F. Atkins & Co., Ltd), Hull.

2 M. B. - Metal box Co., Robinson branch, Hull.

3 M. B. - Metal Box Co., Barclay & Fry. (Printing works), London. SE1.

4 M. B. - Metal Box Co., Portslade Factory.

5 M. B. - Metal Box Co., E. C. Barlow & Sons, Hackney, London.

6 M. B. - Metal Box Co., Barringer Wallis & Manners Mansfield, Notts.

9 M. B. - Metal Box Co., Manchester Factory.

10 M. B. - Metal Box Co., Henry Grant, Boutle, Bermondsey, SE1

11 M. B. - Metal Box Co., Hodgsons, Newcastle.

12 M. B. - Metal Box Co., Hudsons, Scott & Sons, Carlisle (Milk can) factory.

13 M. B. - Metal Box Co., (E. C. Barlow & Sons. Palmers Green Factory.), London.

14 M. B. - Metal Box Co., G. H.Williamsons. Worcester.

15 M. B. - Metal Box Co., West Glamorgan, Clydbech.

16 M.B. - Metal Box Co., Cork Eire(!)

30 M. B. - Metal Box Co., Neath Factory. Neath.

Regards

TimG

 

[Andysarmoury]

That's Brilliant TimG thank you very much it will be very useful
All the best
Andy

 

[hangarman]

Hi, can any body tell me what MB stands for please its an early one being 3/43 can any one throw any more light on this one also its missing its top or was it made that way?
thanks
Andy

British made 77's didnt have the extra top piece, the majority you see are Canadian made.
Hangarman

 

[Andysarmoury]

Thanks Hangarman, that's interesting as i have seen the British ones with and without the top, can anybody else throw any more light on this one.
Andy

 

[paul the grenade]

The top ribbed collar was to aid the removal of the fuze for insertion of the detonator before use. If it wasn't there you would have to twist the cap to remove the fuze which could result in the cap just unscrewing and leaving the fuze in place. i have tried fitting a 247 fuze into the bodies of a british and canadian body without the ribbed collar and they just drop in without engaging the threads. Andy, does your fuze have any remenants of metal threads on the threads of the bakelite fuze?
cheers, paul.

 

[wilson]

British No 77 Grenade

In response to Paul comments regarding the silver ribbed comment, i'm sorry I don't agree. I agree with most you say Paul as you are usually correct. My examples work perfectly without the silver collar - Maybe it has something to do with date manufactured or as previously stated one being from Britain and the other from Canada. I will send a picture to this thread demonstrating this shortly (can't do it until later this afternoon).

Sorry to disagree with you Paul - You are an expert in my eyes but felt had to comment when I have an example which differs from what you said. Please don't take it negatively. :crossedlips:

 

[paul the grenade]

Hi wilson. im Glad to learn something new.
There must have been some earlier bodies without the collar. maybe just different manufacturers or it may have been a later feature for safety reasons??
im sure someone will come up with the answer soon.
cheers, paul.

 

[wilson]

No 77 - Pictures with alternative fuse holder !

Hello Paul - Thanks for taking it in the spirit it was intended - I am able to attach the pictures for you all to see. I also show one held upside down as demonstrated by holding it against a ceiling fitting to proove it is upside down and not trick photography. Anyway hope you like the pictures.

 

[Andysarmoury]

Hi Paul, yes it has the threaded bit that the fuze screws into and it screws into the body of the grenade so has the ribbed collar been cut off or was it made like that
cheers
Andy

 

[Bonnex]

No 77 WP

I can tell you that from my humble research into the subject that the designs by Porton (they were the design authority for smoke grenades) (CD 4441, 4481 etc) covering the No 77 Mk I, Mk 1/1 and Mk 2 all used a steel or black plate fuze holder (the ribbed collar) for the reasons you describe (ie mainly to do with removing a detonator safely). You will appreciate that the 69, 70, 71 and GP grenades, which used the same fuze, were 'detted' from the other end (don't ask about the 73!) and in any case Porton had a particularly acute safety preoccupation in their designs.

Of course I have seen British 77s without the fuze holder, with bits of fuze holder, made up from a No 80 (a friend did this in desparation to be able to show a 77 in his collection) but this was in the days before Ben found a treasure trove of Canadian examples in Europe so everybody could have one.

As for the Canadian designs I'm afraid my knowledge stops short of Newfoundland - this is Darryl Lynn's territory. What I would say though from an ammunition technical perpective is that it would be unusual to introduce such a fundamental change of design, requiring different drill (albeit only slightly), without advancing the Mark number - not unheard of tho!

 

[paul the grenade]

Hi Andy and wilson.
Both yours have the bottom of the collar present. Thats why the fuze fits ok.
Maybe they have been rusted beyond help and cut down or something like that.
Cheers, Paul.

 

[Andysarmoury]

Thanks Paul, that's what i thought it had been cut off, now where in the hell am i going to get one from is the next question they must be like hens teeth
Cheers
Andy