Original M43 Stick Grenade Threaded Cap?

[peregrinvs]

I have just acquired this M43 stick grenade handle with threaded end cap. It was sold as a repro and I paid a repro price for it. However, I was wondering if there was any possibility that the threaded end cap might be original? As you can see, it has screwed quite happily into the original M43 head that I am currently restoring. No big deal if it isn’t, but I would be interested in some opinions.

 

[BMG50]

Threading tin is quite difficult, been trying to figure this out for years, wanted to make up some replica smoke that fitted the 247 fuze which has a rounded large thread, not sure how its done on thin tin, bit similar to bottle top threads. Not sure if you form the shape of the diameter and height as a blank cap and put it through a forming die. The only way your grenade was most probably threaded was using a solid billet that was threaded to start using a rounded thread cutter ground to shape and the thin end of the unthreaded part hollowed and skimmed to tin thickness to give the impression of a tin formed pressing.

 

[peregrinvs]

I tried googling the ‘ftd 44’ marking and found a couple of references:

https://www.bergflak.com/m24makers.html

https://www.warrelics.eu/forum/fiel...rd-reich/these-wooden-handle-original-727509/

Which suggests my handle is a fake made to deceive rather than an honest repro. I also posted the pics on a FB group and someone commented “The stick is a known copy. Best on the market”.

Given how difficult it must be to accurately copy the threaded cap (as alluded to by BMG50 above), somebody somewhere has gone to a lot of trouble to make it. Presumably they considered it financially worth their while.

 

[Millsman]

No hole for the ball or string. Must be fake.

 

[Snufkin]

No hole for the ball or string. Must be fake.

It's an M43...

 

[Millsman]

How does that work then?

 

[peregrinvs]

A fine page on the Stielhandgranate 43

https://www.bergflak.com/m24m43.html

 

[Millsman]

A fine page on the Stielhandgranate 43

https://www.bergflak.com/m24m43.html

Thanks very much. Not seen that one before. All the notes I have on German stick grenades from WW2 show porcelaine rings and strings. WW2 German things are not really my interest but you can still learn something every day here.