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Pins & Strikers, what metals were they made of
- Thread starter Christoff
- Start date
1. The spec likely varies over time but a typical spec (No23M Mk II DITW36H) requires:
Retaining ring and pin to be made from mild steel wire having a tensile strength of 26 to 39 tons, and well polished.
Striker to be of bright steel
2. Brass split pins were allowed for a short while (eg Spec L 4178 No23 Mk I), spec calls for 'ordinary' brass split pins.
Retaining ring and pin to be made from mild steel wire having a tensile strength of 26 to 39 tons, and well polished.
Striker to be of bright steel
2. Brass split pins were allowed for a short while (eg Spec L 4178 No23 Mk I), spec calls for 'ordinary' brass split pins.
Missileman
Well-Known Member
That's fascinating information, it really is and answers a question I have about one of my grenades for sure, but where is all this written down?RegardsMike
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Mike. It's written in a million different tech. manuals & government specification pamphlets . Sadly , these are in a million different places . There is , as yet , no single source & we have to rely on the good auspices of two or three VERY knowlegeable individuals who have spent YEARS studying the facts . These are mainly [but not exclusively] Bonnex , Snufkin & Millsbomber . We all owe them a debt of thanks & also BOCN for assembling a world class website & members that can answer the most obscure of queries in their own field of expertise .Mike.
Just to add a couple of details to what Bonnex has already said...
Spec L3587 of September 1915 for the No.5 Mk I called for the retaining pin and ring to be of bright steel, the ring being the small ring (outer diameter .85-inch). Then in February 1916, because of rusted pins breaking, there was a change to brass:
"It has now been settled that no more grenades are to be delivered to the Filling Stations unless fitted with the larger sized split rings and brass pins." (TWSD weekly report w/e 12.2.16.) The larger ring being the commonplace 1.25 inch outer diameter ring.
In due course things came full circle as failures of the brass pins caused the approval of reversion to steel:
"Safety pins, turned steel, for grenades" (DGMD/G/429 3.10.16).The pull ring remained the large type of course.
So there was a window (covering most of the period of Somme I) when brass pins were used with the No.5 and No.23 MkI.
Tom.
Spec L3587 of September 1915 for the No.5 Mk I called for the retaining pin and ring to be of bright steel, the ring being the small ring (outer diameter .85-inch). Then in February 1916, because of rusted pins breaking, there was a change to brass:
"It has now been settled that no more grenades are to be delivered to the Filling Stations unless fitted with the larger sized split rings and brass pins." (TWSD weekly report w/e 12.2.16.) The larger ring being the commonplace 1.25 inch outer diameter ring.
In due course things came full circle as failures of the brass pins caused the approval of reversion to steel:
"Safety pins, turned steel, for grenades" (DGMD/G/429 3.10.16).The pull ring remained the large type of course.
So there was a window (covering most of the period of Somme I) when brass pins were used with the No.5 and No.23 MkI.
Tom.
Mike,
On behalf of the three wise monkeys (something you keep your balls on) I thank you and counter with your invaluable contribution sustained over many years. Enough of the 'blowing sunshine...'.
The specs are 'gettable' but be warned they need drawings to be complete and both the spec and the drawings need to be at the same revision level to give precise information. Further, if you want to tie up dates etc., you need to know when a revision was made, which means accessing 'approvals' (which come in a number of forms). The spec that Tom mentioned for instance has 13 revisions (perhaps more my copy only goes up to L3587M) and sometimes the tiny amendment is a real gem. For instance the Filling Spec contemporary with the one Tom mentions is L3579 and it is revised up until L3579I but at L3579E the Grenade, Hand, No 5 Mark I /L/ is advanced to Grenade, Hand, No 5 Mark II /L/.
There are probably better way to spend your evenings than reading specifications.
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Missileman
Well-Known Member
This is all extraordinary..Thank you all for your contributions. I find it fascinating.Mike
After reading this post i thought i would dig out all the strikers i have and this is what i have come up with,
The first one (left to right) is Aussie J mine striker,
2nd this i found in a WW2 Mills ???? if any one else has one of these please let us know,
3rd No36 Mk1 and No36 M Mk1 / Mk2 No23 Mk3,
4th No23 Mk1 / Mk2,
5th No5 Mk1 Mk2,
6th WW1 French made Mills.
The first one (left to right) is Aussie J mine striker,
2nd this i found in a WW2 Mills ???? if any one else has one of these please let us know,
3rd No36 Mk1 and No36 M Mk1 / Mk2 No23 Mk3,
4th No23 Mk1 / Mk2,
5th No5 Mk1 Mk2,
6th WW1 French made Mills.