BACKGROUND: The development and production of German army ordnance was under the supervision of the HwaA, Heereswaffenamt, (Army Ordnance Office), which was a subsection of the OKH, Oberkommando des Heeres, (High Command of the Army), and was responsible for testing, evaluation and eventual issue of all ordnance. The HwaA would issue all ordnance to a units Quartiermeister, (Supply HQ unit/Quartermaster), which contained the units Administration, Medical, Veterinarian, and Transport Officers and its main responsibility was the control of all supplies to the forward troops including all vehicle fuel, and lubricant requirements as well as animal feed and rations and ammunition and accessories. The high explosive, concussion, M24 stick grenade was a modification of the WWI German M1915 stick grenade and was to become the most common grenade used by Germany during WWII. Modifications of the M24 resulted in the longer M39 grenade in 1939 and the M43 grenade with a different fuze insertion configuration in 1943. The M24, M39 and M43 grenades were all armed with TNT with a four to five second time delay fuse and had an effective radius of approximately twelve to fourteen yards. The M43 high explosive concussion hand grenade was a simplified modification of the M24 and M39 grenades and was introduced in 1943 in an attempt to increase production and cut costs. The main modifications of the M43 was the use of a solid wooden handle which necessitated applying the fuse assembly to the top of the grenade head. The use of the solid wooden handle eliminated the costly and time consuming routing out of the handle while the insertion of the fuse into the top of the head was easily and inexpensively accomplished. Of Note: Observations on the Russian front of the effectiveness of the Russian RGD33 grenade with fragmentation sleeve led the Germans to copy the idea and develop their own grenade fragmentation sleeve. The first German fragmentation sleeve was a smooth version introduced by the Waffen-SS, Waffen-und Geräteamtes, (Weapons and Equipment Office), under command of SS-Oberführer Heinrich Gärtner in mid-1942. Shortly after the introduction of the Waffen-SS fragmentation sleeve the army’s HwaA, followed suit by developing a serrated version of the fragmentation grenade although both patterns were used by both organizations. The fragmentation sleeves were originally designed to friction fit on the head of the stick grenade altering it from a purely concussion weapon to a more damaging fragmentation weapon. The fragmentation sleeves could be utilized with any of the three stick grenade models, StiGr. M24, M39 and M43. Also Of Note: Regulations of December 9TH 1943 ordered that one third of all stick grenades be furnished with the fragmentation sleeves.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: M43 stick grenade ordnance with sheet metal construction head and a lathed, contoured, solid, natural soft wood handle. All components nicely marked and dated for 1944. Comes with fragmentation sleeve. Getting hard to find.

Please note, due to Postal Regulations. De-activated firearms and Inert Ordnance may not be shipped outside of Canada.