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David P. Stern
 Expert Boarder
Posts: 115 
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Hi all,
Did the US Army use any rifle launched grenades in WW2?
I didnt believe they did, but I saw a picture (not a photo) of what looked like a small Bazooka type rocket stuck on the end of a rifle carried by a US Soldier.
Can anyone explain this, or is it just another mistake in a poorly researched book?
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Lambofsatan
 Expert Boarder
Posts: 134
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Yes the US did use a variety of rifle grenades during WWII. The standard wartime TO&E for an infantry squad early in the war included one man armed with an M1903 Springfield, specifically fo rthe purpose of firing rifle grenades. About midway through the war, the M7 grenade launcher was introduced for the M1. However due to problems with the early M7s (including the fact that the M1 could not be fired semi-automatically with it attached
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hotelend
 Expert Boarder
Posts: 114
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It got even better than that. My father-in-law, and Pacific combat vet, gave me a couple of (demilitarized) rifle-launched grenades several years ago. One is a practice M7, and the other is the most God-awful Rube Goldberg contraption you ever saw - a 'converter' for a standard pineapple grenade to make it a rifle-launched grenade. It's called 'Adapter, Grenade, Projection, M1', J.J.N. 12', dated 1944. It held the arm of the grenade in a special pocket, and the pineapple grenade was held by 4 notched tension clips. Upon firing, I suppose the grenade is supposed to separate from the adapter, the arm flies off, and thar she blows! Personally, I'd have had to be in some real deep doo-doo before I'd trust that thing.
My practice M7 RLG is labeled anti-tank, by the way. Wonder if it has a small shaped charge under that rounded nose? My practice bazooka round has a pointed nose cap over the shaped charge end.
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adoree
Expert Boarder
Posts: 127
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Sure. It was still in the inventory when I went through basic training in 1956, and still being issued to the Vietnamese in 1964, by which time the Blooper had replaced it in U.S. service. I don't remember the thang very well, except that a blank? cartridge was the propellant. The grenade was purpose-built, I believe. We were taught to fire it from the shoulder, but the Vietnamese being more lightly timbered were taught to place the butt on the ground somewhat like a mortar tube. It worked pretty well, but of course you lost the use of your rifle for a time. - Dan
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