This artifact is documented as an Imperial German Gewehrgranate M1913 rod rifle grenade. German rodded rifle grenades of the First World War are often confused in museum and collector sources, particularly between the M1913 and later M1914 patterns. Based on the configuration and presence of a ranging disc, this example is recorded as the M1913 type.
The Gewehrgranate M1913 represents one of the earliest practical rifle-launched grenade systems of the First World War. Developed at a time when trench warfare rapidly limited the effectiveness of hand-thrown grenades, it allowed German infantry to project explosive charges significantly farther while remaining under cover. Rifle grenades such as this became an important transitional weapon between hand grenades and later light mortars.
Description
The Gewehrgranate M1913 consists of a segmented explosive body mounted above a cylindrical lower section designed to accept a long launching rod. The grenade was fired from a service rifle using a blank cartridge, with the rod inserted into the barrel prior to firing. Expanding gases from the blank propelled the grenade toward the target.
This example is fitted with a range-limiting disc, sometimes referred to as a cupola, mounted at the base of the grenade body. The overall form reflects early experimentation with rifle-launched explosives before standardized cup-type launchers were adopted later in the war.
Ranging disc and range control
The ranging disc allowed the user to control the grenade’s effective range without changing the rifle’s firing angle. The disc could be removed entirely for maximum range, fitted as shown for an intermediate reduction, or reversed to further reduce range. German doctrine typically called for the rifle to be fired at a fixed elevation, commonly around 45 degrees, making the disc particularly useful in the confined spaces of trench systems.
Notes for this specimen
This example is displayed without its launching rod. The rod was an essential component of the firing system but is frequently absent on surviving rifle grenade artifacts due to post-war handling, separation during storage, or later display practices.
Technical specifications
- Body construction: Segmented explosive body with integral fuze assembly
- Range control: Detachable and reversible ranging disc
- Length (grenade body only): Approximately 7.1 inches (180 mm)
- Diameter: Approximately 1.6 inches (40 mm)
- Overall length (with launching rod fitted): Approximately 24.8 inches (630 mm)
- Weight: Approximately 2 pounds (900 g)
- This grenade is inert.
