Original German WWII Inert M24 Stick Grenade Stielhandgranate Dated 1941 by Richard Rinker & and Wilhelm von Hagen Original Items

Original Item. Only One Available. This is a very nice example of a WWII German M-1924 German Stick Grenade. It still retains some of its original paint and the original markings can be seen on both the shaft and the head of the grenade. Like all deactivated ordnance, this grenade is Not Available for Export.

The front of the war head had, at one time, the full black stenciled writing that reads Vor Gebrauch Sprengkapsel Einsetzen (Before use insert detonator). This paint is now almost completely gone with very small bits still legible. There is a date on the side of the head, stamped upside down. The day is gone but 2.41 can be made out, for a manufacture date of February 1941. The paint on the head has a great number of scratches and areas of loss, especially on the sides, but a white Waffenamt is still clearly visible on the top. The top of the head also bears a maker’s stamp, reading 41 evy, for the maker Wilhelm von Hagen Metallwarenfabrik, Iserlohn Westfalen. This firm is a metalworking business who manufactured grenades and artillery shell fuses during the war.

The shaft of the grenade bears a faint maker’s stamp, RR 1940, for Richard Rinker without any subcontractor numbers present. All early (pre/early 1940) Stielhandgranate 24 were marked with the letters “ЯR” to fool the Allies. The wood is in great condition but does have small nicks and denting. The end cap is still retained and screws off with a great deal of resistance from years of oxidation. The pull string and bead are not present.

This is a fine all original example with known maker markings, ready for further research and display!

In WW2 the stick of the German M24 (Model 24) grenade provided a lever, significantly improving the throwing distance. The Model 24 could be thrown approximately 30 to 40 yards, whereas the British Mills bomb could only be thrown about 15 yards. The design also minimized the risk of the grenade rolling downhill back towards the thrower when used in hilly terrain or in urban areas. These grenades were extremely useful for clearing out entrenched infantry positions.

As grenades were disposable, encountering them on the market is very rare, making this an excellent opportunity to acquire one to complete a WW2 ordnance collection.

The Stielhandgranate (German for “stick hand grenade”) was a German hand grenade distinguished by its wooden handle. It was a standard grenade for the German Empire during World War I, and Germany’s Wehrmacht during World War II. Its distinctive appearance led to it being called a “stick grenade”, or “potato masher” in British Army slang, and it remains one of the most easily recognized infantry weapons of the 20th century.

Germany entered World War I with a single grenade type: a heavy 750-gram (26 oz) ball-shaped fragmentation grenade (Kugelhandgranate) for use only by pioneers in attacking fortifications. It was too heavy for regular battlefield use by untrained troops and not suitable for mass production. This left Germany without a standard-issue grenade and improvised designs similar to those of the British were used until a proper grenade could be supplied.

Germany introduced the “stick grenade” in 1915, the second year of the conflict. Aside from its unusual appearance, the Stielhandgranate used a friction igniter system. This had been used in other German grenades, but was uncommon internationally.

During World War I, the Stielhandgranate, under the name M1915 (Model 1915), competed technologically with the British standard-issue Mills bomb series. The first Mills bomb – the grenade No. 5 Mk. 1 – was introduced the same year as the German Model 1915, but due to manufacturing delays it was not widely distributed into general service until 1916. Thus, there was a small period of time where German troops had large supplies of new Model 1915 grenades, while their British opponents only had a small number.

As World War I progressed, the Model 1915 Stielhandgranate was improved with various changes. These variants received designations such as the Model 1916 and the Model 1917.

Model 1924 (M24):
Upon the German Empire’s defeat at the conclusion of World War I, the collapse of industrial capability and military strength of Germany left many projects and ideas forgotten for years. When the newly created Weimar Republic progressively began to repair both the physical and economic devastation, a slow rebuilding of the armed forces was allowed under the limitations set by the allies.

The Weimar Republic revived the Stielhandgranate, and created a new version in 1924, the “Model 1924 Stielhandgranate” (M24). While retaining the same explosive and fuse, the main distinction between the M24 and the original M15 is a slightly shorter charge head and the removal of a belt carry clip. Another change in the design was a lengthening of the wooden handle. The intent of these design alterations was simply for mobility; German soldiers could easily (and often did) tuck the grenade in behind their uniform’s belt, held tight and secure. Being slightly lighter, and smaller in thickness, this improved overall use.

The M24 is well known as the standard hand grenade of the armed forces of the Wehrmacht during World War II. Adapting to the rapidly changing field of modern warfare, German soldiers would carry the M24 directly in front, allowing quick and easy access. However, in the later years of the war it was often advised to carry them in a different manner, as it was very likely any sort of explosion or heat could light the fuse from the grenade on the belt, resulting in unnecessary casualties.

The Model 24 Stielhandgranate was stored in specially designed crates during transport, which could carry up to 15 individual grenades. As a safety precaution, units of the Wehrmacht were advised to only insert the actual fuse assemblies when about to go into combat. Later in the war, however, many soldiers of the Wehrmacht would always have their weapons ready, due to the fierceness seen in the Soviet Red Army in the east and the progressive advance of the Allies on the Western Front. During production, a reminder was stenciled on each explosive charge: Vor Gebrauch Sprengkapsel einsetzen (“Before use insert detonator”).

The Model 1924 was rather ineffective by itself at damaging or disabling an enemy armored vehicle or destroying fortifications. It also lacked the shrapnel effect of most other grenades of the time. To overcome these faults, various German industries during World War II produced a number of variants that widened the utility and capability of the M244.