Original German WWII 1939 dated Nb-Hgr 39b Inert Smoke Stick Grenade by Richard Rinker Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. This is an excellent example of an extremely rare NB.Hgr.39 or Nebelhandgranate 1939 German Stick Grenade. This very nice example, acquired from a private estate sale, has been demilitarized according to specifications by the BATF, and is not available for export. It still retains its original paint and the original markings can be seen on both the head and shaft of the grenade.

In 1939 the Stielhandgranate design was modified to create the Nebelhandgranate “smoke hand grenade”. Smoke was used for masking protection from enemy fire and signaling. There were two variants, the Nb.Hgr.39 and the Nb.Hgr.39b. The “b” version differs in that the handle, has raised ridges and an additional white band to aid in identification at night, and quickly replaced the original version. The Nb.39 pot contained a mixture of zinc powder and hexachlorethane which produced a smoke cloud upon ignition. Holes in the bottom of the head provided an escape path for the smoke as it burned.

The warhead bears original paint including a clear white paint stencil that reads Nb. Hgr. 39, along with the white band, for ease of identification as a smoke grenade and not a traditional M1924. The head also has the correct ventilation holes on the underside, where the smoke would exit once the grenade went off. There has been some wear, but the side of the grenade is still marked ENZ over 138 / 40, for 1940 manufacture by Gebr. Böhler & Co. AG, Werk Enzesfeld / Niederdonau, later known as ‘Enzesfelder Metallwerk AG’.

The fine wood shaft bears a faint correct white paint band, tooled grip ridges, and is stamped with with ЯR 642 1939, which corresponds to the manufacturer Richard Rinker G.m.b.H. in Menden/Iserlohn, the original designer of the M24 grenade. This company had many factories and subcontractors, and unfortunately the identity of contractor “642” is not known. This was all done to obscure the location of the makers.

The original screw cap is still present, however it has oxidized and completely frozen to the threaded fitting underneath in a mostly unscrewed state, and they are both loose on the bottom of the shaft.

In WWII 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.