Original German WWII 98k Rifle Schießbecher Anti-Tank Grenade – Inert Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. This is an inert BATF compliant German WW2 30mm Anti-Tank rifle grenade round offered in very good condition. Known in German as the Große Gewehrpanzergranate, (a.k.a the Model 40) HEAT rifle grenade developed by the German Wehrmacht. It has a 45-39mm tapered shape charge warhead and was the preferred Anti-Tank rifle grenade. It could penetrate 70mm of armor (regardless of range, as it was a shaped charge). It has a sheet metal warhead body with a mounted nose cap. The base fuze is inside a Bakelite shaft.

The base fuse unscrews and is in the safe (before firing) condition. As with the AZ5071 PD fuze, the safety device is a coiled flat spring nested in a releasing socket. This safety provides a secure block between the needle and detonator. The releasing socket is held in place by a stout helical spring. When fired, inertia pushes the releasing socket down against the helical spring and locks in a compressed condition. The coiled safety is freed and expands to the inside wall of the shaft clearing a path for the entire striker assembly to move forward on impact initiating the detonator. There is no creep spring, so unexploded ordnance was in a delicate condition.

The grenade would be used with a propellant cartridge and Schießbecher (shooting cup) grenade launcher to direct the projectile. Unlike many grenade launchers, the German launcher had a short rifled barrel with a caliber of 30 mm, which engaged the rifling ridges on the bottom of the bakelite grenade housing. The spin was thought to result in a more regular trajectory.

This example is offered in very good condition, though the head has been repainted. The bakelite is intact, and a lovely color, with intact rifling grooves. Ready to display!