Original Austro-Hungarian WWI Zeitzünder Rohrhandgranate Hand Grenade Original Items

Original Item: Very Few Available. These are totally inert BATF complaint variations of the Austro-Hungarian Zeitzünder (“time fuze”) rod grenades, known as Rohrhandgranate used during WWI. It is totally inert, cannot be converted to an explosive devise. The serrated fragmentation type is the first variant, the smooth bodied grenade is the second variant, the Model 16.

Both have the same inertial pull-fuze. When fired, the weight of the end piece would pull the friction igniter, automatically setting the time delay. Also, by just removing the rod, they could be used as hand grenades, one of the useful features of this type of time delay fuze.

The first variant is heavily segmented, both inside and out, one of the most dramatic grenades in this regard. Acomparison of the Zeitzünder rod grenade can be made with its hand grenade counterpart the Rohrhandgranate. The body style is identical, threaded at both ends, allowing different fore and aft pieces to be substituted so the center casting could be configured to be either a rifle or hand grenade.

The hand grenade example is staked across the plug of the wire handle. But this also could have been a configuration made in the field, depending on need. (A useful feature). All things considered, this seems to be a pretty versatile design that was easy to manufacture. One significant drawback however is its extreme weight and cumbersome size.

Apparently the nick-name “Guguruz” was applied to this grenade. There is no translation for this Austrian word. A Guguruz is a type of corn, the shape it somewhat resembles, so they named it that. Much like the American word “pineapple” applied to fragmentation grenades. Curious that hand munitions have had food related nick-names applied to them by solders around the world, (i.e. pineapple, lemon, potato masher, pear, egg … to name a few).

Each grenade is offered in excellent condition.