DM51 (Handgranate Spreng)

History

In 1978, the West German Army introduced the DM51 assault/fragmentation grenade. This type of design work spanned the mid to late 1970s and production continues to this day. The DM51 was specifically designed, developed and introduced to replace the collection of artillery shells in service with the West German Army during the Cold War. As an assault/fragmentation grenade, the DM51 can be used both offensively and defensively. For the former, the DM51 comes with a shrapnel sleeve that slides over the base design.

The grenade is uncovered and is a smooth weapon with shock value. The base model has a threaded base, a safety ring with a fuze on top and a matching activation handle.

The DM51 works the same way as other conventional grenades, requiring the operator to pull the safety ring before throwing the grenade. During the first flight, the unlocking handle was lowered and the grenade landed and detonated. When the grenade is equipped with a fragmentation pod, its surface is ribbed to improve grip and handling.

In addition to this, the base grenade has a smooth casing surface. The filling consists of 60 grams of nitropentane.

The DM51 is also known as the Spreng grenade. The DM51 series also includes the DM58 training grenade.

The DM51 series is still widely used by the modern (combined) German army, but not a single export.

Specification

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Changes