Aviation Naval Warfare Land Systems Small Arms Space By Flag By Year By Tag

Type 2 (Rifle Grenade Launcher)

1936 INTERWAR WORLD WAR 2

History

Type 2 was a weapon system in service with the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. The system is mounted on the barrel of a standard Japanese infantry rifle and serves as a "rifle grenade launcher". The Type 2 can fire either 30mm or 40mm shells as required.

The Type 2 can be mounted on the commercial end of a Type 38 or Type 99 rifle. The 1905 Model 38 was a bolt-action system with 3,400,000 prototypes built for use in everything from the Russo-Japanese War to the Vietnam War.

The 1939 Type 99 was another bolt-action rifle of newer design, produced from 1939 to 1945, with action spanning the Second Sino-Japanese War to the Chinese Civil War. Nonetheless, this rifle launcher is designed to fit in the barrel of any type of gun, and the operator has a choice of two grenade launches.

The 30mm grenade measures 6.4 inches long and weighs 8.1 ounces. It is loaded with a half-TNT/half-RDX explosive mix and can handle non-armored targets for short periods of time. The 40mm grenade is 7.1 inches long and weighs 13 ounces. It also uses a half TNT/half RDX mix, but retains some 3.88" armor penetration characteristics.

The two projectiles have different exterior designs - the 30mm model is more streamlined, while the 40mm model has a distinct upper and lower separation. Both move on their bases to provide the necessary spin on launch. This rotation helps achieve a certain level of accuracy in the trajectory.

Type 2 launcher clipped to the muzzle of a Japanese military rifle. The grenade itself is activated by a wooden ball or blank placed by the operator and fired during a standard repetitive motion.

A weapon system in the jungle-drenched Pacific Ocean that provided the average Japanese soldier with the ability to drive an enemy out of a deep position or to exert a specific psychological effect during combat. The grenade extends the range and lethality of the typical soldier, allowing him to fire projectiles along a trajectory without being exposed to enemy fire.