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M61 (Grenade)

1952 COLD WAR VIETNAM WAR

History of the M61 (Grenade)

The M61 was a standardized fragmentation grenade primarily used by the armed forces of the United States and Canada during the Cold War. The M61 is essentially a variant of the M26A1 production series grenade widely released by various parties around the world, that is, except that an additional safety clip has been added to its design.

The clip is attached to the lever to prevent accidental detonation of the grenade when the base pin is accidentally pulled. The clip is called the "Jungle Clip" because it was developed based on American experience in the Vietnamese jungle during the Vietnam War. The M26 shells were easily caught in the bush, resulting in multiple accidental and fatal explosions.

The M26 and M61 models were eventually replaced by the more modern M67 series after the war.

Externally, the M61 mimics much of the look of the previous M26 series. The basic design consists of a smooth casing (as opposed to the famous WWII "pineapple" grenade) with an integral safety pin, curved safety rod and "jungle clip".

Due to the addition of the jungle pin, the operator must now pull the safety pin ring, then the safety clip and release the lever (also known as a "spoon") before the grenade's safety can be activated. Manually firing the grenade triggers the internal firing pin, hitting the primer inside and eventually blowing the fuse - this lasts four to five seconds, which is usually enough for the operator to throw the grenade without worrying that the enemy has time to throw it back.

As a fragmentation grenade, the ultimate purpose of the M61 is to detonate into metal shrapnel and inflict as much concentrated carnage as possible in a given area. This weapon may be useful for clearing tight spaces such as trenches and foxholes.

The grenade is loaded with a 164 g composition B charge and is detonated by a timed friction fuze. The grenade itself provides metal fragments that shatter upon detonation.

The body of the grenade contains a built-in circular base that is flat along its underside, allowing the grenade to be mounted on a flat surface. The grenade has a total weight of 454 grams and a diameter of 57 mm.

In addition to US stock use, the Canadian Army also issued the M61 at one point, until the series was upgraded and replaced by the C13 series - itself a Canadian made copy of the US M67.