Finnish hand and rifle grenades

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Mikko H.
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Finnish hand and rifle grenades

#1

Post by Mikko H. » 05 May 2004, 11:57

Where can I find information on Finnish hand and rifle grenades? Any suggestions of books and web-sites are welcome! Finnish, Swedish and English are the preferred languages, German would do in a pinch.

Thanks in advance!

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JTV
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Re: Finnish hand and rifle grenades

#2

Post by JTV » 05 May 2004, 13:24

Mikko H. wrote:Where can I find information on Finnish hand and rifle grenades? Any suggestions of books and web-sites are welcome! Finnish, Swedish and English are the preferred languages, German would do in a pinch.

Thanks in advance!
Check:

http://netti.nic.fi/~junkyard/grenades.html

It is the only good source about this subject I have seen in the net. Besides the webpage there are some old Finnish military manuals, but not much else. :(

At least these Finnish military manuals are very useful when it comes to his subject:
1. Käsikranaatit ja Kiväärikranaatit (printed 1926): Best source for handgrenades and rifle grenades used at Civil War of 1918 and in early 1920's.
2. Three manuals written by P. Huhtala (all three are training and refreshment manuals for NCO's and officers. They all also contain good information about Finnish handgrenades introduced at 1930's):
- Jalkaväen Ryhmänjohtaja (printed 1932)
- Reservinupseeri (printed 1940?)
- Upseeri (printed 1942?)

Best (and just about only) place where one can find these is library of MPKK (Maanpuolustuskorkeakoulu) in Helsinki.

This page in my website contains drawing explaining structure of Finnish M/32 stick grenade:
http://ankkurinvarsi.com/jaeger/OTHER_AT_WEAPONS1.htm


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Larrister
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#3

Post by Larrister » 06 May 2004, 09:46

Hi,


Found this photo in "The Second Great War vol. 2"
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Mikko H.
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#4

Post by Mikko H. » 06 May 2004, 12:28

JTV, thanks for the reply. I will be sending you a PM, please check it.

Tuco
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Grenades

#5

Post by Tuco » 09 May 2004, 19:44

The Finns used a great many grenades with a good amount being from other nations. Versions of both German and Soviet grenades were used. Also Hungarian grenades were sent to Finland in good numbers. I will try and post a photo of the Hungarian grenade later as I can not locate the one in my collection at the moment.

Here are some Finnish used grenades - all of these coming out of Finnish depots -

The one on top is French and I was told in Finland these were sent as Winter War aid but never made it to Finland until the fighting was over. There is a Polish grenade used by the Finns just like this but painted blue. The Finns replaced the cap with one modeled on the Soviet version, I think called the F3. In the middle in the Finnish M22. On the right a Finnish trainer and two Russian M33's are below.
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Finland Grenades
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Rifle Grenades

#6

Post by Tuco » 09 May 2004, 19:58

The Finns used Soviet rifle grenades that were captured. There were some K98's sent to Finland in I think 1943 that had German rifle grenades and launchers but I think these were just tested and never issued. Here is a Soviet launcher from the 1930's
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mietek
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#7

Post by mietek » 10 May 2004, 00:40

Here you could see granade launchers used by Finish army. They were used in limited numbers. Right side it's shortened mortar 81 or 82 mm. Other are Finish constructions.

Picture from military musem in Helsinki.
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Tuco
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Some more

#8

Post by Tuco » 28 May 2004, 20:01

Sorry for the delay but I have been really busy -

Here are some more from my grenade collection.

First:

On the left is the Hungarian that I mentioned before. The red paint is hard to see as it has faded but these were called “Red Devils”. The Finns disliked these as the leather strap pulled off to ignite the grenade was a poor choice in Finland (the leather would freeze and become brittle) As such many of these were used as booby traps. I was told by a Finnish museum curator that these killed as many Finns as they killed Russians due to the leather strap.

Top middle - A French F1

Bottom right - A Soviet F1 or F3 (depending on whose designation you use)
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Finland Grenades
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One more

#9

Post by Tuco » 28 May 2004, 20:03

Also French WW1
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One more
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Tuco
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Even more

#10

Post by Tuco » 28 May 2004, 20:29

While not a grenade this is a rather neat item -
This is a trainer of what was called a “bunker buster” These satchel type charges were very common in Finnish use - loaded with TNT or other charge. As stated this is a trainer loaded with wood - not a charge - but is the same size and weight as the real deal.

In the Winter War it was pretty common to see soldiers using these against both bunkers and tanks. The charge was attached to the belt, carried in a rucksack, or hung from equipment straps.
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Bunker Buster
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Last Ones For Now

#11

Post by Tuco » 28 May 2004, 20:33

Various items:

Finnish stick, German stick (reproduction), 2 Soviet 33’s, Soviet mortar round, and the last a German egg grenade (this one found in Lapland - now demilled).


I hope this helped. I am more of a rifle collector than a grenade or charge collector, but over the years I have added the above items to my collection. While not an expert by any means, maybe this assisted you at least in part. BTW - Feel free to use the photos if you wish.
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Others
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