M61 (Grenade) Fragmentation Hand Grenade (1952)
The M61 series was based on the M26A1 model but fitted with an extra safety clip.
Outwardly, the M61 mimicked much of the appearance of the M26 family before it. The basic design consisted of a smooth-sided case (as opposed to the famous "pineapple" grenades of World War 2) with the integrated safety pin, curved safety lever and "jungle clip". Due to the addition of the jungle pin, the operator now needed to pull the safety pin ring, then the safety clip and release the lever (also known as a "spoon") before the grenade's fuse was made active. The manual activation of the grenade initiated an internal firing pin which struck the primer within and ultimately triggered the fuse - this lasting between four and five seconds time, usually enough for the operator to throw the grenade without much fear of the enemy having time to return it.
As a fragmentation grenade, the purpose of the M61 was ultimately to detonate into metal shards and cause the most amount of concentrated carnage as possible within a dedicated area. Such a weapon could prove useful in clearing out enclosed spaces such as trenches and fox holes. The grenade was filled with 164g of Composition B filling and detonated by way of a timed friction fuse. The grenade's body, itself, provided the metal shards for fragmentation upon detonation. The grenade body held a built-in circular base which was flat along its bottom facing, allowing the grenade to be stood up on level surfaces. Overall, the grenade weighed in at 454g and sported a diameter of 57mm.
Beyond use in the United States inventory, Canadian military forces were also issued the M61 for a time until the series was upgraded and replaced with the C13 family - itself a Canadian-produced copy of the American M67. Text ©2003-2013 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • No Reproduction Permitted
MilitaryFactory.com does NOT sell equipment/weaponry. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance or general operation. Please consult manufacturers for such information. Our disclaimer. Email corrections / Comments to MilitaryFactory at Gmail dot com.
Specifications for the
M61 (Grenade)
Fragmentation Hand Grenade
Country of Origin: United States
Manufacturer: State Factories - USA
Initial Year of Service: 1952
Overall Length: 0mm (0.00in)
Barrel Length: 0.00mm (0.00in)
Weight (Empty): 0.00lbs (0.00kg)
Cartridge: Not Applicable
Action: Timed Fuse Explosive; Thrown
Feed: Single Use
Sights: Not Applicable
Variants:
M61 - Base Series Designation based on the M26A1 model though fitted with an extra safety device against the level.
Operators: Canada; United States
BY YEAR:
• 1700 to 1799
• 1800 to 1899
• 1900 to 1909
• 1910 to 1919
• 1920 to 1929
• 1930 to 1939
• 1940 to 1949
• 1950 to 1959
• 1960 to 1969
• 1970 to 1979
• 1980 to 1989
• 1990 to 1999
• 2000 to 2009
• 2010 to 2019
• VIEW ALL
• Compare Guns
BY TYPE:
• Anti-Aircraft Weapons
• Anti-Material Rifles
• Anti-Tank Weapons
• Automatic Rifles
• Bolt-Action Rifles
• Carbine Guns
• Flamethrowers
• Flintlock Guns
• Grenade Launchers
• Hand Grenades
• Lever-Action Rifles
• Machine Guns
• Mortars
• Musket Guns
• Pistols / Handguns
• Recoilless Rifles
• Revolvers
• Rocket Launchers
• Shotguns
• Silenced Guns
• Sniper Rifles
• Special Weapon Systems
• Submachine Guns
• VIEW ALL
SPECIAL:
• 18th Century Warfare
• 3 Soldiers Statue
• Battle of Mogadishu
• Chainmail Armor
• Firearm Types Defined
• French Military Victories
• Medieval Crossbow
• Medieval Longbow
• Vietnam War Casualties
• Vietnam War Memorial
WORLD WAR 2:
• British Guns
• French Guns
• German Guns (ALL)
• German Rifles
• Italian Guns
• Japanese Guns
• Soviet Guns
• US Guns
• US Infantry Regiment-Level Guns
• Machine Guns
• Pistols
• Rifles
• Submachine Guns
• Sniper Rifles
• VIEW ALL
WORLD WAR 1:
• Pistols
• Rifles
• Machine Guns
• Mortars
• US Guns
• VIEW ALL
KOREAN WAR:
• Machine Guns
• VIEW ALL
VIETNAM WAR:
COLLECTIONS:
• Ancient Weapons
• British SAS Weapons
• Civil War Guns
• Colt Guns
• Glock Guns
• GROM Polish Special Forces
• Guns of Libya
• Guns of North Korea
• Guns of Syria
• Guns of WW1 & WW2
• Heckler & Koch Guns
• Kalashnikov Guns
• Modern Russian Guns
• Navy SEAL Weapons
• Spetsnaz Weapons
• Weapons of Desert Storm
• Wild West Guns
• Winchester Guns
HOLLYWOOD/GAMES:
©2013 www.MilitaryFactory.com • Content ©2003-2013 MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Site Contact Email: militaryfactory at gmail dot com. The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® trademarks and protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws.
Top MF Stuff: 2013 Military Pay Scale | Military Ranks | WW2 Weapons | Sniper Rifles | Kts to Mph | WW1 Aircraft | Automatic Rifles | Aircraft Cockpits | Vietnam War Weapons | Main Battle Tanks | Submachine Guns | Shotguns | French Military Victories
Most photographic images appearing on this site are courtesy of the United States Department of Defense and are approved for public use. Other images acquired through the public domain. Digital art work courtesy of Dan Alex. Business Consulting by Kyle Williams. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance or general operation. Please consult manufacturers for such information.
