{"product_id":"original-british-wwi-inert-mills-bomb-no-23-mkii-grenade-by-r-a-main-of-falkirk-dated-april-1917","title":"Original British WWI Inert Mills Bomb No. 23 MKII Grenade by R.A. Main of Falkirk - Dated April 1917","description":"\u003cp\u003eOriginal Item: Only One Available. This is a very good original British WWI No. 23 Mills Bomb hand and rifle grenade, dated April 1917 and fitted with a base plug marked for R.A. Main of Falkirk. The grenade retains its original pull pin and internal spring-loaded striker components, all of which are completely inert. The cast-iron body and fittings display a heavy service-worn patina, while the base plug no longer threads completely into the grenade body. \u003cb\u003eNot Available for Export.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Mills Bomb was adopted by the British Army in 1915 as the No. 5, becoming the first standard model in the famous Mills grenade family. The subsequent No. 23 developed the design into a combination hand and rifle grenade through the use of a base arrangement capable of accepting a launching rod. The Imperial War Museums identifies the No. 5 as the predecessor from which the No. 23 and later No. 36 were developed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe bomb retains markings which provide much detail into its maker and date of manufacture. The body is marked with a \u003cb\u003e3\u003c\/b\u003e. The bottom plug is marked:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eRAMF\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e4 17\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eNo23 III.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRAMF denotes manufacture by \u003cb\u003eR.A. Main of Falkirk\u003c\/b\u003e. The 4 17 indicates a manufacture date of \u003cb\u003eApril 1917\u003c\/b\u003e. The grenade is in overall good service-worn shape with a heavy patina across. The plug no longer fully screws into the bottom of the grenade, but looks fine for display.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe grenade remains in good service-worn condition with a dark, heavy patina across the cast-iron body and metal components. The original pull pin remains present, along with the internal striker and spring assembly. These components are completely inert and the grenade contains no functional explosive charge. The bottom plug no longer screws fully into the body, but remains sufficiently seated for display.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe No. 23 was developed from the earlier No. 5 to provide a grenade that could be employed either by hand or launched from a rifle. The No. 23 Mk II was introduced during 1916 and incorporated improvements over the earlier form. Contemporary development continued rapidly, eventually producing the substantially revised No. 23 Mk III and, later, the No. 36 series.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe familiar externally segmented cast-iron body gave the Mills Bomb its distinctive appearance. Although the grooves are often assumed to have been intended to dictate fragmentation, the body did not reliably break along those external divisions when detonated. The segmented exterior primarily provided a secure gripping surface, while the heavy cast-iron body produced the fragmentation that made the Mills a defensive grenade.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a particularly interesting surviving WWI Mills Bomb because of its R.A. Main of Falkirk attribution, April 1917 date, surviving original pull pin, and retained internal inert components. The heavy service patina and partially threading bottom plug are the principal condition considerations, while the markings provide unusually useful information regarding its manufacturer and wartime production.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Original Items","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45557011087429,"sku":"ONSV26WSV012","price":395.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1524\/1342\/files\/5510D0DF-FBBA-41AB-8EDF-B0D6FAB5A876.jpg?v=1786735512","url":"https:\/\/www.ima-usa.com\/products\/original-british-wwi-inert-mills-bomb-no-23-mkii-grenade-by-r-a-main-of-falkirk-dated-april-1917","provider":"International Military Antiques","version":"1.0","type":"link"}