Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very good example of an extremely rare NB.Hgr.39 or Nebelhandgranate 1939 German Stick Grenade. This very nice example, acquired from a private estate sale, has been demilitarized according to specifications by the BATF. It still retains its original paint and the original markings can be seen on both the head and shaft of the grenade.

In 1939 the Stielhandgranate design was modified to create the Nebelhandgranate "smoke hand grenade". Smoke was used for masking protection from enemy fire and signaling. There were two variants, the Nb.Hgr.39 and the Nb.Hgr.39b. The "b" version differs in that the handle, has raised ridges and an additional white band to aid in identification at night, and quickly replaced the original version. The Nb.39 pot contained a mixture of zinc powder and hexachlorethane which produced a smoke cloud upon ignition. Holes in the bottom of the head provided an escape path for the smoke as it burned.

The warhead on this example does look to have suffered some oxidation damage, after which it was repainted post war to protect it. The head has the correct ventilation holes on the underside, where the smoke would exit once the grenade went off. There has been some wear and oxidation, but the top is still clearly marked with 42 gck, for maker Metallwarenfabrik Siegwerk Gebrüder Schuppener in Siegen, Westfalen, 1943 production.

The fine wood shaft is in very good condition, with the correct tooled grip ridges, though no markings are visible. The original screw cap is still present, and correctly unscrews from the bottom fitting. The internal spring on this example is still present, however the porcelain bead and string are no longer present.

In WWII the stick of the German M24 (Model 24) grenade provided a lever, significantly improving the throwing distance. The Model 24 could be thrown approximately 30 to 40 yards, whereas the British Mills bomb could only be thrown about 15 yards. The design also minimized the risk of the grenade rolling downhill back towards the thrower when used in hilly terrain or in urban areas. These grenades were extremely useful for clearing out entrenched infantry positions.

As grenades were disposable, encountering them on the market is very rare, making this an excellent opportunity to acquire one to complete a WW2 ordnance collection.