Original Item: Only One Available. This is an extremely rare M1924, M24,  or "Stielhandgranate (stalk hand grenade) 24" German Stick Grenade, often called a "potato masher". This example, acquired from the family of a WWII veteran, has been demilitarized according to specifications by the BATF. It still retains its original paint, and the original markings can be seen on the warhead & handle of the grenade.

The warhead is in very nice condition, though it does not unscrew from the shaft at present. It still has most of the original green paint, and the top of the grenade is stamped bdp . 42, for manufacture by Friedrich Maurer Söhne, Eisenwerk und Kesselschmiede (Ironworks and boilermakers) located in the Freimann area of München (Munich).

The wood shaft handle is also very nice, with the wood in good shape, though there a bit of damage on one side, possibly from original manufacture. It is maker marked with aqj 43, for 1943 manufacture by S. Elster of Vienna, a known maker of stick grenade handles during the war.

The lower screw cap is in great shape, with almost all of the original finish, and the fitting on the end of the shaft is great as well. The shaft is correctly hollow to allow the internal components and porcelain "donut" bead with pull string (not attached), which are still included, definitely a rarity!

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 WWII ordnance collection.