Original Item: Only One Available. This is an exceptionally scarce original Japanese WWII Type 99 hand grenade, commonly known to American collectors as the “Kiska” grenade. This example has been completely deactivated and is totally inert, retaining its fuze, safety pin, and original pull string. The detonator tube and explosive contents have been removed.

This grenade has been rendered permanently inert and contains no explosive material. The upper assembly can be unscrewed to allow inspection of the empty internal cavity. Like all deactivated ordnance of this type, it is Not Available for Export.

The Type 99 has a distinctive smooth cylindrical body with flanged upper and lower edges, readily distinguishing it from the more heavily segmented bodies of earlier Japanese grenade patterns. This example shows substantial exterior wear, oxidation, and age, giving it the appearance expected of an original wartime grenade.

The safety pin remains inserted, and its original pull string is still attached, an especially desirable feature that is frequently missing from surviving examples. The underside of the fuze is not dated, which is not unusual on Type 99 grenades.

The Type 99 Hand Grenade, officially designated 九九式手榴弾 (Kyūkyū-shiki Teryūdan), was developed as an improved successor to the earlier Type 97 grenade. The Type 97 had revealed shortcomings in its fuze system, and unlike some earlier Japanese grenade designs, it was not readily adaptable to all available grenade launching systems.

Introduced in 1939, the Type 99 incorporated a revised fuze arrangement and a smooth sided body. It could be thrown by hand or used with the Type 100 grenade discharger, giving Japanese infantrymen greater flexibility than with some earlier patterns.

To use the grenade by hand, the soldier first removed the safety pin by pulling the attached cord. The head of the fuze was then struck against a hard surface to activate the delay mechanism before the grenade was thrown. Unlike earlier Japanese designs, the firing pin was incorporated directly into the fuze assembly and did not require a separate firing pin holder to be screwed into place.

The Type 99 was issued to personnel of both the Imperial Japanese Army and Imperial Japanese Navy Special Naval Landing Forces during WWII. Examples captured by American forces during operations in the Aleutian Islands became associated with the name “Kiska grenade,” a collector and Allied wartime nickname derived from the campaign there.

Type 99 grenades are considerably less commonly encountered than many other Japanese WWII grenade patterns, particularly with surviving fuze components, safety pin, and pull cord. With its original body, fuze, pin, and string still present, this is a desirable inert example of a distinctive Japanese WWII hand grenade.

Totally inert, cannot be converted to an explosive device, not available for export. This item is completely legal within the USA. International Military Antiques, Inc observes all Federal, State and Local laws. Everything for sale on ima-usa.com is completely legal to own, trade, transport and sell within the United States of America.

All deactivated ordnance sold by IMA, Inc is engineered to be inoperable according to guidelines provided by the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATF).