Original Item: Only One Available. Totally inert and demilitarized according to BATF guidelines with hollow body and inert fuse. This grenade cannot be converted to an explosive device and is not available for export.

This is a very nice inert example of a U.S. Korean War Era Mk1 Mod 2 Illumination Hand Grenade. This design was first made and used by the U.S. during WWII, and continued to be used up through the Vietnam war and afterwards.

The body is made of two sheet metal cups with magnesium illuminating compound loaded in the lower half. When ignited by the fuze, the grenade halves separate due to the combustion pressure. The grenade burns for 25 seconds producing 55,000 candle power. A typical use for the Mk.I was in conjunction with a trip wire in a defensive perimeter, as well as other battlefield illumination and signaling purposes.

The top portion is marked with the following:

HAND ILLUMINATING GRENADE
MK 1 MOD 2 LOT NO 46-6-52
FSN 1330-935-6092-G295

This example is quite nice, with a lovely OD Green paint job, and comes with the deactivated fuze and spoon. Ready to display!

Illuminating hand grenades are used primarily for illumination and signaling. Because of high temperature generated by the pyrotechnic composition, these grenades could have been used for incendiary purposes against flammable targets.

In outward appearance, the illuminating hand grenade Mk1 resembles fragmentation grenades of the M26 series. The grenade body is made in two pieces. The illuminating charge is pressed into the lower half of the body and covered with a layer of first-fire composition. This, in turn, is covered with an ignitor charge.

The fuze is an integral part of the grenade. The body contains a primer and quick match bushing. Assembled to the body of the fuse are a striker, striker spring, safety lever and safety pull with pull ring. Safety clips were not required on illumination grenades.

Removal of the safety pin permits release of the safety lever. When the safety lever is released, it is forced away from the grenade body by a striker acting under the force of a striker spring. The striker rotates on its axis and strikes the percussion primer. The primer initiates the quick-match, which burns for seven seconds, and then ignites the ignitor charge. The ignitor charge ignites the first-fire composition which, in turn, ignites the illuminating charge. Gas pressure produced by burning of the illuminating composition causes the upper half of the grenade body to separate from the lower half. This exposes the burning illuminating charge. The grenade will burn for 25 seconds with approximately 55,000 candlepower and will illuminate an area of 200 meters in diameter.