This is a Japanese Type 97 fragmentation hand grenade from World War II. It is inert, but is missing the safety pin, string and protective cap. The Type 97 grenade was designed to replace the Type 91 grenade. The Type 91 double as a hand grenade and could also be fired from Type 10 and Type 98 grenade launchers. The Type 97 grenade used the same principles as most fragmentation grenades, a grooved, segmented body that dispersed sharp pieces of shrapnel when it exploded. The Type 97 grenade was a little more complicated than the American Mark 2 Fragmentation grenade. It order to use the grenade, the soldier or Marine had to first screw the firing pin down so that it protruded from from the base of the striker. The safety pin was then removed by pulling the attached string, allowing the protective cap to then be removed. Once this was accomplished, the firing pin was struck against a hard surface, such as a helmet, that initiated the delayed detonation sequence before the grenade was thrown. The Type 97 grenade proved to have a weaker explosive force than other grenades of the WWII era. Regardless, the Type 97 was issued to both the Imperial Japanese Army and Special Naval Landing Forces as standard equipment. This Type 97 Frag grenade is in good condition, with the body having a couple of chips in it. While it may be missing a couple of pieces, it still makes a cool display piece, and will make a nice addition to your WWII Japanese collection.

Item # AA2824

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