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INERT DEACTIVATED, WW2, 1942 Dated British No.68 AT (Anti Tank) DRILL Grenade. O 1639 - O 1639 INERT DEACTIVATED. The Grenade, Rifle No. 68 /AT was a British anti-tank rifle grenade used during WW2.The No. 68 was an early form of shaped charge grenade, and has some claim to have been the first High Explosive, Anti-Tank (HEAT) device in use. The design of the warhead was simple and was capable of penetrating 52mm (2 inches) of armour in 1940. The fuse of the grenade was armed by removing a pin in the tail which prevented the firing pin from flying forward. The grenade was launched from a rifle cup. The four fins gave it some stability in the air and, provided the grenade hit the target at the proper angle (90 degrees), the charge would be effective. Detonation occurred on impact, when a striker in the tail of the grenade overcame the resistance of a creep spring and was thrown forward into a stab detonator. This is an original inert, British WW2 service pattern DRILL No. 68 MK IIII AT grenade retaining much of its original white painted finsh. The grenade is stencilled in black round the circumference DRIL (DRILL). One of the fins is crisply cast with No-68 ATI/L and 1942 is on another fin. There is also has a small ‘pdc’ mark in an oval near the base of one of the fins (A and F Pears Limited, Die Casting Co, Peterborough). The grenades body is hollow and its screw off steel cap has a black rubber weighted insert in. There are 2 x ¼” holes drilled diagonally in the body. Its integral fins are secure and straight. A bolt is used to secure the circular gas check to the base of the projectile. The drill grenade has the original safety pin, consisting of a split pin and a piece of string to which is attached a small steel warning tag with TO BE WITHDRAWN FROM GRENADE BEFORE FIRING stencilled on it. There is a contemporary photograph shows a member of the Home Guard with a rifle equipped to fire a No68 anti-tank grenade at Dorking, 3 August 1942. The price includes UK delivery. O 1639 £275.00
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