40x46mm DM 91 High Explosive, Controlled-Fragmentation

NAME – 40x46mm DM 91 High Explosive, Controlled-Fragmentation

NAME (COMMON) – DM91

CALIBER – 40x46mmSR

TYPE – Low-velocity, ground burst, high explosive, controlled-fragmentation

YEAR OF INTRODUCTION – 1982

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN – Germany

IDENTIFYING COLOR CODE – Yellow projectile, black anodized cartridge case

CASE TYPE – Semi-rimmed straight M118

CARTRIDGE LENGTH – 100 mm (3.94 in)

CASING LENGTH – 46 mm (1.816 in)

CASE HEAD DIAMETER – 41.097 mm (1.618 in)

CASE RIM DIAMETER – 43.54 mm (1.714 in)

PROJECTILE TYPE – Round-nosed aluminum grenade with steel-ball fragmentation held in double-walled grenade body

PROJECTILE DIAMETER – 41.097 mm (1.618 in) at rotating band

PROJECTILE WEIGHT – 0.176 kg (6.2 oz)

POWDER WEIGHT –

FILLER – Hexal 70/30 (66.5 %RDX, 30 % Aluminum, 0.4% Wax)

FILLER WEIGHT – 30 g (1.06 oz)

FUZE TYPE – Point-initiating with self-destruct delay

FUZE DELAY – 8 Seconds

CASING WEIGHT – 50 g (772 grains)

TOTAL ROUND WEIGHT – 0.232 kg (8.2 oz)

MUZZLE VELOCITY – 76 m/s (249 fps)

NOMINAL BARREL LENGTH – 35.6 cm (14 in)

MINIMUM (ARMING) RANGE – 10 to 14 m (33 to 46 feet)

MAXIMUM RANGE – 400 m (437 yards) – Detonation due to self-destruct

EFFECT – Controlled fragmentation, 700 – 2.25 mm (0.089 in) steel pellets

AREA OF EFFECT – 5 m (5.5 yards)

MANUFACTURER – Diehl Defence GmbH & Co. Überlingen, Germany

STATUS – Production completed

SERVICE – German military, other Nato countries

    Designed and developed by Heckler & Koch, production of this grenade was licensed to Diehl-Werhtechnik.  The “controlled fragmentation” aspect of this round allows for very exacting fragmentation to be driven by the explosion. All of the steel ball fragments are lethal within a 5 meter (5.5 yard) distance from the point of detonation. The light weight of the balls, 0.047 g (0.73 grains) per pellet, causes them to quickly lose velocity from the point of detonation. At a distance of 12 m (13 yards) the pellets have lost so much velocity that they are not considered lethal.