13-040-915

NAME – German B-Stoff Gas Grenade

NAME (NATIVE) – B-Stoff Handbomben [B-Substance Hand Bomb]

TYPE – Bursting-type Chemical hand grenade

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN – Germany

DATE OF MANUFACTURE – 1915

LENGTH – 13.5 cm (5.31 in) with Kugelhandgranate igniter

WIDTH (DIAMETER) – 10 cm (3.94 in)

WEIGHT – 1.20 kg (2 lb 10 oz)

EFFECT – Spreads B-Stoff (Bromacetone) into a dense toxic gas cloud

BURST RADIUS – 40 to 50 m (44 to 55 yards)

FUSE TYPE – Pull–type friction

FUSE INITIATION – Wire pull

FUSE DELAY – 5 seconds,

FILLER – White Cross B-Stoff – Bromacetone

FILLER WEIGHT – 0.60 kg (1 lb 5 oz)

AVERAGE RANGE – 20 m (22 yards)

COLOR CODE – Black painted sphere

MARKINGS – “B” or “B. Stoff” painted in white on body

STATUS – Obsolete

SERVICE – Imperial German military

     This gas grenade had a spherical body lined with lead in order to resist the corrosive effects of the filler. The general application of the grenade was thought to be useful, but the weight was considered a negative factor. A later version of the grenade was lined with porcelain, a much lighter alternative to a lead lining.

     The grenade was an early style of bursting tear gas grenade. B-Stoff was the German chemical agent Bromacetone