13–040-924
NAME – Grenade Bundle Charge
NAME (NATIVE) – Geballte Ladung [Concentrated load]
COMMON NAMES – Concentrated charge, Bundle charge
TYPE – Hand-thrown grenade demolition charge
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN – Germany
DATE OF MANUFACTURE – 1924
LENGTH – 35.6 cm (14 in)
WIDTH (DIAMETER) – 21.6 to 22.9 cm (8.5 to 9 in) depending on assembly
WEIGHT – 2.49 kg (5 lb 8 oz) not including securing wire
EFFECT – Heavy blast and shock with slight secondary fragmentation
BURST RADIUS – 9 to 11 m (10 to 12 yards) Blast, 18 to 23 m (2 to 25 yards) Secondary fragmentation
FUSE TYPE – friction wire pull igniter, Brennzünder 24 (B.Z. 24) with No. 8 Detonator
FUSE INITIATION – Pull string with porcelain ball in base of handle under screw cap
FUSE DELAY – 4 to 5 seconds
FILLER – TNT
FILLER WEIGHT – 1.19 kg (2 lb 10 oz)
FILLER EQUIVALENT TO TNT (R.E.) – 1.0
AVERAGE {MAXIUM} RANGE – 12 m (13 yards)
COLOR CODE – Field grey explosive head, metal parts, and screw cap, Markings in white, plain wood handle, any available wire for securing heads to central grenade
MARKINGS – “VOR GEBRAUCH SPRENGKAPSEL EINSETZEN” (Before Use Insert Detonator) – Printed on explosive heads in white block letters (only central grenade is so armed)
MANUFACTURER –Field manufactured as needed by unit, usually Assault Engineer detachments
STATUS – Obsolete
SERVICE – German military
Specifications above are for a charge assembled from Stielhandgranate 24 components. Any of the stick grenades could be used to produce a concentrated charge. Each St. Hgr 24 warhead weighs 0.31 kg (11 oz) and contains 0.17 kg (6 oz) of TNT. The bundle charge consists of a single primed stick grenade in the center with the explosive containers of six additional grenades secured around it. For ease of use and handling, stick grenade warheads usually have their handles removed when they are assembled to the central grenade. Fuze delay depends on the central grenade but is normally 4 to 5 seconds (Brennzünder 24). Geballte Ladung charges were used as demolition charges and to destroy or damage light armored vehicles where the charge could blow off a track or damage an engine if placed on the rear deck of a tank. The development of the Geballte Ladung began in WWI with the adopting of the first German stick grenades. The idea has spread in use to many other countries where the same general style of stick-type hand grenade is used.
