13–040-915

NAME – Kugelhandgranate 15 nA

NAME (NATIVE) –Kugelhandgranate 15 Neuer Art [Ball Hand Grenade New model 15)

COMMON NAMES – Spherical Grenade

TYPE – Fragmentation hand grenade

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN – Germany

DATE OF MANUFACTURE – 1915

LENGTH – 10.7 cm (4.21 in) including fuze body

WIDTH (DIAMETER) – 8 cm (3.15 in)

WEIGHT – 0.72 kg (1 lb 9.4 oz)

EFFECT – Blast and fragmentation

BURST RADIUS – 20 m (22 yards), 50 to 100 m (55 to 109 yards) danger area

FUSE TYPE – Brenzünder 15 pull–type friction

FUSE INITIATION – Sharp pull on wire at top of fuse

FUSE DELAY – 5 seconds (hand thrown), 7 seconds (projected)

FILLER – Coarse-grained Black Powder

FILLER WEIGHT – 0.070 kg (2.5 oz)

FILLER EQUIVALENT TO TNT (R.E.) – 0.55

AVERAGE RANGE – 35m (38 yards)

COLOR CODE – Black grenade body, brass fuze with red top indicates a 5 sec delay

MANUFACTURER – State arsenals

STATUS – Obsolete

SERVICE – Imperial German military

     By 1915, the conduct of the war had increased greatly, along with a demand for munistions such as hand grenades. To increase the production of the Kugelhandgranate, another major design change was made to the body of the grenade. In the new pattern, there were six circular steps, three around the top and three around the bottom half of the body of the grenade. All the steps were flat and without vertical grooving. Around the center of the body were 16 vertical grooves about half the depth of the original design. These changes allowed the molds for casting the grenade to be made simply and in two parts. There is often a casting line around the center of the grenade body indicating the separation point for the two mold halves.

     By late 1917, Kugelhandgranates of any pattern were considered obsolete. In January, 1918, all remaining stock of the grenade were turned in as scarp.