The M61 grenade is a fragmentation hand grenade used by the US Armed Forces in the Vietnam War. The M61 has a thin sheet steel wall enclosing a notched steel coil and explosive core. When the grenade explodes, the coil shatters into high-velocity fragments that can cause casualties up to 15 metres away. Its design has been widely copied by various nations eg Britain's L2A2, South Africa's M26, Portugal's M312, and the Israeli M26A2. It is sometimes referred to as a "lemon" grenade, because its explosive shell is shaped like a lemon fruit. Many millions of the M61 and its clones have been manufactured over the years. A similar Soviet grenade dating from the same era is the RGD-5.
External links
- FAS Military Analysis Network - M61 frag grenade
- Photographs & schematic diagram of M61 grenade
- Photo of British L2A2 grenade
