• skillissuer@discuss.tchncs.deM
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    1 month ago

    3/4 of volume is taken by wood, what are you, russian logistics officer?

    also no way to attach spoon-type igniter, this thing is properly ancient design

  • glitchdx@lemmy.world
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    1 month ago

    baseball.

    The average American could be expected to already know how to throw a baseball, so it was easier to change the equipment to fit the user than to train every fucking soldier how to throw a lopsided stick.

    • Atomic@sh.itjust.works
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      1 month ago

      That’s a reason for then not now.

      Better question is then why didn’t Germany stick with the old design instead of switching to more “modern” looking grenades?

      And the answer is NOT “baseball”. The answer is that they’re too heavy and cumbersome. And the cons outweighs the pros.

      • Madison420@lemmy.world
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        1 month ago

        It’s actually that they’re more expensive when you add the frag jacket to them. There cheaper to produce but logistically more expensive being larger and multi part.

    • SSTF@lemmy.world
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      1 month ago

      That and all the other reasons. The only stick grenades still around in appreciable numbers are anti-armor grenades where the handle has a parachute inside. For normal fragmentation grenades, essentially everyone has moved to non-stick grenades (except the USMC who want to make stick grenades).

      Even in WW2, the Germans produced more of the boring looking Model 39 grenades than they did of the iconic and eye catching stick grenades. People notice what they want to notice.

        • SSTF@lemmy.world
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          1 month ago

          Why I hedge with “essentially everyone” because I know some obscure Literally Who is always going to be an exception.

    • Bytemeister@lemmy.world
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      1 month ago

      Knife juggler here, so I have a lot of experience throwing off-CG objects…

      It’s not really that different from throwing a baseball. It’s a little more difficult to catch, but with very little practice ( like 5 or 10 minutes) you’ll be able to do it. That being said, I think the “baseball” style grenades where adopted because they can fit through smaller openings, you can roll or tumble them towards your target, they’re harder to see, and harder to scoop up and throw back.

    • Acters@lemmy.world
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      1 month ago

      I thought it was American football as the design is more shaped to be more closely resembling a hand held size 🏈

      American football was simply more popular back then too, but a little less now in terms of ratio, but the crowd has still grown instead of shrinking/stagnantion

      • Artyom@lemm.ee
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        1 month ago

        A football is WAY bigger than a grenade, and football was way less popular in the 40s because 1. Baseball came first and 2. Baseball is better in person and TVs sucked. Even if more people play football now, it’s still better to design grenades around baseballs because you spend more time practicing with a ball in baseball, and only one person per team knows how to throw a football.

      • EvolvedTurtle@lemmy.world
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        1 month ago

        In my opinion I think it’s more likely for someone to have played baseball then football

        Cause football needs alot more prep when baseball can be just a random school activity

        Note: I’m not athletic at all and this is just based on my personal experiences

  • yesman@lemmy.world
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    1 month ago

    The Germans did have hand grenades without a stick. Their doctrine was the stick type was for offensive operations, and the little one was favored for defense.

    I assume this has something to do with the distance you can throw them.

    • SSTF@lemmy.world
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      1 month ago

      Their doctrine was the stick type was for offensive operations

      A minor addendum, the M24 and M43 stick grenades both had fragmentation sleeves produced for them. These could be quickly fitted over the grenades to change them from offensive to defensive grenades. Similar to the RGD-33 stick grenades used by the Soviets.

      I assume this has something to do with the distance you can throw them.

      The difference between offensive and defensive grenades is defined by how much fragmentation they produce. Without a fragmentation sleeve, a German stick grenade produces blast and concussion but very minimal fragmentation, making it’s practical danger area smaller. This is good for an offensive grenade where the person throwing it likely has less cover than the person receiving it. A defensive grenade produces fragmentation, and is desired when the person throwing it has cover to hide behind safely.

      The non-stick grenade commonly used by the Germans in WW2, was the Model 39 (“egg grenade”), and it actually came in both offensive and defensive flavors. So really, either a stick or egg grenade could be used for either role.

  • Darkassassin07@lemmy.ca
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    1 month ago

    >can give you pleasure

    Are we saying blowing stuff up is fun, or telling you to go fuck yourself with a grenade?