As a few of you know, I’ve been after the right M24 example for a while now. The wait has finally paid off.

This M24 has it all. The printed white text "VOR GEBRAUCH SPRENGKAPSEL EINSETZEN" meaning "Before use insert detonator" is all there and very readable. Just below it in black, and a little harder to read, I believe is "SK 239". The top of the canister sports "RR564 1938" for Richard Rinker, and the stick has a matching designation. Also on top of the canister is a fantastic W.a.A 562 waffenamt, and two such identical "562" stamps can be found on the stick. Without question, this grenade is complete as the day it was new, and as it was when it was first inspected for service with all parts matching.

The grenade has been interted by opening the crimp of the canister, and was surprisingly well done considering this process usually chews up the crimp in an ugly way. And, the upside to this method is that we get to see the detonator well still intact.

The canister weighs 127g on its own. The stick, canister, and pull cord together (everything basically) weighs 344.2g.

While I’ve studied M24’s in the pursuit of this one, this is the first time I’ve held one. They are a lot bigger than I expected. I can see the advantage of their design when using/throwing one, but carrying them in the field seems like it would be quite clunky and maybe even at times get in the way in critical moments. It’s not the stone sized object a person thinks of when they imagine a grenade, but rather they truly earn their moniker "potato masher".

Click to enlarge the picture