Using a Lafitte grenade

[WillieB]

How would you use this grenade?
Would you hold the sling(cinta) and throw the grenade, or was the wound sling just part of the safety mechanism?

Was the sling round their wrist or did you simply grab the end of it and sling it that way?
The Lafitte grenade was issued with a sling that was wound a few times round the grenade body, but apparently you first had to remove some arming mechanism?
Or was it perhaps the sling that activated the grenade?
Somewhat like the French 1847 'Bracelet' bomb used in WWI.

Thanks very much for any info!

Willie

[former user]

as far as I know, the sling remained on the thrower's wrist, and removing the sling activated the fuse, as with pulling the pocelain pearl on potato mashers

[Vanvlak]

Sounds dangerous!

[Arlequín]

Probably as dangerous as the 'dinamiteros' in the SCW actually using a sling to throw their homemade grenades. Less dangerous than using the Mills Bomb though, which threw fragments further than it could be thrown. 

[former user]

well, the system isn't used any more....

[Durutti]

Probably as dangerous as the 'dinamiteros' in the SCW actually using a sling to throw their homemade grenades. Less dangerous than using the Mills Bomb though, which threw fragments further than it could be thrown. 

There was some excellent footage of them on a BBC4 programme this week, standing on a roof and using a sling to throw tincan bombs!!!

[Bako]

Sounds like something my great grandfather would have had a blast playing around with. Yes, in his youth he had plenty of fun with acquired explosive devices.

[Arlequín]

There was some excellent footage of them on a BBC4 programme this week, standing on a roof and using a sling to throw tincan bombs!!!

That would be the Portillo documentary on 'digging up the dead'? Some excellent footage certainly! 

[carvil]

Be aware. Any old grenade is dangerous, and Lafitte more.

This is an impact grenade similar to Italian SRCM, BREDA and OTO. The ribbon is a distance safety. You must throw the grenade; the lateral plate will fall and make the ribbon unroll in the air. When this finished, the grenade can burst on impact.