New US multipurpose enhanced hand grenade

Clearly my entire point just managed to clear heads. So I'll rephrase my initial question.

Why does humanity still have the need to express its primitive need to kill, dominate, and deprive others...

Its ok to manufacture several million nades but when someone makes a pipe bomb everyone loses their #.

I digress.

So when we gonna get some kilo subars (or k bars) from John Ringo's Aldenata world? Which are basically adjustable antimatter grenades.

originally posted by: AlongCamePaul

Its ok to manufacture several million nades but when someone makes a pipe bomb everyone loses their #.

It's sort of implied that a grenade, at least in the case of first world countries who are signatories to the GC, will be used in a limited and controlled fashion primarily against uniformed agents of another country with whom we are having pointed disagreements with.

A pipe bomb is generally used by amateurs against civilians who are not combat personnel. Thus there is a distinct difference in the nature and target of the thing. While certain units are trained to be able to improvise explosives, comm gear and whatnot in the event they're forward of the line of combat, out of munitions and not able to be resupplied through other means, it's rare to the point that I don't know more than a handful of people who have been forced to do so. Generally it happens if your entry is botched and you lose your stuff on the way in. Occasionally if you get caught with your pants down and have to show a clean pair of heels to continue your job, but have to ditch your stuff to do so. But it doesn't happen all that often. So you would rarely see a 'real' military unit using pipe bombs, although it could happen in very bizarre cases, excepting intentional distractions where you might use one just to confuse someone.

originally posted by: JDeLattre89
So when we gonna get some kilo subars (or k bars) from John Ringo's Aldenata world? Which are basically adjustable antimatter grenades.

Oddly, there are some grenade sized charges that are indescribably potent that are not available to the casual warfighter. But if you've got a yield that's much bigger than your usual grenade, it's too big to use unless you are a pro baseball pitcher or the like.

a reply to: roguetechie

Keep in mind that technically black powder is a high explosive.

'Technically', Black powder is classified lo explosive. Lo explosives deflagrate, hi explosives detonate.

The advent of much more controllable low explosive smokeless powders, as well as stick powders etc, is still a very young technology compared to the length of the black powder era.

Modern smokeless powders are not lo explosives. Controlled burn rates are a function of grain size and shape, plus additives.
Google the three ranges of explosives, lo, mid and high, and the three associated terms, conflagration, deflagration and detonation.

[url=https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-differences-between-low-explosive-explosive-and-high-explosive-in-terms-of-their-usage-and-compositions]quora[ /url]

a reply to: Bedlam

I heard tell of a dude in Vietnam that was explosive happy. He wrapped his grenades with two sheets of amatol, to give them more 'kick'. Problem being amatol is shock sensitive and can be set off with a bullet.

One day he was shot at and the bullet hit one of the grenades, the only thing left of him was his boots and helmet. Don't know of the veracity of the story, just remember reading it, way back.

a reply to: Aliensun

The more complex, the more expensive the device, the more lucrative the contract.

Over designing a product in times of peace makes up for the alternative, steady use of munitions during times of conflict.

To maximize profits, lets make each defense procurement for military projects as complex and expensive as possible.

What was it he said abbot ED 209 in Robocop? "Guaranteed contracts, upgrades and spare parts, who cares if it works or not?"

originally posted by: intrptr
a reply to: Bedlam

I heard tell of a dude in Vietnam that was explosive happy. He wrapped his grenades with two sheets of amatol, to give them more 'kick'.

I started to put a war story here but no matter how I word it, it's going to be too rough for tender ears, possibly the T&Cs.

Is this another boondoggle by the Military-Industrial Complex? it sure looks like it to me.

I predict 20 years late and 500% over budget.

originally posted by: Bedlam

originally posted by: intrptr
a reply to: Bedlam

I heard tell of a dude in Vietnam that was explosive happy. He wrapped his grenades with two sheets of amatol, to give them more 'kick'.

I started to put a war story here but no matter how I word it, it's going to be too rough for tender ears, possibly the T&Cs.

To bad, I luv war stories...

originally posted by: JDeLattre89
So when we gonna get some kilo subars (or k bars) from John Ringo's Aldenata world? Which are basically adjustable antimatter grenades.

I want the talking hand grenade from Robert Heinleins "Starship Troopers"

"This was a special bomb, one issued to each of us for this mission with instructions to use them if we found ways to make them effective. The squawking I heard as I threw it was the bomb shouting in skinny talk (free translation): "I'm a thirty second bomb! I'm a thirty second bomb! Twenty-nine! Twenty-eight! Twenty-seven!..."
It should really end with "Have a nice day"

Once the pin is pulled Mr.Grenade is no longer your friend

Bedlam and other posters are right; simple is best. "Pull pin--throw." The more buttons and options, the longer it takes to use. The P38 can opener had one moving part, the fold out blade. They came packed in C-Rats [before the famous MRE's aka meals ready to excrete] and were about as reliable as anything with a moving part. Most guys kept one on their dogtags for ready use but even then the unintended consequence was rolling over on the little devil at night after the blade had deployed. A non-fatal but painful, bloody, and scarring event.

What could possibly go wrong with a "Dial-a-Blast?" I envision a small screen with warnings, "If you pull the pin the grenade will explode in 4 seconds' Do you want the grenade to explode in 4 seconds? Y/N. Are you sure? Y/N." There will be OSHA warning tags saying that it has components that the state of California has shown to be bad for you and if you pull the pin and put the grenade in your front trou pocket, it may affect your ability to reproduce.

just my opinion - but if you want 2 different grenade effects - make 2 different grenades

effect A = smooth cased

effect B = segmented case

simples

if i has to explain why - you should not be using or designing grenades

originally posted by: AlongCamePaul


Why does humanity still have the need to express its primitive need to kill, dominate, and deprive others...

World peace, big hugs and all pigs being equal are lovely sentiments. Until that happens, some folks just need killin'.

Great idea in fact not.
*Soldier throws grenade.*
Commander: "Did you set the thing on concussion mode?"
Soldier: "Oops, oh well."
Commander: "Mtherfker there goes evidence!" "Now everyone is against us now!"

originally posted by: pteridine
What could possibly go wrong with a "Dial-a-Blast?" I envision a small screen with warnings, "If you pull the pin the grenade will explode in 4 seconds' Do you want the grenade to explode in 4 seconds? Y/N. Are you sure? Y/N." There will be OSHA warning tags saying that it has components that the state of California has shown to be bad for you and if you pull the pin and put the grenade in your front trou pocket, it may affect your ability to reproduce.

I logged in after about 4 year hiatus from this site to say this is the best thing I have ever read.

a reply to: pteridine

I keep a jumbo P38 in my wallet... If nothing else it's a great reminder not to put condoms in there...

I suppose some modes like this might be useful: 15 sec timer delay from release, go off on impact, 5 sec delay after impact. Which one to use might be determined on whether you're trying to use it in the open, in some fortification, or bouncing it around a corner somewhere. (Probably not exact on timing as that probably needs to be sorted out via testing, but variation of function still makes sense if you can see a need for it.) The impact and impact + delay modes may possibly allow for more range than a delay on it's own.

a reply to: intrptrearly incendary grenades were used in the 7th century they were packed with greek fire.yes modern high explosives makes them more effective they really have been in use a really long time.