German M24 Stick Grenade (Stielhandgranate 24)

1. Overview

The Model 24 Stielhandgranate (M24 Stick Grenade), universally known as the “Potato Masher,” is one of the most iconic and recognizable hand grenades in military history. Introduced by the German Reichswehr in 1924 as a refinement of World War I-era stick grenade designs, the M24 became the standard hand grenade of the German Wehrmacht throughout World War II. Its distinctive stick-and-canister profile made it a symbol of the German infantry soldier, and its design influenced grenade development in numerous countries, most notably China, where derivatives remained in production into the 21st century.

⚠ SAFETY WARNING: All ordnance should be considered dangerous until rendered safe by qualified EOD personnel. Unexploded ordnance should never be handled by untrained individuals. Report all suspected ordnance to military or law enforcement authorities. This information is for educational and identification training purposes only.

2. Country/Bloc of Origin

  • Country: Germany (Weimar Republic / Nazi Germany)
  • Period of Development: Standardized in 1924 as a refinement of WWI Stielhandgranate designs (Model 15, Model 16, Model 17)
  • Manufacturers: Multiple German manufacturers under government contract
  • International Variants/Influence: The M24 design was widely copied or influenced grenade development in China (Type 51, Type 67, Type 77-1), Japan (Type 98), Finland (m/32, m/41), Hungary (42 M.), and many other nations.

3. Ordnance Class

  • Type: Hand grenade (stick type)
  • Primary Role: Offensive, blast/concussion — primarily a blast-effect weapon with limited fragmentation in its standard configuration
  • Delivery Method: Hand-thrown
  • Defensive Configuration: Could be fitted with a Splitterring (fragmentation sleeve) to convert it to a defensive fragmentation grenade

4. Ordnance Family / Nomenclature

  • Official Designation: Stielhandgranate 24 (Model 24 Stick Hand Grenade)
  • Common Names/Nicknames:
    • Potato Masher (English-language nickname, from its resemblance to a kitchen utensil)
    • Kartoffelstampfer (German equivalent — “potato masher”)
    • Türklopfer (German — “doorknocker”)
    • Stick Grenade / Stick Bomb (generic English terms)
  • Related Variants:
    • Stielhandgranate 15 — WWI original (1915)
    • Stielhandgranate 16/17 — WWI improvements
    • Stielhandgranate 24 — Interwar refinement (standard WWII variant)
    • Stielhandgranate 43 — Late-war simplified variant with the pull-cord igniter from the M39 egg grenade screwed onto the top of the warhead and a solid-wood handle
    • Nebelhandgranate 39 — Smoke variant with chemical smoke fill
    • Geballte Ladung — Bundle charge configuration using multiple warheads clustered around a central grenade for anti-armor/demolition use

5. Hazards

  • Primary Hazard (Standard): Blast/concussion — the M24 in its standard configuration is primarily a blast-effect weapon with an effective radius of approximately 15 meters in open field
  • Primary Hazard (with Splitterring): Fragmentation — when fitted with the fragmentation sleeve, the grenade produces lethal steel fragments
  • Explosive Fill: 170 grams (6 oz) of TNT (standard); some late-war variants used substitute fillers including black powder
  • Fuze Delay: Approximately 4–5 seconds (varied by production period and manufacturer)
  • UXO Considerations:
    • M24 grenades are commonly encountered UXO items across all former WWII European and North African theaters
    • The TNT fill is highly stable and can remain functional for 80+ years
    • The pull-cord friction igniter may be compromised by corrosion but should never be assumed safe
    • The thin sheet-steel warhead corrodes over time, potentially exposing the TNT fill
    • Waterlogged specimens may have compromised fuze function but the explosive fill remains hazardous
    • Warheads coated with paraffin wax may have preserved the explosive fill even in harsh conditions
  • Secondary Hazards:
    • Late-war production quality was highly variable — some grenades used substitute explosive fillers of unpredictable performance
    • Bundle charge (Geballte Ladung) configurations multiply the explosive hazard significantly
    • Booby-trapped configurations were common in WWII, particularly in defensive positions

6. Key Identification Features

  • Shape: Distinctive stick-and-canister profile — thin sheet-steel cylindrical warhead mounted on a long hollow wooden handle
  • Warhead Dimensions: Approximately 7.6 cm (3 in) diameter × 7.5 cm (3 in) length
  • Handle Length: 36 cm (14 in)
  • Overall Length: Approximately 35.6 cm (14 in) handle + warhead
  • Total Weight: Approximately 595 grams (21 oz) complete; warhead approximately 230 grams (0.5 lb)
  • Warhead Material: Thin-wall sheet steel, often coated with paraffin wax for waterproofing
  • Handle Material: Hollow wood, housing the friction igniter mechanism and pull cord
  • Cap at Base of Handle: Unscrews to access the porcelain ball pull-cord for ignition
  • Color: Typically field gray, dark green, or bare metal finish (varied by manufacturer and theater)
  • Markings: Manufacturer codes and lot numbers stamped into the metal of the warhead or stenciled on the handle; filling type may be indicated
  • Belt Clip: Early versions (WWI-era) featured a metal belt clip on the warhead, which was eliminated on the M24
  • Distinctive Features:
    • The long wooden handle with the screw-on cap at the base is the most recognizable feature
    • The pull-cord porcelain ball visible when the base cap is removed
    • Thin-wall sheet steel warhead with minimal external marking

7. Fuzing Mechanisms

  • Fuze Type: Pull-cord friction igniter with pyrotechnic delay
  • Arming Sequence:
    1. Unscrew the cap at the base of the wooden handle
    2. This exposes a porcelain bead attached to a pull cord connected to a friction igniter inside the handle
    3. Pull the cord sharply — the friction element ignites the pyrotechnic delay column
    4. Throw the grenade
  • Delay Time: Approximately 4–5 seconds (varied by production)
  • Detonation: The pyrotechnic delay column burns through to a detonator housed in the top of the handle, which initiates the TNT main charge in the warhead
  • Safety Mechanisms:
    • The screw-on cap at the base of the handle covers the pull cord, preventing accidental initiation
    • The friction igniter requires a deliberate, sharp pull
  • Self-Destruct/Self-Neutralization: None
  • Anti-Handling Features: None standard, but widely used in booby-trap configurations during WWII

8. History of Development and Use

The M24 traces its lineage to the first Stielhandgranate introduced by the Imperial German Army in 1915 during World War I. The stick grenade concept arose from the need for a lighter, longer-range alternative to the heavy Kugelhandgranate (ball grenade). The long handle provided leverage for throwing, significantly extending the effective throwing range compared to compact grenades.

Throughout WWI, the Stielhandgranate became the signature weapon of German Sturmtruppen (stormtroopers), who carried dozens of them in sandbags slung across their chests for trench assaults. The concept of the bundle charge (Geballte Ladung) — multiple warheads taped around a central grenade — was developed for use against fortifications and later adapted as an improvised anti-tank weapon.

The Model 24, standardized in 1924, refined the WWI designs with improved manufacturing, a 170g TNT fill, and a 36 cm handle. It became the standard issue hand grenade of the Wehrmacht and was produced in enormous quantities throughout World War II by multiple manufacturers.

The M24 saw combat use in virtually every theater where German forces fought — from the Eastern Front to North Africa, from the Atlantic Wall to the final defense of Berlin. It was complemented by the smaller, more compact Eihandgranate 39 (M39 egg grenade) for situations where the stick grenade’s bulk was impractical.

After WWII, the M24 design directly influenced grenade development in China, where derivatives (Type 51, Type 67, Type 77-1) remained in production for decades. The M24 itself became obsolete in German and European military service but remains one of the most commonly encountered WWII-era UXO items in Europe.

9. Technical Specifications

ParameterValue
Overall Length~35.6 cm (14 in)
Warhead Diameter~7.6 cm (3 in)
Warhead Length~7.5 cm (3 in)
Handle Length36 cm (14 in)
Total Weight~595 g (21 oz)
Warhead MaterialThin-wall sheet steel
Handle MaterialHollow wood
Explosive FillTNT (standard) or substitute fillers (late-war)
Fill Weight170 g (6 oz)
Fuze TypePull-cord friction igniter, pyrotechnic delay
Fuze Delay~4–5 seconds
Effective Blast Radius~15 m (open field, standard config)
Maximum Throwing RangeUp to 50 m (depending on thrower)

10. Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why was the stick design preferred over the egg-shaped design by German forces? A: The stick handle serves as a lever that imparts additional momentum during throwing, significantly extending the throwing range (up to 50 meters for a strong thrower compared to 30–40 meters for egg-shaped grenades). The handle also provides a more secure grip and a more predictable throwing motion. However, the stick design has a poor ratio of explosive fill to overall volume and weight, making it bulkier to carry in quantity.

Q: What was the Geballte Ladung (bundle charge)? A: The Geballte Ladung was an improvised demolition charge created by removing the warheads from several M24 grenades and taping or wiring them around a complete central grenade. When the central grenade was initiated, it would detonate all the surrounding warheads simultaneously, creating a much more powerful explosion. This configuration was used against fortifications, bunkers, barbed wire, and as an improvised anti-tank weapon.

Q: How does the M24 compare to the British Mills bomb? A: The M24 and the Mills bomb (No. 36 Grenade) represent fundamentally different approaches. The M24 prioritized throwing range and blast effect, while the Mills bomb prioritized fragmentation lethality. The Mills bomb produced over 700 fragments upon detonation and had a much greater lethal radius, but could only be thrown about 30 meters. The M24 could be thrown further but produced far less fragmentation, relying primarily on blast effect.

Q: Were there quality control issues with late-war production? A: Yes. As the war progressed and Germany faced increasing resource shortages, the quality of M24 production declined. Substitute explosive fillers (including black powder) were sometimes used in place of TNT, and manufacturing tolerances became less consistent. Some late-war variants used simplified construction methods. This variability increases the unpredictability of M24 UXO specimens from this period.

Q: How common are M24 grenades as UXO today? A: The M24 is one of the most commonly encountered WWII-era UXO items in Europe, particularly in former Eastern Front areas, Normandy, the Ardennes, Italy, and North Africa. Millions were produced, and many failed to detonate or were abandoned in defensive positions, field dumps, and retreating columns. Construction and agricultural activity continue to uncover M24 specimens regularly.

Q: Can the M24’s fragmentation sleeve (Splitterring) still be encountered? A: Yes. The Splitterring was a separate accessory — a segmented steel sleeve that slid over the warhead to convert the M24 from a blast grenade to a fragmentation grenade. UXO specimens may be found with or without the sleeve. The presence of the sleeve significantly increases the fragmentation hazard.

Q: What is the difference between the M24 and the Stielhandgranate 43? A: The Stielhandgranate 43 was a simplified late-war variant that used the pull-cord igniter from the Model 39 egg grenade, screwed onto the top of the warhead rather than housed inside the handle. It also featured a solid-wood handle (not hollow) since the ignition mechanism was relocated. The warhead could be removed from the handle by unscrewing four screws, a feature intended for practice use.