THE ITALIAN BENAGLIA RIFLE GRENADE

The Benaglia is a 1st WW rodded Fragmentation Grenade. It is a most unusual looking model with 3 tin fins to help it fly nose first. The 1st patern model is without the fins and has a wooden cup on the base which i have no idea what its purpose is.

The Grenade has a cast iron body serated on the outside. Inside is a brass tube with the striker inside. The lead nosecone contains the primer and detonator. There is 1 or 2 screws in the top which are for filling the  explosive.

The striker pellet works as the grenade is launched. The setback causes the internal firing pin to be pushed up into the striker pellet through a brass ring and its 4 leaf springs lock in to place once it has passed through the ring. The firing pin now protrudes from the front of the pellet and on impact will be driven into the primer in the lead nosecone and in turn will ignite the detonator

note the 4 brass leaf springs in the striker have passed through the ring and lock the striker in the forward position

Striker in the armed position.

Striker in the safe position.

There are no safety pins on this grenade so it is quite feasable that if dropped tail first it could arm itself and be a danger to the user.