Infantry Weapons

Fragmentation hand grenade

Also known as
  • frag grenade
  • fragmentation grenade
  • hand grenade
  • M67 fragmentation grenade
  • F1 grenade
  • Mills bomb
  • No. 36 grenade

Fragmentation hand grenades are short-delay anti-personnel explosives built to scatter high-velocity fragments across close range. The U.S. M67 provides a modern benchmark for the class, while documented conflict use ranges from Hamas shelter assaults and Philippine urban clearing at Marawi to F1-type grenade payloads dropped from Mavic-style drones in the Russia-Ukraine War.

Fragmentation hand grenade, Fragmentation hand grenade, Infantry Weapons
Image source: File:M67 grenade.jpg

Role in Conflicts

2017 Battle of Marawi
Frontline Assault
Side
Philippine government forces

During the 2017 Battle of Marawi, Philippine government troops used hand grenades while trying to flush out remaining IS-aligned militants from a basement in the main battle area.

How the M67 pattern behaves

The Army's M67 pattern is the cleanest modern reference point for a fragmentation hand grenade: it is meant for close combat, not room clearing, and U.S. training material still treats it as the open-terrain option.

TopicSource-backed detailReader value
RoleThe Army says the M67 is used to supplement small arms fire against enemies in close combat.Explains why the weapon is a short-range infantry aid.
Body and fillThe grenade body is a 2.5-inch diameter steel sphere with about 5.5 ounces of Composition B.Shows the compact, fragmenting shell that gives the grenade its effect.
DelayThe M213 fuze gives the Soldier 4.0 to 5.5 seconds after release of the safety lever.Shows the narrow throw-and-seek-cover window built into the design.
Training counterpartThe Army's training-grenade page says the M69 practice hand grenade and M228 practice fuze replicate the M67 in training.Reveals the practice system used to train safe handling without live fragmentation.
Terrain ruleArmy reporting on the M111 says Soldiers use the M67 in open terrain, but choose the M111 in enclosed or restricted terrain.Shows the grenade's current niche alongside newer blast-overpressure options.

Sources: PM CCS Lethal Hand Grenades; PM CCS 2017 Portfolio Book; Army approves M111, first new lethal hand grenade since 1968.

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
Multiple countries
Type
Fragmentation hand grenade
Service note
Modern; documented in 2017-2026 U.S. training and procurement reporting
Unit cost
About $21.96 per grenade in FY2017 Army ITEF procurement data.

Specifications

Role
Supplements small arms fire in close combat
Body
2.5-inch diameter steel sphere
Fill
About 5.5 ounces of Composition B
Delay
M213 fuze gives 4.0 to 5.5 seconds after release of the safety lever
Lethal radius
5 meters
Casualty radius
Up to 15 meters
Fragment reach
As far as 230 meters
Representative fragmentation-grenade patterns

Fragmentation hand grenades are a broad equipment class rather than a single national model. The record therefore uses representative patterns to separate modern benchmark data, historical lineage, and current improvised carriage.

PatternDocumented detailWhy it matters
M67U.S. Army material describes a 2.5-inch steel-sphere grenade with Composition B fill and an M213 delay fuze.Gives the page a precise modern benchmark for size, fill, delay, and expected fragmentation effects.
Mills bombThe National Army Museum describes the No. 5 Mills bomb as a 1915 British grenade with a grooved cast-iron body, central striker, hand lever, and pin.Connects the modern class to a long-running British hand-grenade pattern represented by later Mills-family imagery in the gallery.
F1-type drone payloadCTC identifies the F1 as the typical larger fragmentation hand grenade used from Mavic-type drop drones in Ukraine.Shows how legacy hand grenades reappear as improvised UAV payloads in current conflict.

Sources: PM CCS Lethal Hand Grenades; National Army Museum Mills Bomb No 5; Moving Targets: Implications of the Russo-Ukrainian War for Drone Terrorism.

Drone Carriers

Open-source conflict reporting connects fragmentation hand grenades to commercial quadcopters used as improvised drop platforms.

CarrierCarrier typeCarriage evidence
DJI commercial UAVs, Commercial multirotor UAV family, Aircraft & UAVsDJI commercial UAVsCommercial multirotor UAV

The CTC article identifies fragmentation hand grenades as the typical larger grenade carried by Mavic drop drones, with the F1 named as the example.

Sources: Moving Targets: Implications of the Russo-Ukrainian War for Drone Terrorism

DJI Phantom-series weaponized quadcopter, Commercial quadcopter UAV, Aircraft & UAVsDJI Phantom-series weaponized quadcopterCommercial quadcopter UAV

Defense One identified DJI Phantom-series quadcopters among the commercial drones Hamas used to drop grenades during the attack.

Sources: Defense One Gaza drone war

Timeline

Fragmentation hand grenade Key Events

  1. Marine Corps documents M67 effects

    The Marine Corps reported a 5-meter lethal radius, casualties out to 15 meters, and fragment dispersal as far as 230 meters during grenade training at Camp Lejeune.

    Sources: Frag out; Marines participate in grenade assault course

  2. Marines keep live M67 training current

    Marine Corps video coverage from Camp Blaz said Marines were maintaining proficiency in employing the M67 hand grenade safely and effectively.

    Sources: Camp Blaz and CLC-34 Marines conduct first grenade range on Camp Blaz Skaggs UTC

  3. Army keeps the M67 as the open-terrain grenade

    The Army said the M67 remains the fragmentation choice for open terrain while the M111 serves enclosed and restricted spaces.

    Sources: Army approves M111, first new lethal hand grenade since 1968

Media

Fragmentation hand grenade Videos

Fragmentation hand grenade Images

Fragmentation hand grenade, Fragmentation hand grenade, Infantry Weapons - view 1
Source: File:M54 Fragmentation Grenade without fuze or firing lug.jpg
Fragmentation hand grenade, Fragmentation hand grenade, Infantry Weapons - view 2
Source: File:Soviet RGD-33 hand grenade with fragmentation jacket.jpg
Fragmentation hand grenade, Fragmentation hand grenade, Infantry Weapons - view 3
Source: File:British Mills no 36 hand grenade adapted for training.jpg
Related Weapon Systems
Drone-dropped fragmentation grenade, Improvised grenade-drop tactic using a commercial UAV, Aircraft & UAVsAircraft & UAVsDrone-dropped fragmentation grenadeImprovised grenade-drop tactic using a commercial UAVDrone-dropped fragmentation grenade is a field-adapted strike method that uses commercial quadcopters or similar small UAVs to release hand grenades or comparable fragmentation charges. Reporting from Ukraine and Gaza ties the method to improvised battlefield use by multiple sides, while a 2025 U.S. Army test with a Skydio X10D, an Audible dropper, and an M67 grenade shows the same concept moving into formal experimentation.
Smoke hand grenade, Hand-thrown smoke grenade, Infantry WeaponsInfantry WeaponsSmoke hand grenadeHand-thrown smoke grenadeThe smoke hand grenade record centers on the U.S. M18 colored smoke grenade and related M83 TA smoke hand grenade, hand-thrown pyrotechnic munitions used for signaling, landing-zone or target marking, and short-duration screening. Army data lists green, yellow, red, and violet M18 variants, 50-to-90-second smoke duration, and a 30-meter throw range; DoD aid reporting also documents M18 smoke hand grenades among Presidential Drawdown Authority assistance for Ukraine.
Rifle grenades, Rifle-launched grenade family, Infantry WeaponsInfantry WeaponsRifle grenadesRifle-launched grenade familyRifle grenades are a broad family of grenades projected from service rifles by rod, cup, spigot, muzzle-device, bullet-trap, or shoot-through launch methods. World War I examples extended infantry grenade reach with explosive, smoke, signal, message, and emerging anti-tank payloads, while postwar HEAT designs such as the British No. 94 Energa and U.S. M31 used shaped charges for short-range anti-armor fire. The cataloged conflict record spans rifle-launched use, recovered ammunition, and modern reuse of rifle-grenade munitions as drone payloads in Myanmar and Ukraine.
Molotov cocktails, Hand-thrown improvised incendiary weapon, MunitionsMunitionsMolotov cocktailsHand-thrown improvised incendiary weaponMolotov cocktails are hand-thrown improvised incendiary weapons built around a breakable container and ignition source, but wartime examples range from ad hoc bottles to semi-standardized military incendiary grenades. The cataloged conflict record now spans U.S. Marine use during Fallujah house-clearing in the 2003 Iraq War, IS-aligned militant use against Philippine troops in Marawi, and Ukrainian volunteer production and distribution during the 2022 full-scale Russian invasion.
Type 86P hand grenade, All-plastic defensive fragmentation hand grenade, Infantry WeaponsInfantry WeaponsType 86P hand grenadeAll-plastic defensive fragmentation hand grenadeThe Type 86P, also described in Chinese as the 86式全塑无柄手榴弹, is a Chinese all-plastic fragmentation hand grenade standardized in 1986 with an ovoid body, striker-release delay fuze, and about 1,600 embedded steel balls. Technical references disagree on the explosive fill, while conflict reporting documents the type in Iraq weapons caches, Boko Haram-captured materiel in northeast Nigeria, and opposition-area Syrian arms-market listings.

Sources

Britannica GrenadePublisher: Encyclopaedia Britannica | Note: Supports general fragmentation grenade background, timed delay, casing fragmentation, typical weight, and close-range anti-personnel use. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Moving Targets: Implications of the Russo-Ukrainian War for Drone TerrorismPublisher: Combating Terrorism Center at West Point | Note: During the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War, Ukrainian and Russian Mavic-type quadcopters used hand-grenade payloads, and the source names the F1 as a larger fragmentation hand grenade used in drone drops. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Defense One Gaza drone warPublisher: Defense One | Note: In the 2023 Israel-Hamas War, Hamas used small commercial drones to drop grenades and configured DJI Phantom drones to avoid electronic countermeasures. | Accessed: 2026-06-20AP Hamas grenade articlePublisher: AP News | Note: During the 2023 Israel-Hamas War, grenades were used by Hamas militants in the October 7 attack on southern Israel. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Times of Israel Oct. 7 grenade videoPublisher: The Times of Israel | Note: During the 2023 Israel-Hamas War, grenades were used by Hamas militants in the October 7 bomb-shelter assault near Re'im. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Inside enemy tunnels and the concrete jungle of MarawiPublisher: GMA News Online | Note: Supports 2017 Battle of Marawi direct use: hand grenades were used by Philippine government troops trying to flush out IS-aligned militants from a basement in the main battle area. | Accessed: 2026-06-21Army raids kill 6 Boko Haram militants in NE NigeriaPublisher: Anadolu Ajansi | Note: Supports 2009 Boko Haram Insurgency direct-use: hand grenades were fielded by Boko Haram militants and recovered from their Boskoro hideout in Borno State in January 2019. | Accessed: 2026-06-21AP Colombia grenade attacksPublisher: AP News | Note: During the 2016 Colombian FARC Dissident Conflict, grenades were used by FARC dissident groups in coordinated attacks in southwest Colombia against police stations and security forces. | Accessed: 2026-06-22AP PKK grenade attackPublisher: AP News | Note: During the 1984 Kurdish-Turkish Conflict, hand grenades were used by PKK-linked attackers in the 2024 attack on TUSAS in Ankara. | Accessed: 2026-06-22AP Sinai grenade assaultPublisher: AP News | Note: During the 2011 Sinai Insurgency, grenades were used by militants in the El-Arish church and bank assault in North Sinai. | Accessed: 2026-06-22File:M67 grenade.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and licensing source for the primary grenade photograph, a U.S. Army drawing released in the public domain. | Accessed: 2026-06-20File:M54 Fragmentation Grenade without fuze or firing lug.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and licensing source for the M54 fragmentation grenade photograph, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. | Accessed: 2026-06-20File:Soviet RGD-33 hand grenade with fragmentation jacket.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and licensing source for the RGD-33 fragmentation-jacket photograph, released into the public domain by the photographer. | Accessed: 2026-06-20File:British Mills no 36 hand grenade adapted for training.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and CC BY-SA 4.0 licensing source for a British Mills No. 36 hand grenade adapted for training. | Accessed: 2026-06-21National Army Museum Mills Bomb No 5Publisher: National Army Museum | Note: Supports the No. 5 Mills bomb as a British hand-grenade pattern with grooved cast-iron body, central striker, lever, and pin. | Accessed: 2026-07-01PM CCS Lethal Hand GrenadesPublisher: U.S. Army | Note: Supports the M67 close-combat role, 2.5-inch steel-sphere body, Composition B fill, M213 fuze delay, and fragment distribution. | Accessed: 2026-06-27PM CCS 2017 Portfolio BookPublisher: U.S. Army | Note: Supports the FY2017 Army ITEF M67 procurement line that priced the grenade at $21.96 each and the M69 practice grenade / M228 fuze training relationship. | Accessed: 2026-06-27Frag out; Marines participate in grenade assault coursePublisher: U.S. Marine Corps | Note: Supports the M67 lethal radius, casualty radius, fragment dispersion, and live grenade-training context at Camp Lejeune. | Accessed: 2026-06-27Camp Blaz and CLC-34 Marines conduct first grenade range on Camp Blaz Skaggs UTCPublisher: DVIDS / U.S. Marine Corps | Note: Supports 2025 live M67 grenade-range training in Guam and the Marines' stated goal of maintaining proficiency. | Accessed: 2026-06-27Army approves M111, first new lethal hand grenade since 1968Publisher: U.S. Army | Note: Supports the 2026 Army contrast between the M67 in open terrain and the M111 in enclosed or restricted spaces. | Accessed: 2026-06-27