The M9 rifle grenade is a U.S. World War II HEAT anti-tank rifle-grenade family designed for launch from rifle or carbine grenade launchers with special blank cartridges. Its catalog relevance now also comes from Myanmar reporting: resistance forces in the 2021 Myanmar Civil War have been reported dropping M9 rifle grenades, primed M9s, and M9-derived Inaga munitions from commercial UAVs against junta positions.
Myanmar resistance forces were reported dropping M9 rifle grenades, primed M9 rifle grenades, or M9-derived Inaga drone munitions from UAVs against junta checkpoints, camps, and troops in Sagaing and Mandalay Regions in 2022.
U.S. manuals describe the M9 family as a spigot-launched rifle grenade: the grenade's hollow stabilizer tube fits over a muzzle launcher, and a special grenade cartridge supplies the propellant gases. That wartime launch method is separate from the Myanmar drone-drop reports, where resistance forces adapted surviving or sourced M9 bodies as aerial payloads.
OP 1664 lists M1, M2, M7, and M8 U.S. launchers and describes rifle-grenade launchers as barrel extensions over which the stabilizer assembly fits.
Sources: OP 1664 U.S. Explosive Ordnance; TM 9-1985 Grenades, Hand and Rifle.
The M9A1 uses a cylindrical body, hollow stabilizer tube, fin assembly, and impact fuze. OP 1664 gives an 11.21 in length, 2.25 in diameter, 1.23 lb weight, and 4 oz filling; OP 1720 identifies the shaped-charge explosive as 50/50 pentolite.
Sources: OP 1664 U.S. Explosive Ordnance; OP 1720 Shaped Charge Ammunition.
Mizzima and Fulcrum reporting identifies M9 rifle grenades, primed M9s, or M9-derived Inaga bombs as UAV-dropped resistance munitions rather than rifle-launched rounds in those attacks.
Sources: Drone drops M9 grenade on junta checkpoint in Sagaing's Monywa Town; Myanmar women's drone force bombs junta forces in Sagaing's Chaung-U; Resistance Forces in Myanmar: Changing the State of Play with Weaponised Drones.
The entry covers the original M9 and the improved M9A1 anti-tank rifle grenades, plus practice rounds and Myanmar improvised drone munitions that sources describe as made from M9 rifle grenades.
| Variant | Configuration | Designation notes |
|---|---|---|
| M9 | Earlier anti-tank rifle grenade | War Department TM 9-1985 describes the M9 as the earlier model with the same tail assembly as the M9A1, an acorn-shaped head, a point fuze, and lower sensitivity on graze or soft-ground impact. Sources: TM 9-1985 Grenades, Hand and Rifle |
| M9A1 | Improved anti-tank rifle grenade | OP 1664 and TM 9-1985 describe the M9A1 as a hollow-charge anti-tank rifle grenade with a cylindrical body, hollow stabilizer tube, fin assembly, and impact fuze integrated with the stabilizer; OP 1720 says it improved the earlier M9's functioning and penetration. Sources: OP 1664 U.S. Explosive Ordnance, TM 9-1985 Grenades, Hand and Rifle, OP 1720 Shaped Charge Ammunition |
| M11 and M11A1 practice grenades | Inert training counterparts | FM 23-30 identifies the M11 and M11A1 as inert practice grenades similar in shape and weight to the M9 and M9A1 respectively. Sources: FM 23-30 Grenades |
| M9-derived Inaga bomb | Improvised drone munition reported in Myanmar | Mizzima reported a TGR Women's Drone Force attack using an Inaga bomb or primed M9 rifle grenade and said the group sought support to make more handmade Inaga bombs from M9 rifle grenades. Sources: Myanmar women's drone force bombs junta forces in Sagaing's Chaung-U |
Myanmar reporting ties the M9 rifle grenade to improvised carriage by commercial multirotor UAVs.
| Carrier | Carrier type | Carriage evidence |
|---|---|---|
 | Commercial quadcopter UAV family | Mizzima reported local defence forces dropping an M9 rifle grenade from a drone onto a junta checkpoint, while Fulcrum later described footage showing four primed M9 rifle grenades dropped on junta troops. Sources: Drone drops M9 grenade on junta checkpoint in Sagaing's Monywa Town, Resistance Forces in Myanmar: Changing the State of Play with Weaponised Drones |
U.S. ordnance references place the M9 and M9A1 in a rifle-grenade system using muzzle launchers and special grenade cartridges.
| Firing weapon | Weapon type | Firing evidence |
|---|---|---|
 | Semi-automatic service rifle with M7 grenade launcher | OP 1664 identifies the M7 launcher for the caliber .30 M1 rifle and lists the M9 and M9A1 anti-tank rifle grenades among the ammunition used with U.S. rifle and carbine grenade launchers. Sources: OP 1664 U.S. Explosive Ordnance |
War Department TM 9-1900 Change No. 1 listed the M9 and M9A1 as present standard anti-tank rifle grenades fired from rifle muzzle launchers with M3 grenade cartridges.
Sources: TM 9-1900 Ammunition, General Change No. 1
Navy Bureau of Ordnance pamphlet OP 1720 described the M9 as the first U.S. shaped-charge item placed in service and the M9A1 as an Army Ordnance Department improvement with more consistent detonation.
Sources: OP 1720 Shaped Charge Ammunition
Navy Bureau of Ordnance pamphlet OP 1664 listed the M9 and M9A1 anti-tank rifle grenades and summarized the M9A1's dimensions, weight, launcher interface, hollow-charge role, and impact-fuze operation.
Sources: OP 1664 U.S. Explosive Ordnance
Mizzima reported that Black Dragon Defensive Force dropped an M9 rifle grenade from a drone onto a junta checkpoint near Monywa Town Gate in Sagaing Region.
Sources: Drone drops M9 grenade on junta checkpoint in Sagaing's Monywa Town
Mizzima reported that TGR Women's Drone Force dropped an Inaga bomb or primed M9 rifle grenade on a Military Council camp in Chaung-U Township and described handmade Inaga bombs as made from M9 rifle grenades.
Sources: Myanmar women's drone force bombs junta forces in Sagaing's Chaung-U
Fulcrum later described footage from a Natogyi People's Defense Force drone strike as showing four primed M9 rifle grenades dropping on junta troops.
Sources: Resistance Forces in Myanmar: Changing the State of Play with Weaponised Drones
