No 1 Cup launcher vs No 4 Spigot Launcher

[therno]

I just picked up my first No4 Spigot grenade launcher and had question on how they were used. I know the cup launchers you fired with the butt on the ground like a small mortar. I have shot many a tennis ball for the kids this way. My question, is this the way the spigots were also fired? Ask this because there is flip up sight with graduations on the spigot launcher. They were not shot from the shoulder??

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[CINDERS]

Some examples could not find a pic of the No.4 being utilized some one else may be able to the Garand one they are firing a line out. The German one would have had some good recoil.

[browningautorifle]

It was in the book to fire them from the shoulder but we taught shooting from the ground. The sight was for shoulder or hip shooting. It wasn't very effective for aiming though. If you try to look up at the launcher when you fire, you get a face full of ballisite...in your eyes...

[therno]

Thanks for the info and the great photos. I think I will opt for the ground option. Save my shoulder and face.

Here is my set up that I am going to try with my 1950 Long Branch.

I just picked up the practice grenade and have never launched one before. Any ideas on distance?

[Peter Laidler]

It really all depends on which of the two types of launcher cartridges shown above that you are using. And the weight of the dummy of course

[browningautorifle]

And, be prepared for a hike after you fire it...

[Mk VII]

Illustration from Infantry Training, Pam. 9, Pt.1 'Anti-tank Grenade No.94 (Energa)' (1953). The book states that under no circumstances should the butt plate be placed on the shoulder or in contact with any part of the body.

[Peter Laidler]

That man, thread 7 is the late great, most amiable and affable person you ever met, Major Maurice Fogwell SASC (ex Somerset Light Infantry). He got us the AR15 into Malaya and Borneo in 1966 and was instrumental in telling the Director of Infantry in 1964, while he was a Warrant Officer, that there was only 1 gun that was capable of replacing the Vickers MMG. And that was the FN MAG/L7/GPMG. Taught me a lot in many ways

That hill in the background (top photo) is where the Harman Lines tank park is now situated. We had all these original photos at the publications section at work

Sorry to go off on yet another tangent. If you already knew this stuff, just ignore it.

[browningautorifle]

The book states

That too is correct, even the FN was to be fired from under arm. It also showed a man looking downrange hopefully, they should have taken the pic half second after he fired it.

[mrclark303]

Great pics, they really do look very dangerous, they look more dangerous to the firer than the target!

I find it astonishing that rifle grenades were still being actively considered and trialed (very limited fielding I think) right into the L85A1 era.