Mecar No4 Enfield Grenade Projectors Models

[pedro243]

Hi all,

Does anyone have information regarding the differences in patterns between the Mecar made No4 rifle grenade projectors?

PJ

[Peter Laidler]

I think that Skennerton does mention a couple of variants but all the ones we had were all made by Mecar, even the little pouches that they came in. But there's more...........

When the L1 rifle grenade launcher came on stream, quartermasters had to return all of the old No4 grenade launchers to Ordnance following the arrival of the new L1 rifle type. BUT, they had to retain the leather pouches for the new L1 rifle grenade launchers. So far, so good - or bad. Alas, the later '58 pattern webbing already came with its own inbuilt grenade launcher pocket, so the leather pouches just languished in their stores for years and years.....!

They were useless for anything else. That's why you can often find the launchers on the market but the pouches are quite rare now. As for the thousands of No4 launchers that were due to go back to Ordnance, they didn't. No one was going to waste money sending them back anywhere, so they just went back to the main workshops as scrap!

As a bit further, in all of my service I never saw a 303 ballastite blank or a 7.62 ballastite blank either. We all fired one during our military training days, on the sports field, using a blank with dummy energa grenades with a replacement chalk dust filled head..

[pedro243]

Thank you for the imformation Peter.

That would explain why I managed to buy a No4 projector in excellent condition without a case. The hunt will continue hahaha

[browningautorifle]

the later '58 pattern webbing already came with its own inbuilt grenade launcher pocket, so the leather pouches just languished in their stores for years and years.

I've seen that before, then they go into the gash bin...

[Peter Laidler]

You're right BAR. Then, when you need one, they're gone......!

[pedro243]

I found a reference last night. It appears the one I have is a 5th pattern. The reference also showed the 4th pattern. I am still interested to see how patterns 1-3 vary if anyone has information.