Visit this system on our new website !!

Infantry weapons / Grenades / V-40

V-40

General Facts

  • TYPE
    Hand grenade

  • ORIGIN
    Netherlands

  • NICKNAMES
    Mini grenade (popular nickname)

  • DESIGNED
    1960's

  • DESIGNER
    NWM de Kruithoorn

  • PRODUCTION
    Late 1960's - 1972

  • PRODUCERS
    Netherlands - NWM de Kruithoorn

  • QUANTITY
    Unknown

  • UNIT COST
    About $2 a piece

  • CHARACTERISTICS
    Limited size and weight
    Ideal for CQB and urban warfare
    Limited lethality

Introduction

The V40 is a defensive hand grenade of Dutch origin. It was developed in the late 1960's and is unique due to its small size. Therefore the V-40 Mini-grenade designation is more common than the plain V-40 designation.

Design

The V-40 is similar in design to many other fragmentation grenades. It has a spherical pre-notched steel body and a delayed fuze. What makes the V-40 special is its size. The body is much smaller than most grenades and the fuze of normal size looks out of proportion. The fuze has a delay of about 4 seconds. As long as the level is not released the V40 remains safe and the pin can be replaced if needed. An inert model is available for training.

Firepower

Despite its very limited weight the lethality is still quite good. The V-40 is filled with 36 g of Comp B that turns 68 g of the body into 520 fragments. Given the way the body is pre-notched the fragments scatter evenly in all directions. The lethal radius is about 5 meters and at 25 meters the likelihood of danger is too small to be significant. The limited explosive power makes the V-40 very useful in urban combat.

Users

The V-40 has been acquired by various European users. It was extensively used by US Navy SEALs during the Vietnam war. Although of Dutch origin it never made it into the Netherlands army.

Variants

V-40

The V-40 is a very small fragmentation grenade. It features a conventional fuze with a small grenade body.

  • Specifications:
  • V-40
TypeDefensive hand grenade
Diameter37 mm body, 40mm with lever
Length58 mm
Weight0.140 kg
Fuse4 second time delay
Filling36 g Comp B, pre-notched steel body resulting in 520 fragments
Effect5 m lethal radius, 25 m safe radius
VelocityHand thrown
RangeHand thrown
Remarks-

Copyright © 2002 - 2014 Weaponsystems.net