Mills Bomb.

[neverneverman]

Well been to this new feild a few times now and there is a area that is full of bit of bits . And lots of the screw in plugs . I have to been binning them after the day ,but i thought i would see what they are ! I now think i need to be carefull what i dig up

And a pic of what i hope i don't dig up !!

[JD666]

Mills bomb base nuts very nice you might have yourself a nice area

[Machinist]

Well been to this new feild a few times now and there is a area that is full of bit of bits . And lots of the screw in plugs . I have to been binning them after the day ,but i thought i would see what they are ! I now think i need to be carefull what i dig up

And a pic of what i hope i don't dig up !!

To right Neverman, I know a beach were these base plugs come up regularly the same beach has also produced 2 live grenades as well, one found by a mate of mine. Be careful out there

[neverneverman]

Only had a few hours there with Steve & Ryley . Need to show Ryley a pic of a whole one just in case ..

Picture this , 7 year old run over to Dad ( Steve ) Daddy look ive found a metal pineapple ..Lol.

[Verulamium]

I found one of those bases a couple of months ago and didn't know what it was until recently.....

[Rhoco71]

Yes good point about showing Ryley,I have told him to make sure he runs to you instead

Joking aside he has had a look with me and he now knows to be carefull with anything that resembles a grenade

[RRPG]

Quick correction. They are called base PLUGS not nuts

If you are finding base plugs you will also be finding a strange grey alloy. These alloy pieces are the remains of the striker/fuze column. You may also find the filler plugs which are much smaller than base plugs.

If you do find a whole no. 36m (mills), please do not remove it from the ground. If you do, by accident, unearth one, don't handle it or move it. Many dud grenades have a slight imperfection in the striker column that prevents it hitting the detonator. Moving the grenade can dislodge the striker causing it to hit the detonator. You then have 4 seconds to get at least 50yards away......

Go easy out there!

One final thing. If you have got some base plugs you don't want, I'll gladly add them to my collection

[neverneverman]

Quick correction. They are called base PLUGS not nuts

If you are finding base plugs you will also be finding a strange grey alloy. These alloy pieces are the remains of the striker/fuze column. You may also find the filler plugs which are much smaller than base plugs.

If you do find a whole no. 36m (mills), please do not remove it from the ground. If you do, by accident, unearth one, don't handle it or move it. Many dud grenades have a slight imperfection in the striker column that prevents it hitting the detonator. Moving the grenade can dislodge the striker causing it to hit the detonator. You then have 4 seconds to get at least 50yards away......

Go easy out there!

One final thing. If you have got some base plugs you don't want, I'll gladly add them to my collection

No problem , I have 3 here . No good to me .. PM your address and i'll send them over ..

[Dean (Ajax)]

I love Mills No 36's..thats what you have there..the bottom screw is the base plug..the screw that is close to the top is called a filler plug..all the parts have names

There are also WW1 Mills No 5s and No 23s..the 23 was a rifle grenade..the No 5 was thrown..the 23 could be thrown but they removed the rod that was screwed into the base plug to do that...the filler screw in the No 5 was up higher on it than it was on the Mills 36 and the spoon ( handle) and the striker ( the thing the handle held in place and hit the cap that started the fuse) was a bit differant.

I have 11 Mills 36 Grenades..as well as several WW1 No 5s and 23s..not to mention VERY rare WW1 Training Mills Grenades that have the C Broad Arrow mark..that is the Canadian Military Ordnance mark,,the British Ordnance mark was the Broad Arrow..used from the late 1700s on.

Great finds!!!

Dean
Ajax Canada

[HowardCarter2]

I have had the pleasure of digging up a hand grenade some years back, called out the bomb disposal army team who disposed of it. They did not know whether it was a live or dud piece of ordanance and took it away in a sand box to blow up elsewhere. It was located under a tree root on a public footpath/bridleway and I was happily chopping at the roots with the side of my shovel until I spotted the pin, needless to say it made me go cold

[RRPG]

A quick correction to dean's post, (It's the pedant in me.....). The no. 5 and 23 were declared obsolete at the end of WW1, with the no. 36 taking their place. However, this was also declared obsolete by 1932 and replaced with the no. 36m. The only real difference between the two was the shellac coating and improve plug seals on the no. 36m, allowing more reliable use in very hot and humid climates.

Check the dates on you base plugs. If they are after 1932 they are from a no. 36m, not a no. 36.