The M7 rifle grenade launcher gave Marines a powerful tool against enemy tanks, pillboxes and exposed troops. It was a simple device that attached to the muzzle of the M1 rifle. This enabled Marines to engage targets with rifle grenades to a maximum effective range of 300-400 yards.
The two most common rifle grenades were the antitank rifle grenade, M9A1 and the MkII fragmentation grenade used with the rifle grenade adapter. The M9A1 could destroy most tanks and used the shaped charge principle. This grenade had a bursting radius of about 10 yards and was also effective against pillboxes and other hardened targets. The M9A1 antitank rifle grenade weighed about 16 ounces. The MkII fragmentation grenade provided the same target effect as when hand-thrown, but at a much longer range.
Also available were pyrotechnic signals designed for use with this launcher. There were star clusters in white, green, amber and red. And there were parachute flares in white, green, amber and red. Smoke grenades in white, red, green, violet and yellow were also available for use with the M7. An incendiary white phosphorous grenade was also available for use with the M7.
The M7 launcher used a special blank firing round that fired through the launcher to activate the powder charge in the base of the attached rifle grenade. This meant that the Marine had to unload and clear his rifle of service ammunition. then hand-load a single grenade launching blank to fire the grenade.
The main drawback of the M7 was that it caused a large amount of gas to be tapped off from the operating system of the M1 and into the barrel. While the launcher was attached to the muzzle, the rifle would only function in manual mode. To allow the rifle to fire in semi-automatic mode, the grenade launcher had to be removed from the rifle.
M7 launchers and rifle grenades were classified as auxiliary weapons, They were issued to Marines in line outfits on an "as needed" basis. Often, they were distributed to one Marine per fireteam, but this was by no means standard.
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(Left) A Marine fires a rifle grenade from his M1 rifle. USMC Photo |
WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT
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