Description
For signaling and for laying smoke screens. Produces green, red, violet or yellow smoke.
The M22 and M22A2 consist of three basic parts: a steel stabilizer assembly, an integral fuze and a body. The fuze is a mechanical impact-igniting type. The body is filled with a burning-type smoke charge which contains a dye to color the smoke. The surfaces of the smoke charge within the body are coated with a starter mixture charge to facilitate ignition. A small opening or air hole in the nose of the ogive is covered by a nose closing plug.
The M22 and M22A2 grenades differ only in minor features.
Colored smoke rifle grenades M22 and M22A2 are similar to appearance to WP smoke rifle grenade M19A1 but are somewhat smaller.
Functioning
Colored smoke rifle grenades M22 and M22A2 function on impact, emitting a cloud of colored smoke for approximately one minute.
After being fired from a rifle equipped with a grenade launcher, these grenades function as follows: The grenade ogive strikes the ground or other resistant object. Inertia of the firing pin overcomes spring tension and the firing pin strikes the primer. The primer emits a small, intense spit of flame. Flame from the primer ignites the starter mixture charge. The burning starter mixture charge ignites the smoke charge. The smoke charge burns for approximately 1 minute, emitting a dense cloud of colored smoke through holes in the base of the body.
Hazardous Components
No information about hazardous components.
See Also
Grenade, Rifle, Smoke WP, M19A1
Source(s)
TM 43-0001-29, Grenades (chg 4, 2002)
OP 1664, Volume 2 - US Explosive Ordnance (1947)
