Grenadiers and reenactments

[Ivan Henry aka Moose]

I got this wild idea this weekend - perhaps not wild...

I would like to make some grenadoes that could be used in a reenactment battle. Yes, folks, I want to toss around some bombs. My first thought is to make a reusable greanadoe that could house a smoke bomb. Light and toss - smoke comes out, no harm to anyone.

My questions are:

Anyone have an idea on how to make it go boom and still be okay for reenactments?

Anyone have any construction ideas?

Anyone who organizes events - Would a person be allowed to toss around a few faux grenadoes?

I think this is a cool idea - just need to figure out how to execute it - so to speak.

[Capt. Sterling]

Cool idea indeed, but I can see event organizers having a stroke...why not settle for stynk pots without the boom...

[Slopmaker Cripps]

The way our group does it is this....

Take a racquetball....some film canisters with the pop up lids that are attached.....you cut the racquetball, insert the film cannister.....poke a hole in the lid for the fuse....paint whole thing black.....put gunpowder in cannister.....light....throw....dodge....

-Adam C.

[Dutchman]

moose,

slight problem, light and toss = incendiary device = home made bomb.

while there will obviously be no powder loaded into said grenadoe all it would take is one worried gray hair (yes callenish I said gray hair- go ahead be offended :)) and one overzealous police officer to ruin your merriment. Lots of states have laws prohibiting incendiary and even imitation devices. At an event might not be a problem, but if your vehicle gets searched for some reason on the way home you got som splainin to do Lucy! Once that flammable object leaves your hand you own it and what ever is inadvertently burned. Firearms have safety areas to protect the public and us- this could be done with these as well.

Now with that out of the way. A lot of us carry imitation iron grenadoes and I have not heard of anyone having any run ins. For what you need, A munition fusee would produce the result you are looking for, but they are the spoon and pin arrangement and your grenadoes would need to be ported to avoid pressure build up. torching one will not detonate it with the results your looking for. A generic 1" smoke bomb would result in your smoke, but i'm not sure how to get the bang. you can't really get it without having the incendiary as well which is what will cause problems for you.

[michaelsbagley]

The way our group does it is this....

Take a racquetball....some film canisters with the pop up lids that are attached.....you cut the racquetball, insert the film cannister.....poke a hole in the lid for the fuse....paint whole thing black.....put gunpowder in cannister.....light....throw....dodge....

-Adam C.

While these were not used in the battle, someone at Searle's (2009 edition) had one of these, I asked them about them and they went further to say they used tennis balls, and burnt the "fuzzy" stuff off with a home propane torch, and used the matte finish barbecue paint to get a real nice look, and filled them with some sand to give amore realistic weight to them as well.

On the whole, I think these look great, but while it may be safe enough to do in a reasonably controlled environment, is one of those issues that would most likely raise the hackles of almost all safety police (if not the real police as well).

Anyone mind if I move this thread over to "The Workshop" area? It is more about "how to make a repro" than it is about what actual grenadoes were about.

[theM.A.dDogge]

well...just thinkin here.... .....but many were made of plaster or other such (easy breakable) substance(thinkin paper mache).....filled with flour...or other such "poofy" powder....ash or something like it to make little poofs of smoke.....

now of course would not make a sound....but a paper mache "grenado" filled with ash/flour...tossed at folks...visually might get close to what your lookin for...would kinda be like watchin a water baloon toss..pirate style....

[captscurvy_nc]

My group has done this before with the flour grenadoes and it works great but again, once it leaves your hand it'd your responsibilit even if it's just flour. When we have done them in the past it was in a controled area still visiable to the public but not within hitting distance.

[MarkG]

The way our group does it is this....

Take a racquetball....some film canisters with the pop up lids that are attached.....you cut the racquetball, insert the film cannister.....poke a hole in the lid for the fuse....paint whole thing black.....put gunpowder in cannister.....light....throw....dodge....

-Adam C.

While these were not used in the battle, someone at Searle's (2009 edition) had one of these, I asked them about them and they went further to say they used tennis balls, and burnt the "fuzzy" stuff off with a home propane torch, and used the matte finish barbecue paint to get a real nice look, and filled them with some sand to give amore realistic weight to them as well.

On the whole, I think these look great, but while it may be safe enough to do in a reasonably controlled environment, is one of those issues that would most likely raise the hackles of almost all safety police (if not the real police as well).

Anyone mind if I move this thread over to "The Workshop" area? It is more about "how to make a repro" than it is about what actual grenadoes were about.

I've been in battles where these were used. As Michael said - tennis balls painted black with an old-fashioned film canister in it. You use modern fuse and around 10 grains of powder which is enough to pop the cap off of the film can and release some smoke.

Mark