Type 10 grenade discharger

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Type 10 Grenade Discharger
Type	Grenade launcher
Place of origin	Empire of Japan
Service history
In service	1921 - 1945
Used by	Imperial Japanese Army
Wars	Second Sino-Japanese War, World War II
Production history
Produced	1921-
Specifications
Weight	5.5 lb (2.5 kg)
Length	20 in (508 mm)
Barrel length	9.5 in (241 mm)
Caliber	50 mm (1.97 in)
Effective range	(Type 91 grenade): 65 yd (60 m)
Maximum range	(Type 91 grenade): 175 yd (160 m)

This article is about a Japanese World War II infantry mortar. For the main battle tank, see Type 10 tank.

The Type 10 50 mm grenade discharger was a Japanese smoothbore, muzzle loaded weapon used during the Second World War. It first entered service in 1921. The Type 10 has a range of 160 meters, greater than other grenade dischargers of the times. It had a range control device at the base of the barrel in the form of a graduated thimble by which a gas port at the base of the tube can be varied in size. For shorter ranges, part of the propellant gases escape to the side. Due to a translation error, the Type 10 was called the "knee mortar" by the Americans. The manual for the mortar instructed the troops to carry the mortar on the upper thigh, with the baseplate attaached to the belt and the barrel running down the thigh. American troops on Guadalcanal became aware of the name "knee mortar" and thought the light design allowed it to be fired with the baseplate resting on the thigh. If the Type 10 were fired in this manner, it would result in serious injury due to recoil. However, once a few troops injured themselves, the mistranslation was discovered and further experimentation discouraged.

Contemporary US intelligence thought that the weapon was primarily used to discharge flares, the heavier Type 89 Grenade Discharger being used to fire explosive rounds instead.

[edit] Ammunition

• Type 91 Grenade
• Type 11 Smoke shell
• Type 10 Flare shell
• Type 10 Signal shell
• Type 91 Pyrotechnic grenade
• Type 10 Blank

[edit] References

• Taki (Type 10)
• http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/Japan/IJA/HB/HB-9-2.html
• Leo J. Daugherty III, Fighting Techniques of a Japanese Infantryman 1941-1945, ISBN 1-86227-162-3

[edit] See also

• Grenade launcher

v • d • e Japanese infantry weapons of World War II Side arms Type 26 Revolver · Nambu Type 1 · Nambu Type 14 · Type 94 Rifles & carbines Type 38 · Type 38 Cavalry Carbine · Type 44 Cavalry Carbine · Type 97 Sniper Rifle · Type 99 · Type I Submachine guns Type 100 Light machine guns Type 11 Light Machine Gun · Type 96 Light Machine Gun · Type 97 Light Machine Gun · Type 99 Light Machine Gun Heavy machine guns Type 1 Heavy Machine Gun · Type 3 Heavy Machine Gun · Type 92 Heavy Machine Gun Grenades Type 4 Grenade · Type 10 Grenade · Type 97 Grenade · Type 99 Grenade Support weapons Type 93 and 100 flamethrowers · Type 10 Grenade Discharger · Type 89 Grenade Discharger Type 2 rifle grenade launcher · Type 97 20 mm AT Rifle · Type 4 70 mm AT Rocket Launcher Cartridges 9mm Japanese · 8x22mm Nambu · 6.5x50mm Arisaka · 7.7x58mm Arisaka · 7.7x58mm SR