In 1914 it’s said the Germans had 70,000 hand and 106,000 rifle grenades within arm’s reach. Britain responded by producing a staggering half a million per week!

If you think that’s impressive consider in comparison, that over the course of World War II, the U.S. manufactured some 50 million fragmentation grenades.

When it comes to these handheld explosives, you could find them in World War I, World War II, and yet even today in modern battlefields.

The most popular version include the offensive grenades, fragmentation, chemical, and of course, the training and practice ones too.

However, let’s skip the practice and go straight into the combat zone here. With an impact that kills everything within 20 feet and a force that can break legs at an even further distance, here’s a closer look:

First, there’s the steel metal offensive grenades loaded with TNT for a demolition impact that stunned opposing forces.

Next up are fragmentation grenades also with a cast iron metal body. When exploded, their unique design allowed them to break apart and throw deadly fragments all over the place.

Finally, there are chemical grenades for a toxic and panic-inducing effect. However, some were made for the purpose of cover and relaying messages with smoke screens and signals. Most notably, you’ll find them with straps made of metal to eliminate rolling and a fuse that delayed a short two seconds upon activation.

During World War I, the chemicals were a bit more extreme with mustard, chlorine, and green cross gas among many other nasty compounds. Of course, there were different types too like the British Mills, German Stick and French Pineapple grenade.

If you’re curious about them, you’ll really enjoy this collection of the top 50 best grenade tattoos for men. From realistic artwork to abstract design ideas that get the message across quite explosively.