Launched Grapnel Hook



© Brooke Clarke 2018  - 2021
Launched Grapnel Hook Launched Grapnel Hook

Background
Description
Photos
Patents
Related
References
Links

Background

This device is for clearing trip-wire type land mines.  It can be fired one time using the standard rifle spigot using normal ball ammunition and multiple times using blanks.  The patent goes into some length differentiating this from other muzzle launched devices such as rifle grenades (Wiki), harpoons (Wiki), line thrower (Wiki, my antennas web page), ropes &Etc.

This may have an application for launching an antenna wire.  But the snags would need to be removed first.

Made by SAA International (out of business as of 2017?; Archive.org product web page) a sister company to Critical Solutions International (Route Clearance).

Description

A Grappling hook (Wiki) is similar in shape to a fishing hook, except it's larger and designed to grab onto something either to retrieve the item or to act as an anchor.

This unit includes a bullet trap and claims maximum range of 75 to 100 meters with 5.56 mm ball ammunition. It can only be fired one time with ball ammo, but up to 20 times using blank ammo, but with decreased (unspecified) range for practice.

NSN: 1095-01-412-4150

Photos

Fig 1
Launched Grapnel
                      Hook
Fig 2
Launched Grapnel
                      Hook

Fig 3
Launched Grapnel
                      Hook
Fig 4: 1/4" Allen wrench fits, but you need a vice.
Launched Grapnel
                      Hook


Patents

2111374 Line throwing mechanism for pistols, Reginald F Sedgley, 1938-03-15, - for use on his flare pistol.
3491693 Rifle grenade capable of being fired by conventional ammunition, Heinrich Streckfuss, Dieter Rall, H&K, 1970-01-27, -
5297492 Armor piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot tracer projectile, Steven M. Buc, 1993-02-26 -
5448937 Muzzle launched grapnel hook projectile, Steven M. Buc, Stephen Adelman, 1995-09-12, - This Weapon Launched Grapnel Hook
5473989 Fin-stabilized discarding sabot projectile, Steven M. Buc, 1995-02-24 
5574245 Fragment-sealing bullet trap, Steven M. Buc, Stephen Adelman, 1996-11-12 -

Related

Blasting Machines & M21 training mine
Wire Antennas & Line Launchers

References

FM 3-34.2 Combined Arms Breaching Operations (on line) paragraph C-57 talks about manual and weapon launched grapnels.

Weapon-launched. A 150-meter lightweight rope is attached to a lightweight grapnel that is designed to be fired from an M16A1 or M16A2 rifle using an M855 (Wiki) cartridge. The grapnel is pushed onto the rifle muzzle with the opening of the retrieval-rope bag oriented toward the minefield. The firer is located 25 meters from the minefield’s leading edge and aims the rifle muzzle at a 30- to 40-degree angle for maximum range. Once fired, the grapnel travels 75 to 100 meters from the firer’s position. After the Weapon-Launched Grapnel Hook (WLGH) has been fired, the firer secures the rope, moves 60 meters from the minefield, moves into a prone position, and begins to grapple. The WLGH can be used only once to clear a minefield, but it can be reused up to 20 times for training because blanks (Wiki: M200, M755?) are used to fire it.
3744370 Blank firing attachment, R Snodgrass, Army, 1970-03-02 - fits muzzle of M-16

Links

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Page Created 2 June 2018