| M17 rifle grenade | |
| Origin: | United States |
| Type: | Impact-fused rifle grenade |
| Is Explosive: | yes |
| Service: | 1943–1945 |
| Used By: | United States |
| Wars: | World War II |
| Production Date: | May–June 1943 March–April 1944 |
| Number: | ~325,000 |
| Weight: | 667g[1] |
| Length: | 248mm |
| Diameter: | 57mm |
| Filling: | TNT or EC powder |
| Filling Weight: | 22g |
| Detonation: | Impact fuze |
The M17 (also known as the T2 grenade[2]) is a rifle grenade that was used by the United States during World War II.
Once the warhead is screwed in, the M17 is fitted onto a grenade launcher adapter, such as the M7 grenade launcher. A special blank .30-06 cartridge is inserted into the rifle, then fired. The M17 will not explode if it lands on sand, water or mud; only solid ground will cause it to detonate.
The M17 was adopted in 1943. It was the United States' primary anti-personnel rifle grenade during the middle part of World War II.[3]
By the middle of 1944, the M17 had essentially been supplanted by the M1 Grenade Projection Adapter, which allowed a standard grenade to be converted into a rifle grenade.