Description
M31 Practice Rifle Grenade (Inert) — December 1964
Item Overview
This U.S. M31 practice rifle grenade is an inert military training item with a December 1964 loading mark. Its dated markings connect it to the Cold War and Vietnam War era, making it a useful addition to an American infantry or ordnance display.
Identification and Features
The M31 practice model used sheet-steel and aluminum construction. The supplied markings identify this example as follows:
- Designation: M31 Practice Rifle Grenade
- Lot marking: Lot LS-38-2
- Loading mark: Loaded 12-64
- Marked loading date: December 1964
- Inert training model
Function and Training Purpose
The practice grenade simulated the flight characteristics of the M31 high-explosive antitank, or HEAT, rifle grenade. Manufactured without explosive filler or a fuze, it supported instruction in handling and rifle-grenade marksmanship before soldiers progressed to service ammunition.
Documented End-Item Application
Army FM 23-30 documents rifle-grenade equipment for the M1 Garand using the M7A3 grenade launcher and the M14 using the M76 launcher. These rifle-and-launcher combinations form the historical equipment context for the M31 practice grenade and its service counterpart.
Product History
The M31 practice model followed the older M29 training grenade, which had originally simulated the M28 HEAT rifle grenade. By December 1969, Army FM 23-30 described the M29 as obsolete and retained it only as a limited substitute for the M31 practice grenade.
Parent-Equipment History
The M1 Garand served American forces during World War II and the Korean War. The Army adopted the related M14 in 1957 as part of its postwar rifle modernization. Rifle-grenade accessories extended the roles of these infantry rifles beyond ordinary small-arms fire.
Weapon-System Background
The service M31 used a shaped-charge warhead to attack armor and concrete. It belonged to a broader family of rifle grenades that expanded infantry firepower. By 1969, the Army reported that the M72 LAW and M79 grenade launcher had taken over many combat roles previously assigned to rifle grenades.
History of Use
Army training included rifle-grenade familiarization and scored qualification courses. FM 23-30 specifically listed the M31 among the practice grenades used during qualification. This documented role places the type within the organized infantry training programs of the period.
Ideal For
The dated lot markings add interest for collectors studying military ammunition production and infantry training equipment.
- Cold War and Vietnam War-era ordnance collections
- M1 Garand and M14 accessory displays
- Museum exhibits about U.S. infantry training
- Rifle-grenade reference collections
Approx length 17", Approx width 3", Approx height 3", Approx weight 1.5lbs.
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