These grenades are used only for signaling purposes. They produce green, red, violet or yellow smoke streamers.
The M23 and M23A1 consist of three basic parts: a steel stabilizer tube assembly, a fuze and a body. The body is filled with a burning type smoke charge which contains a dye to color the smoke. The surfaces of the smoke charge within the body are coated with a starter mixture charge (to facilitate ignition).
A small air hole opening in the nose of the ogive is covered by a piece of tape (to protect the filler against moisture). The tape must be removed prior to firing.
The M23 and M23A1 differ only in minor features.
Colored smoke streamer rifle grenades M23 and M23A1 are fabricated from the same metal parts (except for the fuze) as colored smoke rifle grenades M22 and M22A2.
No information about functioning.
No information about hazardous components.
Grenade, Rifle, Smoke, M22, M22A2
TM 43-0001-29, Grenades (chg 4, 2002)