Description
The RPG-43 is a HEAT hand grenade used for close combat against enemy armored vehicles whose armor thickness does not exceed 75mm (2.95 inches). It is thrown only from cover because of the danger from fragments of grenade and armor plate. The effect of this grenade is to burn through the armor, cause casualties to the crew, and ignite fuel and ammunition.
The RPG-43 may be recognized by its shaped charge in a cylindrical, crimped, sheet-metal head to which is threaded a wooden handle with a sheet-metal safety lever . This safety lever is the same as the one on the RPG-40 Antitank Stick Hand Grenade. In addition, a sliding, conical sleeve, open at both ends, is connected to the handle by two long fabric strips. The hole in this sleeve is pushed over the handle, and the sleeve is held up against the base of the head of the grenade by the safety cotter pin, which also secures the safety lever in the locked position.
Functioning
To throw the grenade it is taken in the right hand so that the hinged safety lever is held tight against the handle. The safety cotter pin is withdrawn by pulling on its ring. The grenade is thrown and cover is taken immediately after throwing.
When the grenade leaves the hand, the hinged safety lever flies out and off the grenade. The compressed conical-sleeve spring drives the sleeve off the handle, thus pulling the cloth stabilizing strips out to their full extent. The conical sleeve and cloth strips serve to keep the grenade stabilized so the flat surface of the head strikes the target. As the sleeve moves along the handle, it releases the safety pin which locks the striker retainer in the locked position and the safety pin drops out. Now the striker is held away from the primer detonator only by the creep spring. As the grenade hits the target the striker overcomes the inertia of the creep spring, compresses the spring, functions the primer-detonator, and detonates the grenade.
Hazardous Components
No information about hazardous components.
See Also
Source(s)
Intelligence Bulletin (June 1946)
