M31 HEAT Rifle Grenade

The fin-stabilized M31 HEAT (High Explosive Anti Tank) Rifle Grenade was introduced after the Korean War and was designed to give the common foot soldier a weapon to combat enemy armor. It was 17-inches long, weighed 1.6 pounds and was capable of piercing more than 8-inches of armor or 20-inches of reinforced concrete.

The grenade was fired using the M7A3 launcher, which was a tubular spigot that clamped to the muzzle of the M1 rifle. A special launching cartridge (M3) was then fired to propel the grenade from the launcher. The grenade’s fuse (M211) self-armed when fired (no safety pin) and detonated the explosive charge on impact.

In Vietnam the ARVN, not having to deal with enemy armor, used the M31 like a mortar to bombard Viet Cong positions.

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