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RGD-33

Ruchnaya Granata Degtyaryova

fragmentation grenadeSoviet armament factories · 1933–1945

OVERVIEW

Soviet hand grenade with optional fragmentation sleeve configuration.

HISTORIAN'S COMMENTARY

Before the Storm

Introduced between 1933 and 1945, RGD-33 was fielded by Soviet Union forces as a fragmentation grenade instrument for close combat and battlefield shaping.

In the Field

Loaded with Offensive/defensive configurable grenade filling and time fuze fuzing, this 0.5 kg munition depended on nerve and timing more than machinery. Its effective use envelope reached about 35 meters, with effects spreading near 12 meters.

Historian's Note

On the ground, it gave infantry an immediate burst of shock effect in close-quarter fighting. Its historical value came from local overmatch, but only when placement and timing were right.

SPECIFICATIONS

TypeOffensive/defensive configurable grenade
FuzingTime fuze
FillingTNT
Weight0.5 kg
Effective Range35 m
Blast Radius12 m

DEVELOPMENT

The RGD-33 introduced a configurable Soviet grenade concept with optional fragmentation sleeve use. Its mechanism was more complex than simpler wartime grenade patterns.

COMBAT HISTORY

It saw service in early and mid-war periods, then was gradually supplemented by simpler designs better suited to mass wartime logistics. Units still employed it effectively where training supported safe handling.

NOTABLE USES

  • [01]Early to mid-war Soviet infantry grenade issue. - RGD-33 employment here depended on timing, distance, and unit coordination more than raw charge size.
  • [02]Configurable offensive or defensive use by sleeve selection. - This use case shows how engineers and infantry turned explosive tools into tactical advantage in constrained terrain.
  • [03]Close-assault roles before wider replacement by simpler models. - Field application in this context illustrates why placement and doctrine governed real effect.

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