Original British WWI SMLE No. 1 Mk. 3 Cup Grenade Launcher for Mills Bomb by Royal Factory Ishapore in India - Inert

Original Item: Only One Available. This "CUP" style grenade launcher was designed in WW1 for use with the No.1 Mark III Short Magazine Lee Enfield Rifle, enabling it to launch a "Mills Bomb" grenade in an arc trajectory. This example is stamped R.F.I., meaning it was manufactured by the Royal Factory Ishapore in India.

Like all deactivated ordnance, this launcher is Not Available for Export.

This can-shaped launcher would be attached to the muzzle of the rifle and a gas check disc was screwed onto the base of the grenade before the grenade was placed in the launcher. The safety pin could then be removed as the launcher cup kept the safety-spoon in place. The operator inserted the blank cartridge into the rifle before setting the stock, angled on the ground to absorb the recoil of the weapon. When the cartridge was fired it pushed the grenade out of the cup releasing the spoon. The cup-type launcher could launch the grenade about 200 yards. Lee-Enfield rifles equipped with the cup launcher were modified with copper wire wrapped around the stock, to prevent the wood from cracking under the increased recoil.

Extremely efficient, this style of launcher saw service as long as the S.M.L.E. Rifle did.

Made from heavy blued and painted steel, in very fine overall condition ready to be attached to any SMLE Rifle for display.