The new rifle grenade of the Soviet Union: Mosin-Nagant rifle (equipped with the Iron Fist 30 launcher)
The Soviet military has always had a rough working style. The captured “iron fists” often failed to meet the storage standards. Although they had special ammunition boxes, they were prone to getting damp in high temperatures and humidity, causing the propellant to deteriorate and the “iron fists” to lose their firing capability. However, the warheads remained intact. In order to reuse a large number of damaged “iron fists”, a lieutenant from the engineering department of the 4th Tank Army of the Ukrainian First Front proposed an idea in February 1945. That was to modify the Mosin-Nagant rifle and the damaged “iron fists” for firing in the form of rifle grenades.
The “Iron Fist” 30 has undergone modifications. The technicians removed approximately 30 centimeters from the front end of the launch tube and processed it into a constricted shape, creating an L-shaped groove for fixation. As a result, it can be fitted onto the muzzle of the rifle. The “Iron Fist” rocket without propellant is directly inserted into the launch tube at the muzzle and then fired using an empty cartridge. The aiming is achieved by aligning the upright rifle scale with the top edge of the cartridge’s maximum diameter, which is similar to the original “Iron Fist” 30.
The experiment proved that this approach was successful. The flight distance of the ammunition was between 75 and 80 meters, which was much longer than that of the original “Iron Fist” 30 model. The shooting accuracy was improved, and there was less noise during shooting, without obvious smoke or flames. The shooter could shoot in various positions, and the launcher could be reused. The experience of the First Army of Ukraine was quickly promoted. Some army units issued relevant documents to their subordinate units. Because the modification process was simple, the field maintenance units could easily carry out the modification.
It is unclear exactly how many launchers the Soviet forces modified at that time, and there are no photos of its actual combat use. Perhaps the actual number was not large because it appeared too late. At this point, the Soviet military not only had an abundant supply of weapons but also had a strong combat capability for their troops. The rapidly advancing Soviet army did not need to waste too much time on such matters. Moreover, at that time, the Soviet Union was developing the RPG-2 individual grenade launcher based on the captured “Iron Fist” 100, which was the predecessor of the well-known RPG-7. Therefore, from the perspective of actual combat or equipment research and development, there was no need to continue modifying the “Iron Fist”.
This is a weapon that was temporarily modified for use in the battlefield.
It is actually a unique anti-tank grenade launcher.
Perhaps it will be an interesting weapon.
Do you hope to see this kind of weapon being used on our battlefield?
- Yes
- No