I'm having an argument with a friend about how mortors work. I have read about and seen in "Saving Private Ryan" the use of US Army 60mm mortors as hand lobbed grenades. The user simply strikes the bottom of the mortor on something hard and then lobs it. It detonates on impact. I assume the user is somehow arming the thing but how? Can anyone clear this up for me? Also on a side note what propels the mortor out of the tube during normal use? If it is some kind of charge contained within the base of the actual mortor round itself? If so does that charge go off when you strike the base of the morter on a hard surface for "grenade" use?

I just wanted to welcome you aboard mate. Also, I think the mortars have some kind of recoil spring that propels the rounds out of the tube, but im sure im wrong.

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Lost are only those, who abandon themselves) Hans-Ulrich Rudel.

A spring system is what my friend thought was the case. However all the film footage I've seen of their use shows men dropping the mortor in the tube and then covering their ears. Then there seems to be a puff of smoke coming out of the tube and a good size recoil into the base plate on which the tube rests. That's got to be loud! Anybody out there ever use one?

Most mortar tubes have nothing but a steel spike at the base, The fireing system is basically a shotgun sized chage with a blasting cap in the base of the motar round. Its this charge that propels the round out of the tube. Not surprisingly I have read that the Israeli's make the best mortars now-a-days

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Ain't no rocket scientists in the firehall

Thanks Billy,

I thought that might be the case. So I guess my next question is does this charge go off when you use the mortor "grenade" style without the tube, ie. when you slam the base of the mortor round down on something hard. I know that somehow arms the mortor I just wish I knew how and wether or not you have to be careful of the "shotgun" charge.

Offhand I would say that smacking the arse end of a mortar round would not be something that a sensible person would want to do. And it would certainly have nothing to do with the detonation of the main charge. I seem to remember something about an adjustable fuse. Motar shells can be set for airburst I believe. Sorry but I'm working from memory of a one hour lecture/demo over 20 years ago.

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Ain't no rocket scientists in the firehall