| M7 grenade launcher | |
|---|---|
 M1 Garand (top); M9 rifle grenade on M7A3 grenade launcher (middle) | |
| Type | Rifle grenade launcher attachment |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1943–1957 |
| Used by | United States Philippine Commonwealth Philippine Republic Army of the Republic of Vietnam[1] |
| Wars | World War II Korean War Hukbalahap Rebellion Vietnam War |
The M7 grenade launcher, formally rifle grenade launcher, M7, was a 22 mm rifle grenade launcher attachment for the M1 Garand rifle that saw widespread use throughout World War II and the Korean War. The M7 was a tube-shaped device, with one end slotting over the muzzle of the rifle and attaching to the bayonet mount, and the other end holding the grenade in place. Blank cartridges were loaded into the rifle prior to firing. When fired, the expanding gases generated by the cartridges propelled the grenade forward with considerable force. The M7 could fire grenades up to 200 metres (220 yards), compared with the maximum of 30 metres (33 yards) achieved by a hand-thrown grenade.
Anti-armor (M9), Fragmentation (M17), and smoke grenades (M22) were available for the M7.
- ^ Zabecki, David T. (May 2011). "Grenade Launchers". In Tucker, Spencer C. (ed.). The Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History (2 ed.). p. 430. ISBN 978-1-85109-960-3.