Difference between M18 and M83 smoke grenades?

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Difference between M18 and M83 smoke grenades?

Posted: 2/3/2013 10:34:35 AM EDT

I've got an offer to do a trade for some M83 smoke grenades. I've always wanted a few just for kicks. But I'm curious what the difference is between the M18 and the M83 models? The M83 is listed as "practice"...why? What are their capabilities? Anything else I should know?

I did get a pic of the canister (cardboard) as well as the units themselves. They look like the real deal, any way to spot fakes?

Thanks

-Emt1581

Posted: 2/3/2013 10:49:05 AM EDT

[#1]

The best way of spotting fakes is to carefully remove the pin and see if the spoon pops off.

It's the only way.

Posted: 2/3/2013 10:53:13 AM EDT

[#2]

M83 is TA smoke, white for screening. M18 is signalling smoke it comes in different colors and is the pop smoke you see for marking.

Posted: 2/3/2013 11:09:34 AM EDT

[#3]

Quoted:
M83 is TA smoke, white for screening. M18 is signalling smoke it comes in different colors and is the pop smoke you see for marking.

TA? Training activity? If not, what's that stand for?

Anything else to be aware of identification-wise?

Thanks

-Emt1581

Posted: 2/3/2013 11:12:01 AM EDT

[#4]

Quoted:

Quoted:

M83 is TA smoke, white for screening. M18 is signalling smoke it comes in different colors and is the pop smoke you see for marking.

TA? Training activity? If not, what's that stand for?

Anything else to be aware of identification-wise?

Thanks

-Emt1581

TA smoke, the chemical composition of the filler, M83 changed from the previous HC smoke of the M8 (?) grenade.

Posted: 2/3/2013 11:30:04 AM EDT

[#5]

I don't know the difference between M83 and M18 smoke grenades. I do know one of the latter will pretty much "paint" the inside of a small - say 1200 sq ft - house. DAMHIKT.

Posted: 2/3/2013 11:30:48 AM EDT

[#6]

M18, top will denote the color

If they are saying Training very likely it's an inert grenade and it will be marked with a blue band.

Live TA smokes have a white band and are sometimes marked AN/TA M83 Smoke TA.

Posted: 2/3/2013 11:36:11 AM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:

I don't know the difference between M83 and M18 smoke grenades. I do know one of the latter will pretty much "paint" the inside of a small - say 1200 sq ft - house. DAMHIKT.

Humvee too

Posted: 2/3/2013 11:38:44 AM EDT

[#8]

Do they have the M20 or M20A1 fuse? Is it lawful to transfer those? I'm asking, not fishing. I remember a thread on it recently. Owning was ok, but selling isn't. Would trading be forbidden also?

Just curious

Posted: 2/3/2013 11:41:22 AM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:

Do they have the M20 or M20A1 fuse? Is it lawful to transfer those? I'm asking, not fishing. I remember a thread on it recently. Owning was ok, but selling isn't. Would trading be forbidden also?
Just curious

If they are saying training I'm betting they are blue balled banded, training grenades with practice fuse.assemblies.

Posted: 2/3/2013 11:50:16 AM EDT

[#10]

Can anyone else verify the claim that the blue band means inert?? The reason I ask is because the ones I'm looking at have the blue band on the bottom.

Thanks

-Emt1581

Posted: 2/3/2013 11:53:39 AM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Do they have the M20 or M20A1 fuse? Is it lawful to transfer those? I'm asking, not fishing. I remember a thread on it recently. Owning was ok, but selling isn't. Would trading be forbidden also?

Just curious

If they are saying training I'm betting they are blue balled banded, training grenades with practice fuse.assemblies.

Probably. But wouldn't the G181 fuse be in the same boat as far as being restricted?

Posted: 2/3/2013 11:54:37 AM EDT

[#12]

Quoted:

Probably. But wouldn't the G181 fuse be in the same boat as far as being restricted?

They aren't restricted. The ATF THREATENED to restrict them...but never did.

-Emt1581

Posted: 2/3/2013 11:55:45 AM EDT

[#13]

Quoted:
Can anyone else verify the claim that the blue band means inert?? The reason I ask is because the ones I'm looking at have the blue band on the bottom.

Thanks

-Emt1581

Not always

Posted: 2/3/2013 11:57:05 AM EDT

[#14]

Quoted:

Quoted:

Probably. But wouldn't the G181 fuse be in the same boat as far as being restricted?

They aren't restricted. The ATF THREATENED to restrict them...but never did.

-Emt1581

Ahhhhhh. So is that for the M20 family of fuses and the G181? Either can be sold, traded, played with?

Posted: 2/3/2013 11:57:10 AM EDT

[#15]

Quoted:

Can anyone else verify the claim that the blue band means inert?? The reason I ask is because the ones I'm looking at have the blue band on the bottom.

Thanks

-Emt1581

Blue Band means inert/ training.A live M83 should have a white sometimes an almost gray in color band.

Posted: 2/3/2013 11:58:41 AM EDT

[#16]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Can anyone else verify the claim that the blue band means inert?? The reason I ask is because the ones I'm looking at have the blue band on the bottom.

Thanks

-Emt1581

Blue Band means inert/ training.A live M83 should have a white sometimes an almost gray in color band.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rgd_PVzrbQ

This looks blue....no?

Thanks

-Emt1581

Posted: 2/3/2013 11:59:19 AM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Can anyone else verify the claim that the blue band means inert?? The reason I ask is because the ones I'm looking at have the blue band on the bottom.

Thanks

-Emt1581

Blue Band means inert/ training.A live M83 should have a white sometimes an almost gray in color band.

This is not inert. Top around fuse is white.

Posted: 2/3/2013 12:00:31 PM EDT

[#18]

Do you mean if you unscrew it it's white?

Thanks

-Emt1581

Posted: 2/3/2013 12:01:50 PM EDT

[#19]

Quoted:
Do you mean if you unscrew it it's white?

Thanks

-Emt1581

No, top of the can. See.....

Posted: 2/3/2013 12:03:39 PM EDT

[#20]

Quoted:

Quoted:

Can anyone else verify the claim that the blue band means inert?? The reason I ask is because the ones I'm looking at have the blue band on the bottom.

Thanks

-Emt1581

Blue Band means inert/ training.A live M83 should have a white sometimes an almost gray in color band.

This is not inert. Top around fuse is white.

http://www.ar15.com/media/viewFile.html?i=47482

I can't see the fuse assembly.

But I'll take your word for it. All the TA smoke I drew, and I carried quite a few were white banded out of the canister.

Posted: 2/3/2013 12:03:58 PM EDT

[#21]

Oh ok, is the top of the can really an accurate indicator though? I mean does it discolor once detonated?

I just don't want to be ripped off and send inert ones instead of live.

Thanks!

-Emt1581

Posted: 2/3/2013 12:04:35 PM EDT

[#22]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Can anyone else verify the claim that the blue band means inert?? The reason I ask is because the ones I'm looking at have the blue band on the bottom.

Thanks

-Emt1581

Blue Band means inert/ training.A live M83 should have a white sometimes an almost gray in color band.

This is not inert. Top around fuse is white.

http://www.ar15.com/media/viewFile.html?i=47482

I can't see the fuse assembly.

But I'll take your word for it. All the TA smoke I drew, and I carried quite a few were white banded out of the canister.

Check the other pic I uploaded

Posted: 2/3/2013 12:06:18 PM EDT

[#23]

Quoted:
Oh ok, is the top of the can really an accurate indicator though? I mean does it discolor once detonated?

I just don't want to be ripped off and send inert ones instead of live.

Thanks!

-Emt1581

If its discharged the heat will discolor the bottom there is a little piece of tape or something on the bottom, it burns off, then the heat makes the OD paint flake. It discharges from the bottom, not the top where the fuze is. Yes, the top is the color of smoke, others have it printed on the body also.

Posted: 2/3/2013 12:06:37 PM EDT

[#24]

Nevermind.

Seems like I need to ask for more pics from the seller.

Thanks

-Emt1581

Posted: 2/3/2013 12:07:55 PM EDT

[#25]

Quoted:
Nevermind.

Seems like I need to ask for more pics from the seller.

Thanks

-Emt1581

I did, see my answer above

Posted: 2/3/2013 12:09:36 PM EDT

[#26]

Quoted:
Nevermind.

Seems like I need to ask for more pics from the seller.

Thanks

-Emt1581

Save the pics I uploaded, they are a good reference for you. That is an M83 Smoke TA. It puts out a pretty good bit of smoke. Don't be fooled by the size.

Posted: 2/3/2013 12:19:49 PM EDT

[#27]

The M83 training still burns smoke but I always wondered if there is a volume difference?

I passed on a bunch a few years back because they were marked training, was worried about the same thing.

The same fuse, the M201A1 is on the M83, all 4 colors of M18, AN TH3 and CS gas grenades.

I read a similar thread here with misinformation but they do no explode, there is no delay, they just burn to ignite the contents/filler. They are completely different from the fuses on a frag grenade.

Posted: 2/3/2013 12:23:06 PM EDT

[#28]

Quoted:
The M83 training still burns smoke but I always wondered if there is a volume difference?

I passed on a bunch a few years back because they were marked training, was worried about the same thing.

The same fuse, the M201A1 is on the M83, all 4 colors of M18, AN TH3 and CS gas grenades.

I read a similar thread here with misinformation but they do no explode, there is no delay, they just burn to ignite the contents/filler. They are completely different from the fuses on a frag grenade.

It's a practice in the sense that its not an HC smoke. Volume is less than HC but still quite large. I would say its equal to the M18's in volume.

Posted: 2/3/2013 1:59:02 PM EDT

[#29]

So if I understand correctly, if it is a live unit, the bottom will have obstructed/taped holes. The top will be white....

What about this mysterious blue vs. white vs. gray stripe?? Seems like the stripe does not mean a whole lot from what bullet was saying.

At this point I'm just going to ask for additional pics of the top and bottom.

Thanks

-Emt1581

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Difference between M18 and M83 smoke grenades?

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