The Schiessbecher (alternatively: ''Schießbecher'') - literally "shooting cup" - was a German

grenade launcher A grenade launcher is a weapon that fires a specially designed, large caliber projectile, often with an explosive, Smoke screen, smoke, or tear gas, gas warhead. Today, the term generally refers to a class of dedicated firearms firing unitary gre ...

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. A ''Gewehrgranatgerät'' ("rifle grenade device") based on rifle grenade launcher models designed during World War I it fitted to the end of a rifle, the grenade being propelled by a special rifle cartridge. The ''Schiessbecher'' was introduced in 1942 and intended to replace all previous rifle grenade launcher models in use by German armed forces. The ''Schiessbecher'' rifle grenade launcher could be used against infantry, fortifications and light armored vehicles up to a range of . For these differing tasks several specialized grenades with accompanying special propelling cartridges were developed for the ''Schiessbecher''. The rifle grenade propelling cartridges fired a wooden projectile through the barrel to the rifle grenade that upon impact automatically primed the rifle grenade. The ''Schiessbecher'' had a short rifled barrel with a

caliber In guns, particularly firearms, but not #As a measurement of length, artillery, where a different definition may apply, caliber (or calibre; sometimes abbreviated as "cal") is the specified nominal internal diameter of the gun barrel Gauge ( ...

of and a length of . It weighed and could be attached to weapons chambered for 7.92mm Mauser ammunition like the

Karabiner 98k The Karabiner 98 kurz (; ), often abbreviated Karabiner 98k, Kar98k or K98k and also sometimes incorrectly referred to as a K98 (a K98 is a Polish carbine and copy of the Kar98a), is a bolt-action rifle chambered for the 7.92×57mm Mauser cartri ...

, Karabiner 98a and G98/40 version of the Hungarian 35M bolt-action rifles or the

FG 42 The FG 42 (German language, German: ''Fallschirmjägergewehr'' 42, "paratrooper rifle 42") is a selective fire, selective-fire 7.92×57mm Mauser automatic rifle produced in Nazi Germany during World War II. The weapon was developed specifically ...

automatic rifle A rather complicated aiming device was mounted to the left of the original sights and allowed for aiming ranges from 0 of up to in increments. The ''Schiessbecher'' was produced until May 1944. The total production was 1,450,114.
Miller, David "Fighting Men of World War II: Uniforms, Equipment and Weapons." Stackpole Books, 2007, . Retrieved March 30, 2010

References

{{WWIIGermanInfWeapons Grenade launchers of Germany World War II infantry weapons of Germany Rifle grenades Weapons and ammunition introduced in 1942