Rifle Grenade

A rifle grenade is a grenade that uses a rifle-based launcher to permit a longer effective range than would be possible if the grenade was thrown by hand. The practice of projecting grenades with rifle-mounted launchers was first widely used during World War I and continues to the present, with the term "rifle grenade" now encompassing many different types of payloads including high explosive, fragmentation, and anti-tank warheads as well as concussion, smoke, incendiary, and flare missiles. Many armies have replaced rifle grenades with dedicated grenade launchers - often attached as an auxiliary weapon on a rifle.

Rifle Grenade in The Guns of the South
As general Robert E. Lee contemplated a night attack on Washington City, he was approached by Andries Rhoodie offering the assistance of the Rivington Men in taking the US capital. Lee thanked him but pointed out that the number of extra troops they would supply would make little difference. Rhoodie then presented Lee with a green-painted spheroid with a metal shaft sticking out from it and called it a rifle grenade. The shaft could be place in the barrel of a AK-47 and when the gun fired, it would launch the grenade up to three hundred yards. This would allow each Rivington man to effectively act as an artillery piece. Lee agreed and told Rhoodie to secretly position his men by the Federal lines just before the attack went in.