Grenades are used at closer and more hectic ranges that most people realize, so it’s often much faster to just throw it instead of having to prepare some sort of implement to increase range.
There have been instances of things being used, like slings, slingshots and even devices similar to those things you use to throw tennis balls for dogs. But at the end of the day, the increased range is rarely worth the extra time. You would only get an advantage as an opening attack from a longer distance. And for that we already have underslung grenade launchers on weapons, or mortars from much further out.
Ensign_Crab@lemmy.world 4 days ago
According to wikipedia, the International Brigades used slings to hurl grenades during the Spanish American War. I’ve heard tell of Ethiopian troops using slings to launch grenades as recently as World War I, but can’t find a source.
And I know people have launched molotovs from slings, which are larger and more unwieldy, unless we’re talking about the German example above with a handle.