Airsoft grenades are a perfect mix of glory and tragedy. One second you’re clearing a room without stepping inside, and the next you’re walking to respawn without having fired a single BB. That’s the power of these little beasts: they can change the balance of a game with a simple bang!
After years of throwing them, losing them, breaking them, using them well and using them badly, we’ve refined our commandments. Here is an updated guide, 2025 version, with what we’ve learned… and what APS (market leader in grenades) has been adding to the market.
CHOOSE THE SHELL BASED ON THE TIME YOU
NEEDWith the Hakkotsu Thunder B grenades from APS, which are among the most popular in our hobby, we can choose between different types of shells. These offer, on the one hand, different decibel levels when detonating, and on the other, different delays between striking the grenade and its explosion. A very interesting factor to consider depending on your style of play.
Thunder C M67
• Noise level: 115 dB
• Detonation time: 4–5 s
Inspired by the M67 grenade, more rounded and compact. Comfortable handling, standard delay and a sharper sound. Perfect for high-tempo CQB.
Thunder B 05 Thunder
• Noise level: 120 dB
• Detonation time: 3–4 s
Improved version of the Thunder B system. More stable on detonation and with a slightly shorter delay for fast entries.
Thunder B – Lemon Shape
• Noise level: 110–115 dB
• Detonation time: 4–6 s
The classic M26-shaped shell. Versatile, with a good balance between noise and delay. Ideal for clearing rooms without the risk of an immediate blast.
Thunder B Stick
• Noise level: 105–110 dB
• Detonation time: 4–6 s
Elongated “stick” style shell. More directional blast and easy to slip under doors or into tight spaces.
Thunder B Dumbell
• Noise level: 110 dB
• Detonation time: 4–5 s
Dumbbell-shaped shell. Very stable, easy to grip even with gloves. Good for quick throws.
Thunder B Pineapple
• Noise level: 110–115 dB
• Detonation time: 4–6 s
Classic “pineapple” design. More surface area → a slightly more forceful explosion and loud sound. One of the most commonly used.
Thunder B Devil
• Noise level: 110–118 dB
• Detonation time: 1–2 s
APS’s most aggressive option in short delay. Practically instantaneous. Perfect for surprising enemies around corners or in very tight spaces.
Thunder B Flash Bang
• Noise level: 125 dB
• Detonation time: 4–6 s
The loudest of the standard shells. Simulates a flashbang: powerful blast ideal for interruptions, entries or disorganizing the opponent.
Thunder B Cylinder
• Noise level: 110 dB
• Detonation time: >4 s
The most predictable and consistent option. Simple and efficient shell, widely used in training and continuous CQB.
Use them like a stomach protector: throw it deep to prevent indigestion
Grenades should be used in a preventive way. See a door? Grenade. Window? Grenade. Hear someone in the hallway? Grenade. Don’t hear anything? Gren… well, maybe that’s when it’s better to keep stealth. But in most cases it works like a stomach protector: you take one before a big meal and avoid many problems. Same here. The cost of the shells allows you to use grenades freely, and although it’s always preferable not to lose them, compared to other models on the market it hurts less if after the action you can’t recover it.
Tape to stop the pin from slipping out, or open the prongs
You won’t be the first whose pin slips out while the grenade is in the pouch, causing self-detonation or, worse, taking out the whole team. To avoid this you have two options: open the prongs of the pin so it’s harder for it to slip out, or tape the pin (like in Black Hawk Down) so it doesn’t move. But in the second case, the more tape you use, the longer it will take to get it ready to throw in action, so you should seriously think about whether to use this method.
Two for the team, one for you
When facing a room where you want to throw a grenade, you must never lose sight of the door, as someone could come out while you’re handling it and eliminate you before you can do anything. That’s why it’s recommended that the first man stays covering the door and the second takes the grenade to be thrown from the back of his vest or his first line. In some cases there won’t be a second man, either because you’re alone or because the rest have been eliminated, and in those cases it’s always good to have at least one grenade within easy reach (pulling it from your back can be very cumbersome).
Put identification on the tube, not on the shell
Yes, the shell is the largest part and the most visible. But once the grenade explodes, the part that remains intact is the tube. That’s why, when marking them so nobody takes yours “by mistake”, it’s better to mark the tube. Or even the lever, since that way the mark will be visible even with the shell on, and it can be as simple as a piece of colored tape or engraving your identifier with something sharp.
Use visible fake wires and transparent wires with the grenade
One of the most fun functions of these grenades isn’t throwing them, but securing them to some element of the field (a door frame, a box, a piece of furniture…) and using a wire so that an unsuspecting player triggers it without realizing when passing by. But of course, we’re not the only ones who know this. That’s why we like to place the trap wire that comes without a grenade on either end, to generate paranoia and slow down the opposing team, and then place transparent line (fishing line) with the grenade further on when they’re no longer on edge.