Due to the tremendous quantity manufactured during World War II the Mk 2 was still in limited issue with the US Army and US Marine Corps throughout the 1950s and 1960s.

The U.S. Navy was one of the last users of the Mk 2 when it was finally withdrawn from U.S. military service in 1969, replaced with the M33 series (M33/M67).

The early fuses were not completely silent and made a loud "bang" and produced sparks when activated.

They also made a faint "hissing" sound while burning, potentially alerting the enemy of their presence.

The M10, used during the interwar period, and the M10A1, used early in WWII, sometimes prematurely detonated when the flash from the primer hit the explosive charge rather than the delay fuse.

The improved "Mk 2A1" (a designation used informally by armorers, historians, and collectors, but never by the US military[4]) introduced in 1942 was filled through the fuse well instead.

[3] Low explosive-filled Mk 2s had their cast iron bodies painted gray or black to prevent rust.

During wartime (from about 1943 onwards), grenades were overpainted in olive drab, leaving a narrow yellow ring remaining at the top.

Mk 2 grenades came 25 to a wooden crate and were shipped in small fiberboard packing tubes.