porterkids Posted March 20, 2014 Share #51 Posted March 20, 2014 No worries. I'm more concerned that we may burn you out early with all our inquiries. Don't worry about that. It's not every day that Bill finds someone interested in M7 bayonets to talk to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M7bayonet Posted March 21, 2014 Share #52 Posted March 21, 2014 Marv......did you win that Imperial Colt with the 90 degree cut? If you did could you post pics of both sides of the crossguard including the ring and a pic of the tang? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M7bayonet Posted March 24, 2014 Share #53 Posted March 24, 2014 SACTROOP.........This old man finally got around to taking the handles off my Imperial Colt M7s. On the reverse side of the tang partially covered by the latch plate my 4 examples are marked this way.....one has a mark that appears to be a C......one has the H .....two have the A. It is interesting that the chromed presentation Imperial Colt that was presented in 1964 or 1965 is marked with the A. The handles all have 11010068 or 11010069 on the underside and all four examples do not have the molded in nuts. I also removed the handles from the Colt marked M7 that has nothing stamped on the crossguard unlike the Imperial Colts that have "US M7" stamped on their crossguards. There was no letter stamped on the tang. All that said, do I know what the letters on the Imperial tangs represent? At this time I have no ideal. But with the example with the unstamped crossguard not being stamped and not have the letter on the tang does that mean it is an unknown maker of a Colt M7? I wish I could say yes, but further research will have to be done to make such a bold statement. It could just represent a factory mistake. And just to add, that example has the same blade cut as all the Imperial Colts do with the exception of the one that started this discussion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sactroop Posted March 24, 2014 Share #54 Posted March 24, 2014 I'm really enjoying this journey around the M7 and the Colt marked one's specifically. The FZR M7 is the one I'm still looking to add to my Vietnam correct M7's. The others I've set aside are in excellent to new condition so it's convenient for me that so many of the FZR's are in that condition. Not too convenient what the asking prices are generally going for. It could be worse I still need an M6 AN marked bayonet too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M7bayonet Posted March 24, 2014 Share #55 Posted March 24, 2014 It is hard to understand why FZRs seem so rare. There is probably a warehouse in Vietnam filled with FZRs that will be discovered one day and have the prices plummet like that cache of Imperial Colts did to their prices. If I should run across one for a great price I will keep you in mind. They do tend to stay in the $200-250 range. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bayonetman Posted March 24, 2014 Share #56 Posted March 24, 2014 A fellow I know spends some time at Rock Island searching through the records and is kind enough to send me bayonet data when he runs into it. So far he has found nothing on a bayonet contract to Fraser even though he has dug out records on all the other makers. It MAY be that the contract was to fill a foreign order and the ones found in the US system may have been part of an initial test order. I do wish that the people at Fraser would provide that information, but so far they have essentially ignored me other than stating that they did make M7 bayonets. As I recall, they also made some M14 rear sight parts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bayonetman Posted March 24, 2014 Share #57 Posted March 24, 2014 It could be worse I still need an M6 AN marked bayonet too. Watch out on the AN M6, as I have seen two out and out fakes on the market. Fortunately the AN version is just different enough to be able to verify it. Still have no idea who or when, but I LEAN toward the idea of them being prototypes made in the mid-1950s before the decision was made to not supply a bayonet for the M14 (and which was changed about 1960). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WCPFFA1 Posted March 24, 2014 Share #58 Posted March 24, 2014 I posted the second example of the M7 Marv showed that started this discussion and I'm seeing some obvious differences besides for the 90 degree cut. The tang on my M7 with a 90 degree cut has no letter stamped in it, the hole in the tang the u-shaped keeper for the crossguard runs through is round not square, and there is no notches cut in the crossguard adjacent to the blade. The colt M7s pictured above by sactroop have two notches cut in each side of the crossguard where the blade runs through. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M7bayonet Posted March 25, 2014 Share #59 Posted March 25, 2014 All of the ones in my collection that I checked today all had the square hole on the tang, including the one with the unmarked crossguard. I would like to see a pic of both sides of the crossguard on the 90 degree cut blade version. I have some thoughts on it but need to see more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sactroop Posted March 25, 2014 Share #60 Posted March 25, 2014 Watch out on the AN M6, as I have seen two out and out fakes on the market. Fortunately the AN version is just different enough to be able to verify it. Still have no idea who or when, but I LEAN toward the idea of them being prototypes made in the mid-1950s before the decision was made to not supply a bayonet for the M14 (and which was changed about 1960). Gary I also believe now that there are some fake Aerials out there these days too. I think they started out as airsoft's that got surplus blades. Don't worry if I run across what looks to be a real AN you can expect a PM with pictures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sactroop Posted March 25, 2014 Share #61 Posted March 25, 2014 It is hard to understand why FZRs seem so rare. There is probably a warehouse in Vietnam filled with FZRs that will be discovered one day and have the prices plummet like that cache of Imperial Colts did to their prices. If I should run across one for a great price I will keep you in mind. They do tend to stay in the $200-250 range. I've said this before elsewhere, but if the numbers reported for the FZR's are close to accurate I'm thinking most of them must be somewhere off shore. Who knows what condition they'd be found in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WCPFFA1 Posted March 25, 2014 Share #62 Posted March 25, 2014 All of the ones in my collection that I checked today all had the square hole on the tang, including the one with the unmarked crossguard. I would like to see a pic of both sides of the crossguard on the 90 degree cut blade version. I have some thoughts on it but need to see more. I've added four pictures to the photobucket link of the crossguard to my earlier post on page 2 posted 03 March 2014 - 01:33 PM. If you'd like me to add any more I'd be glad to and thanks for your interest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M7bayonet Posted March 25, 2014 Share #63 Posted March 25, 2014 Thanks for those additional pics, they were just what I was looking for. I am making comparisons of all my Colt marked blade M7s trying to see if I can find some answers to help identify your unique M7. Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Misfit 45 Posted March 26, 2014 Author Share #64 Posted March 26, 2014 Marv......did you win that Imperial Colt with the 90 degree cut? If you did could you post pics of both sides of the crossguard including the ring and a pic of the tang? Thanks Sorry about the late reply. No I did not win the bayonet. Marv Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M7bayonet Posted March 29, 2014 Share #65 Posted March 29, 2014 Ok....let me add to the Colt M7 mystery. I checked all my M7 Colts and couldn't find any that could explain the 90 degree backcut example that started this conversation. The peen on that example just has me completely baffeled. Then I checked all my emails and texts that people have sent me over the past year. Low and behold I found pics of another 90 degree backcut Colt marked M7 but this example allegedly had a crossguard stamped US M7 and BOC. This one was not in pristine shape and in fact was rather well used. The peen on that one looked just like a regular BOC peen and definately looked factory done. I had asked for more pics because I wanted to see a pic where I could see the BOC stamping as well as some of the Colt stamping in the same pic so that I would know for sure that it was in fact pics of one bayonet and not two separate bayonets being used to try to get me to make a false statement or misrepresentation. I never got the follow up pics but the pics I still have that he sent does have a Colt marked M7 blade with a 90 degree backcut. I wish I could have handled that M7 or had gotten the extra pics I requested. Just something else to throw out into this ongoing mystery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WCPFFA1 Posted March 30, 2014 Share #66 Posted March 30, 2014 M7bayonet, thanks for your effort. Did you notice if any of your M7 Colt's had a crossguard without the two notches cut in it on each side adjacent to the blade? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M7bayonet Posted March 30, 2014 Share #67 Posted March 30, 2014 Most of the MILPAR Colts don't have them although I have seen some MILPARs with them. Eickhorn Colts don't have them. And the unmarked Colt that I have also has them. As for the Imperial Colts I have seen they all have them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M7bayonet Posted March 30, 2014 Share #68 Posted March 30, 2014 I also just checked the pics of the Colt M7 with the alledged BOC crossguard and from the pics I have that one doesn't have the notches either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKIPH Posted March 30, 2014 Share #69 Posted March 30, 2014 For whatever it's worth my Colt/Eickhorn has a 90 degree back cut.. SKIP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M7bayonet Posted March 30, 2014 Share #70 Posted March 30, 2014 Alot of the early Eickhorn Colts have the 90 degree backcut. Over the years they changed the blade cuts a couple times. But then again Eickhorn was making Colt blade M7s from 1976 to 2003. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M7bayonet Posted March 30, 2014 Share #71 Posted March 30, 2014 I don't know how I did it but I just won a near mint MILPAR Colt on ebay for $298.99. I was the only bidder up until the last two minutes and then someone placed another bid. It was listed for $225.00. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M7bayonet Posted March 31, 2014 Share #72 Posted March 31, 2014 Out of curiosity, how many members own or have seen a Milpar Colt M7. I know they bring some really high prices and don't show up for sale very often. Last year one went for $600 on ebay. I am curious as to how many of them are actually in collections. I know they are not as plentiful as the Imperial Colts and we really don't know the production numbers for the Milpar Colts. Let me know if you have one and how many you have actually seen. They are really excellent made M7s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sactroop Posted April 2, 2014 Share #73 Posted April 2, 2014 Bill when the bayonet arrives I hope you'll not only show images of the bayonet but the unmarked sheath as well. Some of these sheaths we see with the different M7's are a bit of a curiosity for me. I still want to see a confirmed example of the sheaths Colt supplied with the early, brown/green bayonets before 1964. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M7bayonet Posted April 2, 2014 Share #74 Posted April 2, 2014 SACTROOP......I will post pic of both the bayonet and the scabbard. I know the early green and brown handled Colt marked bayonets made by Universal Industries came with scabbards with the throat completely unmarked and made by Victory Plastics . If this is that type of scabbard it will be the first Milpar Colt I have seen come with one. Usually the Milpar Colts are seen in standard USGI US M8A1 scabbards. I will let you know. I am still surprised that combination went for that price and there weren't more bidders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sactroop Posted April 2, 2014 Share #75 Posted April 2, 2014 Well I wouldn't of minded it ending up with me, but I think it's where it belongs now. Looking forward to the upcoming posts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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