100 years of US bayonets 1914 to 2014

[Misfit 45]

Just a spread of some of my bayonets. Going to a military vehicle meet and they want some static displays. This is the best I can do.

Marv

[SKIPH]

Nice display, and collection. SKIP

[Reeder3]

love it!

[1563621]

Very Nice layout!

[mattsmilitary]

Nice layout. You have a great 100 year collection!

 

Well Done!!

[Alec]

Very nice. Wish i had time or space to do the same.

[Tony V]

Marv

 

Excellent collection ! These will make a very interesting display. Thank you for posting them.

 

Tony

[Still-A-Marine]

Outstanding

[patches]

Marvelous!

 

Tell us, what is the origin of the M2 Bayonet with the lattice type grip (the one dead center)? Never seen that kind of leather grip, could we see a close up too?

[SKIPH]

Patches- It's an M4 bayonet, rehandled with wooden grip. Post WW2 rebuild. SKIP

[Misfit 45]

Yes, the bayonet is an M4, but with a two piece wooden handle unlike the one piece wooden grip which is most generally accepted to have been made in Okinawa. I have not seen another one like it, but some say this was made in Korea, but others say it was made in Japan. It is an early Camillus with the tapered pins in the pommel. In this case, the pommel was not removed to install the new handle. The original peen on the end has not been damaged. I must say, I particularly like this one.

Marv

[patches]

An M4 Bayonet of course, my goof guys, had the M2 Carbine on my mind

 

Very interesting handle, thank's for the close up. No idea it was carved wood, from the group photo it seemed it had leather straps, binded and intertwined on the handle.

 

While were on the subject of M4 Bayonets. I once seen at a show an M4 that was Made in Japan, it had a GI scabbard, but the the blade, maybe the grip too was made there. I assumed it was a Korean War made one, made by them for U.S. Armed Forces use when the Japanese industry/ecomony was ratcheted up to support the UN effort in Korea, would this guess be correct?

 

[SKIPH]

Marv- Thanks for showing the great pic. Gotta get one.

Patches- I remember Kiffe of Japan making M4 bayonets,probably other companies too, but at the time,I assumed they were after market. Not sure if they were for our military at all. SKIP

[bayonetman]

There are several M4 bayonets marked Made in Japan or just Japan. To the best of my knowledge, none of these are anything but commercial sales versions.

 

There is a M4 marked U.S.-J-M4 over S.I. on the guard and S.I. on the scabbard that has some possibility of having been made on US contract in Japan, but I do not yet have proof of that.

[Misfit 45]

There is an M4 bayonet, Made in Japan, that has the brand name of "Kiffie". They were commercial M4s. There are a couple of other names found on M4s made in Japan.

Marv

[DRE66]

Japan also produced an M3 as well. Same materials and construction. Had one in the early eighties but disappeared somewhere along the way.

[patches]

There are several M4 bayonets marked Made in Japan or just Japan. To the best of my knowledge, none of these are anything but commercial sales versions.

 

There is a M4 marked U.S.-J-M4 over S.I. on the guard and S.I. on the scabbard that has some possibility of having been made on US contract in Japan, but I do not yet have proof of that.

If they were an aftermarket commercial version, who would be buying these? Were M2 Carbines, a current issue (1950s early 60s, longer still with the Army Reserve/National Guard) weapon for Armed Forces, sold to civilians? law enforment I imagine got some Carbines right, but were these carbines sold in say sporting goods stores, one would think not right? So then were these Japanese made bayonets just made to buy separately as knives say?.

[bayonetman]

They became most popular after the old DCM (now the CMP) released a large number of M1 carbines for sale in the early 1960s (I think around 1963), and the military M4 bayonets were not readily available. They were sold to the public by several companies such as Service Armament, Sportsworld and Kiffe among many others. They are still being made and sold commercially now, I guess as a cheaper alternative to the military issue version. At any given time about 25% of the M4 bayonets listed on eBay are commercial copies, many of them new made, often misrepresented and sometimes at ridiculous prices.

 

 

Attached is a page from the 1967 Kiffe catalog showing the carbine bayonets (misidentified as M8) among many others that they had for sale.

 

[patches]

They became most popular after the old DCM (now the CMP) released a large number of M1 carbines for sale in the early 1960s (I think around 1963), and the military M4 bayonets were not readily available. They were sold to the public by several companies such as Service Armament, Sportsworld and Kiffe among many others. They are still being made and sold commercially now, I guess as a cheaper alternative to the military issue version. At any given time about 25% of the M4 bayonets listed on eBay are commercial copies, many of them new made, often misrepresented and sometimes at ridiculous prices.

 

Small.JPG

 

Attached is a page from the 1967 Kiffe catalog showing the carbine bayonets (misidentified as M8) among many others that they had for sale.

 

67-25 small.jpg

Thank you for your explaination, one thing, what about the LUG, was this retro fitted on the surplus M1s, need that lug to fix a bayonet to the barrel (I'm just like a little kid, So Many Questions )

 

Love that 1967 catolog, those prices whoa! Seems the older the more inexpensive, love to have bought a original Zulu War Martini Henry 1871-77 model w/ scabbard from them,probably cost 75. then

[bayonetman]

Almost all M1 carbines in US inventory following WW2 were retrofitted with the bayonet lug and adjustable rear sight as well as updated magazine release and so forth prior to being placed in storage or back into service. Most of those sold through the NRA in the 1960s had all of the updates.

 

Those who are not old enough to have lived through the greatest military weapons sales period (the 1960s) cannot believe what we were able to buy then. Even allowing for inflation, the prices and availability were staggering by current standards.

 

Ad is from 1964:

 

[skautdog]

Marv,

 

That's a very nice collection and display.

Care to tell us how you store them when you don't have them displayed e.g. in what container, inside scabbard or not, individually wrapped, etc.?

Thanks,

Ken

[patches]

Thanks again Bayonetman, retrofitted right, this is in line with what another member stated in the Hollywood Helmets topic, when the question arose after seeing numerous photos of actors with their helmets had M2 carbines, and not M1s, even though these films were from the late 40s through 50s-60s, he stated the same think now that I rembember, they were retrofitted before the Govnt decieded to get rid of them via surplus.

 

Another faboulous ad, if only....if only. A Tokarev wow, perhaps a Korean or since it's a 1964 ad, then perhaps an early advisory Vietnam battlefield pick up.

[Misfit 45]

Marv,

 

That's a very nice collection and display.

Care to tell us how you store them when you don't have them displayed e.g. in what container, inside scabbard or not, individually wrapped, etc.?

Thanks,

Ken

 

Ken,

Contrary to popular opinion, I store my bayonets in the scabbard and in my safe with one or two "dry packets". I don't have the humidity that is so destructive in other parts of the country (I'm in California). As for the scabbard marks on the blades, once the marks are there, you can't do anything about that and in addition, as long as they are placed in the scabbard the same way every time, the scabbard marks do not seem to get any worse. I'm in complete control as to how the blades are put in the scabbard. Unlike many US knives, most of the bayonets do not have leather sheaths which can absorb moisture and the bayonets that do, have enough oil on the blades to prevent rusting. I have a few bayonets that have never been in a scabbard and those, of course, never will. That's the way it is. Thanks for asking.

Marv

 

[skautdog]

Marv,

 

Thanks for the response. I appreciate your insight re: scabbard storage.

 

I also have the conflict of storing my bayonets in my firearms safe. It's gotten to the point where I have more non firearms (belt plates, buttons, knives, bayonets, etc.) in the safe than I do firearms. I really would like to have these items on visible display, but also can't take a chance with the nicer items being stolen, lost in a fire or whatever.

 

Thanks again.

 

Ken

[Backtheattack]

A nice collection.