curious M4 OR M3

[camillus]

Hi, I was looking through the M4 bayonet listing. I found one with a pinned pommel like an M3, is it an M3 with an M4 guard. Thanks Mike

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-early-1920-11-US-military-ww1-or-ww2-army-still-knife-with-case-LOOK-/121485595967?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c491b153f

[sactroop]

IMHO I wouldn't be interested in it. My first impression is that the knife/bayonet was assembled from pieces. Also that sheath looks less like an early M8 type than a navy MK2 type, not correct for the M3 knife or M4 bayonet. But the pictures aren't that good so I maybe seeing what I want to see.

You won't have much luck attaching a blade to a rifle with only a muzzle ring on it. A bayonet will also have some kind of latching device to keep it on the barrel. Look at some previous threads covering M4's for pictures of the latch on the pommel.

[SKIPH]

camillus- This is what most of us call an M3/M4. I have one that has all the characteristics of a piece assembled post war by Imperial. Yours is so grainy it's tough to tell, but suspect it too was made by Imperial. Sactroop is right about the scabbard, it is a USN MK2. The knife is one of those cool, variations made out of spare parts by companies who made both M3s, and M4s. If the price is right, bid on it, you might get a good deal. They are cool. SKIP

[bayonetman]

Pictures and description are worthless. It MAY be a Camillus from the 1990s that someone has used an abused as they did make some of these using odds and ends of parts laying around the plant. I did once see an M3 guard with and M4 latchplate from that Camillus run.

 

It is also possible that it was made that way post WW2 by some company using up parts like Imperial did. Would need good photos of the markings and the tang peen for further comment.

 

Difficult for someone to make on their own, so likely is some sort of factory make.

[camillus]

I was thinking that it was an error, like a bayonet guard got in with the knife guards and the result was a knife with a bayonet ring. Never thought of spare part. Yea the pictures are horrible, he obviously don't know how to list a knife. Tanks for your help Mike

[SKIPH]

Gary- Good point about Camillus. Saw a few pics a couple of years ago, but never the real deal. The above knife, does have black spacers which leans me towards Imperial. SKIP

[porterkids]

But as the seller states "it's in great condition for its age". Must be several centuries old if that's the case ;-)

[camillus]

didn't no there were bayonets that nice several centries ago besides those were a yard long

[sactroop]

Reading the auction it's obvious this would be the secret bayonet that goes with the semi-auto Peterson device of WW1 . OK this is a sign that I need to eat dinner.

[camillus]

yea and me more coffee