P-40Warhawk Posted July 7, 2017 Share #26 Posted July 7, 2017 Looks like you have real and I have repro; mine has the welded guard. Guard has DAS on it, but clearly that means nothing. Good info, and good thread. Looks like I will have to look harder next time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattS Posted July 7, 2017 Author Share #27 Posted July 7, 2017 Can you post yours for comparison? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sactroop Posted July 7, 2017 Share #28 Posted July 7, 2017 So what I see looks good. The radius in the blade and the mold numbers (8) indicate later production time frame. Keep in mind that COL MILPAR stopped making knives/bayonets in early 1970. Of corse now I'm curious about the M5 Aerial too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P-40Warhawk Posted July 7, 2017 Share #29 Posted July 7, 2017 Can you post yours for comparison? Will do after supper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattS Posted July 7, 2017 Author Share #30 Posted July 7, 2017 Here's the M5. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sactroop Posted July 7, 2017 Share #31 Posted July 7, 2017 $40. IMHO, you done good. Oh and my earlier reference to seeing the number molded into the grip should be for the part number. Checked back into Gary's book, and he places it at about 1964. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattS Posted July 7, 2017 Author Share #32 Posted July 7, 2017 Excellent and thanks for the information! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P-40Warhawk Posted July 7, 2017 Share #33 Posted July 7, 2017 My camera battery went dead so will have to charge it some, but I got these two (sorry about bad lighting). This was bought at a surplus store years ago, and I think a piece of paper was packed with it that had a stock number and something like a 'packed' or 'pkd' followed by a month-year. I just don't know what it said for sure now, but I think it was a date in the 1970s or 1980s. Maybe it meant repacked, or maybe I'm mistaken. Anyway, it seems this can't be right with the welded guard! It is a 'MILPAR COL' M6 marked guard, I got the stamp and the weld before the battery went. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKIPH Posted July 8, 2017 Share #34 Posted July 8, 2017 Years ago MilPar, and other companies, bayonet parts were bought up by after market dealers who assembled them. Have seen bayonets, and combat knives made from these left overs. Since the dealers or anyone else for that matter, would have know a spot welded guard from a correct one, everyone assumed they were the real, issued deal. We didn't have the knowledge or the books to get it from. SKIP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattS Posted July 8, 2017 Author Share #35 Posted July 8, 2017 So is it safe to say the spot welded bayonets are 100% after market and not GI? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKIPH Posted July 8, 2017 Share #36 Posted July 8, 2017 Matt- I would go with that. I doubt the government contractors would take a chance on losing the contract for work not done to specifications. Just my opinion. SKIP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattS Posted July 8, 2017 Author Share #37 Posted July 8, 2017 That makes sense, going against government specs is what drove headwear giant Bancroft out of business. They got the contract to supply the army with black berets and supposedly used foreign wool. The Pentagon canceled the contract and demanded repayment of $2.9 million. http://www.arkansasleader.com/2007/01/top-story-bancroft-owner-prove-my-caps.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P-40Warhawk Posted July 8, 2017 Share #38 Posted July 8, 2017 I thought about it, and the paper was about 2"x2" and had what appeared to be a stock number followed by mm/yy date. I don't know where the paper originated, but the whole thing was packed in a thick ziplock type bag (about the length of the bayonet and maybe 3 or 4 inches wide) with a thin pasteboard type sleeve covering the blade. The store is long gone, so I don't know where they got it. I do remember it was the only one there. So do not fall for the paper or the das on the guard if you see one with either or both. It definitely sounds like something assembled with leftovers. I will say that the finish is very nice, and other than the welded guard, it appears to have been well finished. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P-40Warhawk Posted July 8, 2017 Share #39 Posted July 8, 2017 Matt, can you take a photo showing the slot for the bayonet lug to engage in? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattS Posted July 8, 2017 Author Share #40 Posted July 8, 2017 Sure thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKIPH Posted July 8, 2017 Share #41 Posted July 8, 2017 I've seen a lot of M4, and M7 bayonets , over the last 10-15 years in guns show w/ all kinds of packaging, government cage codes, and stock numbers, etc. If the packages are opened, inspect the bayonets if you can. Be wary of mint "General Cutlery", M7s at cheap prices. They tend to be aftermarket w/ spot welded guards. I bought 2 or 3 in the 90s, because they were like $15 apiece. At that time I was grabbing M7s, because I missed the boat in the 60s when M4s were $5.00 for mint ones. Folks were selling M7s new, used etc by the ton, after the army adopted the M9. Always do your research! It helps! SKIP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P-40Warhawk Posted July 8, 2017 Share #42 Posted July 8, 2017 Sure thing. I think we found the telltale sign of a bad one. Notice how yours has a square stop at the end by the grip? This looks like a button rivet or maybe even a weld. Like Skip said, always take it out and look at it no matter how nice it may look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P-40Warhawk Posted July 8, 2017 Share #43 Posted July 8, 2017 Other than that and the welded crossguard, this one could pass the 1 foot test. And since you can't really see the welded crossguard with the grips on, this may be the litmus test. At least on the MILPAR COL marked ones. I also noticed that the pommel lacks the bevel (seen in Matt's pic) to guide the bayonet to the lug. Actually the pommel is missing the ears! And check out the square bar on either side of the groove, lacking the bevel of Matts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattS Posted July 8, 2017 Author Share #44 Posted July 8, 2017 Great pics, the differences in machining and beveling are pretty apparent by examining the lug slot, good information! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P-40Warhawk Posted July 8, 2017 Share #45 Posted July 8, 2017 Yeah, hopefully it will help someone else to know not to buy one like it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sactroop Posted July 8, 2017 Share #46 Posted July 8, 2017 The spot weld for the recoil stop is a dead giveaway for it being made by someone other than a Government contractor. It could be that the rest of the parts are genuine surplus, but the blade is not. Eickhorn made a specific back end that consisted of the pommel, side rails and was connected to create a recoil stop. This they used on both the M5's and M6's they produced, even though there's no need for the recoil stop on the M5 as the thick guard accomplishes that against the Garand's gas cylinder. I think you can make out from the picture how the M6 recoil stop is actually cut from the original blade blank. (The M6 is on the right). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattS Posted July 8, 2017 Author Share #47 Posted July 8, 2017 Folks were selling M7s new, used etc by the ton, after the army adopted the M9. Always do your research! It helps! SKIP I remember seeing tables full of M7s about 15 years ago, I bought a few for $20 each. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKIPH Posted July 8, 2017 Share #48 Posted July 8, 2017 I must have looked at thousands of M7s, got nice example of all the military manufacturers, except "FZR", never could find one. It would have been a prize for $15. LOL! SKIP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viking73 Posted July 10, 2017 Share #49 Posted July 10, 2017 I must have looked at thousands of M7s, got nice example of all the military manufacturers, except "FZR", never could find one. It would have been a prize for $15. LOL! SKIP Nice! Of all the M-7 bayonets I looked at and bought over the years, I couldn't ever find an "FZR" marked one either Skip so don't feel bad. Every time I see one at a show I check it out but no "FZR". They must be super rare. A few years ago, I did see one sell on eBay for over $200! Nice score on the bayonets Matt. Now you need to hunt down some M8A1 scabbards for them -Derek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattS Posted July 10, 2017 Author Share #50 Posted July 10, 2017 Nice score on the bayonets Matt. Now you need to hunt down some M8A1 scabbards for them -Derek Thanks! I have a few spares, never hurts to pick up one or two more though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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