Date M8A1 scabbard

[easterneagle87]

Go this scabbard today with some theater knives. Lots of M8A1 scabbards out there. Any way to date this one? Stamped

 

US M8A1

 

B. M. CO.

[earlymb]

There are a few minor differences in the hanger that might narrow the date a bit.

[sactroop]

B.M. CO. marked M8A1 were only produced during WW2, also true for the M8 marked sheaths. In the spring of 1944 the scabbards were transitioning from M8 to M8A1, though some that met the new M8A1 profile still had the U.S. M8 marked throat. Might be hard to say for sure when they ran through the last of the M8 metal plates. There will be a lot number marked on the bottom side of the metal tab on the plate, that may help with a general time frame of manufacture.

[SKIPH]

As sactroop stated they used up the M8 marked throats, but still included the lengthened belt loop, & M1910 belt hook. Check under the angled flaps w/ a magnifying glass to read the lot number. Should be B 2 N w/ a slash over a second number, or something similar. Basically these were produced mid-late 1944. Hard to pin it down. SKIP

[easterneagle87]

Great! I see the lot number stamped on the underside of the tab.

 

3

B - N

4

 

It is good to know the basic time frame. Thanks!

[SKIPH]

That appears to be a fairly high number. Keep in mind they were made from May 1944-Aug 1945. Based on Gary Cunningham's book, the M8A1's started w/ approximately 2/2. Not sure what the highest numbers went to. SKIP

[Misfit 45]

According to Gary's CD, the M8A1 scabbards that were actually so marked, (like yours), started around B3/4N and ran til about B5/0N. (To make it easier, just read the numbers as 34 and 50). In April 1944, the adoption of the M8A1 scabbard was made, but they were made with the in stock M8 metal throats. Quoting here: "It was some time later" that the markings were changed to M8A1 on the throat. That doesn't give us too much to go on, however, in July 1944, a new contract for M8A1 scabbards were made; over 1.1 million scabbards! I suspect that your scabbard would have been made during, or just prior to that period. With a contract that big, it wouldn't take long to exhaust the supply of the older M8 metal throats. The last of the M8A1 scabbards were made in August 1945. That's all I got.

Marv

[MattS]

Short answer is from Gary's Bayonet Points #18, "MAKERS: All World War Two production was by the Victory Plastics Division of the Beckwith Manufacturing Company and was marked B.M.CO. on the throat."