ATLANTIC M8A1 scabbard

[sactroop]

Maybe this would be old news to you but when I looked at this auction I couldn’t help but notice the apparent similarity of this M8A1 scabbard to the ones I see that come with the so called Colt/Imperial M7.

I don’t know any of the history of scabbards from ATLANTIC TEXTILE CORPORATION.

From the auction he doesn’t show any marks other than the texturing of the scabbard body that might ID the scabbard.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem....?Item=275900328

 

For comparison I’m including some photo’s of a Colt/Imperial scabbard that I have.

 

To me the throat (USM8A1) look like they could be made from the same dye.

The texture of the body not so much. In fact I’d say that the scabbard bodies came from different molds.

I suppose that at the end of the day it’s still going to be an inconclusive observation.

 

I can say that I’ve seen this kind of scabbard in piles of used US contract M7’s, mostly BOC and Imperials in the box. At the time I was wondering where the G.I. got this replacement scabbard to return to supply. Now it’s looking like this type of M8A1 scabbard was in the Government supply chain, at least from the packaging.

[bayonetman]

This scabbard has been around for several years, and I believe it is a commercial version, quite possibly made in Germany. The body as mentioned is molded and textured, a feature I don't remember seeing on any standard US contract scabbards.

 

Several years ago these showed up at several gun shows, all new in packaging.

 

To complicate matters, there are three different versions with different companies, all marked differently (no initials, WP and WD), with the same label with identical contract numbers and packaging dates. For that reason I still believe, until proven wrong, that these were made outside the US and sold commercially.

 

Some time ago I checked with companies with these names and none had any record of making or contracting for these scabbards.

 

[sactroop]

Gary, thanks for the info. It's the kind of thing I've often wondered about in the last several years with some of the packaging I've seen associated with items that are supposed to be government contract items. I think this post of yours is going into my note book. :thumbsup:

[SKIPH]

Hey Gang! Gary I'm glad you stepped in to help. Looking at the "77" date, really threw me. I was in the army from 1970-1991, and never once did I see a "crinkled" M8A1 scabbard outside of some Eickhorn or other European bayonet at a pawn shop. I think that someone made up some "legit looking" labels with 1977 dates to try and make a perceived issue item. A lot of that type activity been going on for years. SKIP

[Misfit 45]

If you do a side by side comparison with this ebay scabbard and the Imperial/Colt scabbards they are very different; the color is lighter and the "crinkle" is very smooth in comparison to the Imperial/Colt scabbard.

Marv

[sactroop]

It's not the difference mentioned about the two scabbards that struck me. It’s how similar the throats of the two scabbards are. Can you call the throat a frog on this type of scabbard? I’ve a few of the Colt/Imperials and all the scabbards are identical to each other.

 

When I look at the printing on the throat of the Atlantic to the Colt/Imperial they look to be the same. The style of the font, the size and even the way they are off center to the right. It’s harder to duplicate that than it seems. I know that comparing pictures to each other is not the same as having the two side by side.