Congratulations.  Great piece.

Absolutely incredible piece of museum quality. Thank you for sharing!

Years ago I Gerald Devlins Book "Paratrooper"  was mention of the PArtrooper Prop Blast drink   At least 1 enginer unit also had their own ceremony https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/tr/pdf/ADA237079.pdf   Am curious...this this  'Ceremony" still held...?  

I measured both M4 and M7 handles and they're too short for a Mk2. I've recently rebuilt a couple of ragged out M3s and used M7 handles. They fit tight, but worked 

There's no harm in asking questions, and if you can't ask them to a bunch of veteran (and active duty) collectors, you'll lose a lot of possible insight.  🙂   At any one point in time, there are about 1.3 million people serving on active duty in the US military. Those 1.3 million people come from every walk of life, every culture, every religion, race, ethnicity, belief system, upbringing, reason for joining...you name it. Every one of them is different. Those 1.3 million people will have vastly different experiences in the military, and those experiences will grow even more different the longer they remain in the service.    In my 23 years, I never had to eat an MRE (I tried one, once, because I was curious while stationed at the Naval Academy). I also never slept in a tent. I was never shot at. I'll fully admit that I had 600-thread-count sheets and a 3-inch foam topper on my beds on the ships where I served. I also always had a king size pillow. I did use a "woobie" to sleep with, but it wasn't out of any particular lack of anything else...I thought it was comfortable and there were only two nights a week I actually slept in my sheets (I usually slept on top...it was easier if I had to jump out of bed). One of my hobbies on my last deployment to the Middle East was hanging out with our staff judge advocate after dinner and chasing around the aircraft carrier to see who still had ice cream available. :) Did I have stressful times? Sure did. I served with some real winners too. I've been yelled at, sworn at, had things thrown at me, and worked for 12 months for an immediate boss who literally never said a word to me...even though I saw him 20 times a day as he walked by my desk outside his office door. I also participated in hundreds, maybe a thousand, combat-like scenarios, including live fire ones, that were both stressful and exciting at the same time. I spent many, many months at sea, patrolling for "bad people" and ensuring the freedom of navigation for thousands of ships as they transited around the earth, making the world's economy work. I also had the unique opportunity to be illegally dismissed from the military, with my wife bursting into tears as the verdict was read while I stood at rigid attention in the courtroom (it was later overturned, but it took over six years...) What were the most amazing times? I got to see some really cool things and visit some really cool places I'd never get to go to otherwise. I've been to India, nearly every country in the Middle East, most countries in Europe, was in London seven times, met my future wife while in school, got to live in Japan and travel all over Asia, have four kids on the military's dime, live in some really neat locations in the US and provide a neat experience for my kids in their formative years. Most importantly, was interacting with and having a positive effect on the lives of countless Sailors and Marines. I vividly remembered my dad's stories of his division officers and department heads while he was in the Navy during the Korean War and I felt that if I could have those memories as positive for the people that worked for and with me....that's an awesome privilege.    I retired and leveraged my experience into a second career, while appreciating my retirement pension and my VA disability. Plus, I've had awesome experiences with VA medical...I dare say life-saving. No issues at all and I am exceptionally grateful for it.    So...long story even longer...everyone's experiences will vary. I had some bad events in my career, but overall, I am beyond privileged to have spent the years I did in uniform. For my kids who are able to join the military, I highly encourage it...though it has to be their decision in the end.    Hope that helps!          

Just for fun, try some beat up old M4, or M7 bayonet grips, just to see if they could fit.  SKIP

Would find someone to 3-D print them if possible   Maybe check our Steves restoration page on FB or similar groups as some of these guys are real innovative and can print about anything

Good question, and of course Ontario isn't talking.

Anyone out there know of a vendor for Mk2 plastic replacement handles? Do they even exist on the market?

Great acquisition.