Only 9300 were produced. Instead of the usual muzzle ring it has a dove tail to fit into the bottom of the Maxim Silencer that was fitted to some WW1 sniper rifles.

 

Nice Robin

 

Thats something you dont see eveyday

Oh man, that's outstanding.

Interesting! Thanks for posting!

robinb-That is one, very rare bayonet.! WOW! Great photos, was never quite sure how it fit. Thank you for showing! SKIP

Thank you for sharing, that a rare bayo.

Yes, great post! Thanks for sharing.

very nice rare bayo - well done!!

I have only been collecting bayonets for 40 years this year, but I have never noticed this variation before. Not for real, not in a book, not in an article, not on the internet, not in a museum. Would it have been machined from a standard M1905 with normal muzzlering, or is the cross guard specially made?

I mention it in my first book American Military Bayonets of the 20th Century, bottom of page 26. I did not go into great detail because of the rarity.

 

The guard is apparently specially made as the slot that allows the bayonet to be inserted into the scabbard and pass the catch stud appears to not extend all the way down to the top of the blade as it does on the standard guard. If I am correct, the bayonet would not fit the normal scabbard as it would contact the stud on the top plate, but a stud could be removed to allow it to fit in only one direction.

 

I only know of one of these in private hands. Shortly after my book came out in 1997, I received a letter from a collector in California thanking me for stopping him from making a serious error. He had found one at a flea market shortly before, and was planning to remove the guard from a junker bayonet that he had to replace one that "some fool had cut off the muzzle ring on a otherwise very nice bayonet".

It will fit into a standard scabbard without removing a hook from the top of the scabbard. And yes, it is a special guard and not made from a standard type.

Just as a side note, nobody noticed the Maxim Silencer? It's an original registered WW1 piece.

Incredible find!

Very nice Robin, and yes I noticed the Maxim.

 

Ron

 

I only know of one of these in private hands.

 

Hey Gary; I guess you can now say that you know of three of these

 

Mine came without a scabbard but I had an empty leather covered aluminum scabbard and it fit perfectly. The groove in the top of the dovetail lug slipped right over the stud on the scabbard body.

 

 

Nice example. Especially the original bright finish on the blade.

I love the photo of the silencer. Never saw the bayonet mounted to the rifle before.

 

 

 

 

Here's the whole package.

 

I stand corrected about the bayonet not fitting into the scabbard. I did know that the guard was made especially for the bayonet, guess I did not look carefully enough to note the groove being deep enough to clear the stud.

 

Thanks for the correction and photos. A very desirable bayonet.

Robin, the maxim is great but didn't you post it in the firearms section before. I believe they have a similar set up at Carlisle with bayonet. A few years back a similar bayonet was for sale at the Allentown show. I have not been there for a few years but for a small show they always had some great stuff.

Cool Maxim.. Is the opening "centered" or "offset" ?

It's off set.

Robin: You are the man.

 

Great stuff.

Great bayonet!! Is it cut and re welded? I owned the one from Brophys collection years ago, the one pictured in the Springfield book, and this one like most if not all were cut at the Arsenal

 

Fritz

My bayonet has not been cut and welded.

Mine is not a reweld.