M1 Bayonets

Scara · Oct 10, 2014

So I know we have a few lovers of the M1 Bayonet around here. I'm looking to replace one for an M1 that is used for ceremonial purposes, and I can't find any that are in good enough condition. I have a choice between replacing one with an M1 Bayonet, or if funds are available getting four M5 bayonets instead. The one that needs replacement is clearly a cheap reproduction, if you look down the crossguard there's a seam in the tang that has come loose, so the bayonet wobbles when moved, and it's bad enough that you can see at a distance that it's drooping in comparison to the others. Does anyone know where I can get one good condition M1 Bayonet (or high quality reproduction) or four good condition M5/M5A1 Bayonets?

gurkha berserka · Oct 10, 2014

Get yourself a copy of The Shotgun News. They always have reproductions and real ones. Springfield Armory also made some or had someone make some for their modern variants of the Garand and M14. Another good company is Inter Ordance... Just do a bing search, they import many military rifles and have access to many sources. Another company is Sarco out of Maine. I can list others bu you will find one from any of those sources.

Scara · Oct 10, 2014

Thanks GB, Sarco had exactly what I was looking for.

Oh and unfortunately Shotgun News is surprisingly difficult to find in my area, and I usually only buy the annual treasuries. Cheaper and I still get all the articles I would have really enjoyed.

Bookie · Oct 10, 2014

Atlanta Cutlery or IMA. They both sell them. Nice repo of the long M-1 bayonet, too.

ndoghouse · Oct 10, 2014

Yall need a pic of one! Here is one gifted to me by a generous forumite Im sure you all know. It is the real thing and absolutely mint condition. I felt bad taking it out of the sheath it was so clean. It has the bomb proof mark and correct markings just like my old one. Im very grateful to have this blade and even more grateful to have met some cool friends here on this forum:thumbup: I used to have the long one too with a brass handle. Sure miss it! The old rusted one underneath was my first fixed blade. Thats whats left of it from a housefire. I plan to harden/temper it and put another handle on it someday. GCB's a bonus pic.
I have seen the real thing on auction but they want a pretty penny for them usually.

Scara · Oct 10, 2014

Now if only I owned a camera.

Bawanna · Oct 10, 2014

I have one more twin to that one. I'll see if I have two. I know one more for sure.

My dad got a bunch of them back in the 60's working at a shipyard dismantling ships. Got a all metal officers ship desk, parts cabinets that kind of stuff.

They are the real deal without question.

Bawanna · Oct 13, 2014

I looked hard over the weekend and only have one bayonet left. Can't get myself to part with it yet. May come a day when I do so.

I thought had a couple left.

Sorry dude.

Scara · Oct 13, 2014

No problem. I'll just get one from Sarco. Thanks for being willing if you'd had one.

ElConquistador · Oct 13, 2014

http://www.thecmp.org/Sales/accessories.htm

http://forums.thecmp.org/index.php

Or check the classifieds they come up pretty often.

www.dupagetrading.com had some but they are sold out at the moment.

ndoghouse · Oct 13, 2014

Thanks for those links Conquistador. I had a bayonet ive been trying to identify and looks exactly like that french sabre with the brass handle and the same exact blade but I dont think it had the guard like that one. Maybe it was shorter. I know it had the same mount as the one I posted earlier in the thread. It had no edge but sure was pointy! It also had a unique feature that suggested it was broken at one time and forged back together. It doesnt seem likely that someone would do that but it was pretty obvious that is what happened. It also had the same drab fiberglass style sheath as my short M1. Any idea what it might be anyone? It may still be in my family but I cannot seem to locate it. Sure was cool tho.

Bawanna · Oct 13, 2014

ElConquistador said:
http://www.thecmp.org/Sales/accessories.htm

http://forums.thecmp.org/index.php

Or check the classifieds they come up pretty often.

www.dupagetrading.com had some but they are sold out at the moment.

Wow I can see why they are sold out at 30 bucks. I see em at the local gunshow in far worse condition than the ones I had for 250 bucks and up.

Maybe the scabbard adds some or maybe a big jump between rough and good. The ones at the gun show aren't all that great looking.

ndoghouse · Oct 18, 2014

After a little research i found out exactly what my bayonet was. Not an M1 of any kind but still cool. My dad brought it home from the war (Korean). It was not American it was French and was made for the Chassepot rifle (Fusil modèle 1866). I was mistaken about the sheath though. It was steel like the one pictured.

This frog was modified according to the author. Mine had a simple wire loop.

http://worldbayonets.com/Bayonet_Identification_Guide/France/france_2.html

They seem to be going for a few hundred buck complete and decent condition so no great value but mine was sentimental value mostly. I havent exhausted all options. I really think it is burried in one of my brothers or sisters closet somewhere and forgotten. Anyway not an M1 but still knife nut quality. Enjoy!

Scara · Oct 18, 2014

Interesting design for a bayonet. Any idea why the curved it that way?

ndoghouse · Oct 18, 2014

They claim its stronger (?) and aligns the tip with the hilt better for thrusting. It does handle better than a straight blade if you ever have the opportunity to play with one. Mine didn't have an edge on it at all and Ive read many reasons. Some say for training, some say they didn't need an edge due to the weight. I suppose you could probably crush someones arm or head off if you hit them doing twenty five miles an hour on a horse with a good swing on top of that. You could make a gnarly gash in a piece of timber with a draw cut. Ive done it many times but if you miss you better be able to stop it. Now that I look at it again it does have a stretched out Khukri profile to it.

Very Cool! I just scored me another one for less than a c-note. Should be here next week sometime. Pics when I get it

Steve Tall · Oct 18, 2014

On the subject of bayonets, here's one from Berkley's collection (for those who haven't seen it before):

Berkley said:
...

This is a Nepalese copy of the Brown Bess, with the Gurkha temple emblem of Bhimsen Thapa on the lock. It has one of the rare "kukri" (actually chupi) bayonets:

...

ndoghouse · Oct 18, 2014

A Chupi! Thats the grail of bayonets for us Khukrinuts. And a handmade Brown Bess:thumbup:

davidf99 · Oct 18, 2014

ndoghouse said:
After a little research i found out exactly what my bayonet was. Not an M1 of any kind but still cool. My dad brought it home from the war (Korean). It was not American it was French and was made for the Chassepot rifle (Fusil modèle 1866). I was mistaken about the sheath though. It was steel like the one pictured.

This frog was modified according to the author. Mine had a simple wire loop.

http://worldbayonets.com/Bayonet_Identification_Guide/France/france_2.html

They seem to be going for a few hundred buck complete and decent condition so no great value but mine was sentimental value mostly. I havent exhausted all options. I really think it is burried in one of my brothers or sisters closet somewhere and forgotten. Anyway not an M1 but still knife nut quality. Enjoy!

I have a bayonet just like that. I've seen many of them for sale by individuals and small stores on that auction site that we're not supposed to name here. They usually go for $100-$250, depending on condition and how many people are bidding at any given time. It's very easy to clean off the surface corrosion if it's not too extreme, leaving a nice patina or even a satin finish. There are so many still out there that many thousands must have been manufactured originally, which makes sense if it was a more or less standard military issue. I don't think most of them are replicas because of their condition and the fact that there isn't much profit in them.

As for why they have that elegant curve, I suspect it's mostly because they were emulating the true swords used in an earlier era.

As for why they are not very sharp, I suspect it's because a bayonet is mostly a thrusting weapon when mounted on the end of a rifle, and sharpening would have added an extra step in the manufacturing process. It's easy enough to sharpen one individually, and when used standalone it is a genuine short-sword, not just a bayonet.