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Could forum members please give some clarification as to the exact model of U.S. bayonet is shown in the pictures. It was sold to me as a Garrand bayonet but I understood it to fit a number of US service rifles. I don't own a Garrand and so am not able to try fitting it to the rifle. Thanks for any information.
Another picture:
It's a shortened version of the 1903 bayonet produced during WWII. They do indeed fit the Garand and that is what they were primarily produced for. They will also fit the 1903 and O3A3 Springfields.
It would be called the M1 bayonet, the designation of 1905 with additions were for the long 16" blade and cut down versions. This one has a scabbard modified by the Greeks I think with the metal drag. The bayonet was actually made by someone other than US I think, the maker isn't familiar to me. Likely made well after WW2. And yes as stated it fits 1903...A3...M1 rifle...
Jim, you say that you think that the bayonet and scabbard were made outside of the U.S. although both have the flaming bomb marking. There are 2 close up pictures of the marks but it is not easy to see the markings from the pictures. Does this mean that they were made outside of the U.S. but used by the U.S. military; not all of American kit is made in the U.S.? When I purchased it from the dealer it still had thick storage grease on and so I believe that I am the first collector to own this particular bayonet since it being released from storage.
It's a Greek used m-1 bayonet and scabbard and I believe that the prevailing theory is that they were made by EF Horster in Germany. Gary Cunningham's bayonet website has a lot of information on these and as I recall they may have been made on contract for the US to be supplied as military aide to the Greeks within the same time frame as they received the Garands an '03s that we lent them post war to help in their fight against the Greek communists.
There are several bayonet types that were made outside the US but still retain US markings even though they were never intended for US use. Danish M5 bayonets for example. I have one with the bomb and US along with the Danish Crown. This one is interesting and I'll have to keep my eyes open for one as I have a Greek return O3A3.
A large number of 1905, M1 and M4 bayonets were returned to the US by Greece a few years back. There was a wide range of bayonets; WWI dates 1905s, all imaginable cut down and made-short M1s, foreign made M1s (as shown above) and Norwegian manufactured M4 bayonets as well as some M4s made by an unknown manufacturer. Most, if not all, were marked with Greek serial numbers. The bayonets were all sold through the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP). They were smart enough to pull out all the better pieces and sold them for a premium.
None of the foreign manufactured bayonets were issued to or used by US forces.
Are we now going to have a running debate concerning which rifles these bayonets fit :lol:
twh has it correct, page 74 of Cunningham's book U.S. Knife Bayonets & Scabbards.
Here is a link to the article mentioned by twh above on just this bayonet made for Greek forces from Gary Cunningham's website "Bayonet Points":
Bayo_Points_36