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Does anybody know what the number on the ring is for. If the other number is Rifle #A3355? I have seen it on a few others also. Thanks
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...IMG_7401-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...IMG_7406-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...IMG_7425-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...IMG_7419-1.jpg
There have been claims that [some]bayonets were numbered to guns. I have two bayonets w/out numbers.
Mine is also without numbers. Some using unit might have numbered the bayonets to the guns, but AFAIK it was not done by the factory. Those numbers appear to be hand stamped, which wouldn't rule out factory work, but makes a local job more likely.
The bayonet was about as light as it could be and, like the British bayonets for the No. 4 rifle, was pretty much useless for anything else except maybe a tent peg. Johnson reportedly tried to use the M1903 or M1917 bayonets but they were too heavy and caused malfunctions in the recoil operated rifle, so he had to design the lightest possible bayonet.
Jim
They were not numbered to the guns as a general practice. In fact,
most had no numbering at all.
The bayonets were produced without numbers. The numbers were added by the Dutch when the rifles were returned to them. Probably numbered to a rifle (makes stealing your buddy's pointless at turn in time when yours is missing!).