CASE M3 Question

[Sgt Rock]

I just picked up a Case M3 that is marked on the hilt/guard CASE M3 and has a small bomb stamped on the pommel as well as a "Z" on the tip of the tang. 8 groove handle. What mystifies me is that the blade appears to be parkerized while the hilt/guard and pommel appear to be blued. By this point I didn't think there would still be a mix of blued and parked. Beautiful M8 scabbard.

Not sure pictures would come out, sorry about the flash, but I wonder if it is the real deal. Any help would be appreciated.

Information

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[SKIPH]

SGT Rock-Checked out Coniglio's book and as you said mixed blue & parkerized components were not observed in guard marked.But with the amount of varieties they offered who knows. One thing that did catch my eye was leather handle directly behind the guard itself.The leather washers seem to be stacked larger than normal. I have 4 Case M3's (dated. blade, guard and straight guard) and none are as pronounced as yours. It kind of reminds me of the new Boker repro M3s or the Italian?(Item 280378319224 -World War 2 Weapons.net). Also if possible could you post some pic of the Case marking and the pommel. The scabbard looks great. I'm sure the other guys will be checking in soon. Skip

[Jos (Holland)]

Hi Sgt Rock.
After reading Skips reply I had to check my own collection of Case M3's.
Unfortunately non of them has a grip resembling yours. But as Skip pointed out Case is known for not always playing by the M3-rules. That's why there are so many different versions of them around. So it could still be a genuine Case.
Maybe those pictures of the guard and pommel can tell us more.
Jos.

[Sgt Rock]

Comments?

[SKIPH]

SGT Rock-Go to this web site(US Military Knives Bayonets Machetes) Enter, then scroll down to the Repo ID page. Once there go to the "M3" section and scroll down to the different Case examples. Might want to check out all of them. On my guard marked M3 the stamp is horizontal to the ground looking from the front. You'll have to decide what you have, but I think you have a Repro. Sorry! Good luck. Skip

[Jos (Holland)]

Sgt Rock, here a two pictures of the guard and handle of one of my Case knifes. Hope this helps.
Jos

[SKIPH]

Jos-Very nice 5 groove handle. Read about them but that's the first I've seen. Skip

[Sgt Rock]

Hey Guys, thanks for the pictures and comments, please keep them coming until we figure this out for sure.

I had checked out Frank's pages on the repos, but the pictures were inconclusive. I wondered about the "vertical" vs. "horizontal" stamping of the M3 markings, but again with a lack of comparable photos I couldn't tell.

I got the knife from a friend of mine who is retiring and selling off some stuff, he may not have known that it is a repo if it indeed turns out to be one. I want to be absolutely certain before I say anything, I am sure you all can appreciate why...

Hope my pictures have helped.

[Bayonetman]

I have been asked to put in my 2 cents worth, which is probably about all it is worth as these knives are not my specialty. However, I will comment and let others see if they agree with me.

I feel that the knife in question is not correct. I realize that is harder with CASE than any other maker, as they seem to have made more variations than anyone else. As such, I have learned to "never say never" when it comes to a Case product.

However, my comments and OPINIONS are:

1. I have never seen a Case M3 with a horizontal marking rather than the vertical mark as is shown in the post by JOS. That again is not to say that it did not happen but the specimen shown by JOS should be later (5 groove grip) than the one in question and if it did happen, it should be late production (near the beginning of M4 bayonet production which is where the 5 or 6 groove grip should have began and where the stamp went from vertical to horizontal) rather than earlier. Call it Strike One.

2. From my limited photo resources, Case used a round top 3 rather than a flat topped one. Again, possibly not an absolute but I will call it Strike Two.

3. The most damaging thing in my opinion is the way the letters on the M3 in question are formed. Look very closely at the excellent closeup photo of the questionable knife and compare them with the other one. Note carefully the rounded corners at the top of the M and the A and the upper right of the 3, and compare them with the sharp corners on the one shown by JOS. In my OPINION the lettering on the knife in question was done by a Pantograph rather than stamped. I will call this a Strike Three and as far as I personally am concerned, this knife is OUT. However, I will readily bow to the opinions of those who are more knowledgeable about the M3 than I am.

[SKIPH]

Hey Gang-Just checked my 8 groove/guard marked wanted to compare stamping w/ Jos. Noticed that there are periods after "U" "S" "M" and of course horizontal. SGT Rock"s has no period after the "M". Everyone's radar is pinging.It appears at least to be a functional knife, just not original.SKIP