M1 Garand bayonet, 1942

[sdh1911]

This bayonet was brought home by a friends grandfather from the E. T. O. It is a very early (1942) M1 Garand bayonet. You don't see too many dated 1942 with black handles, most were red and bring big bucks if you have one-SDH

Information

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[OLD RSM]

Hi
The picture you have is a cut down. I have a one that is not cut and black grips.
Cheers Gerry

[Albayo]

That's the pattern 1942 that has been cut back to match the length of the new pattern M1 first manufactured in March 1943 manufactured in the war. The cut down bayonets are interesting depending on who did the conversion, some are crude as H**l and others are really great. I have about 25 different bayonets that will fit the Springfields and M1's. You could just work on a collection of them for years and not collect anything else.
I have been collecting different bayonets for the M1 (foreign and domestic) and I even have a few of the chromed examples.

[sdh1911]

I've mostly collected Allied fighting knives, but, have come into a few bayonets on occasion, I just refuse to pay some of the prices they command these days. Considering the total amount of these weapons produced, they seem to be over priced. A friend of mine (Vince Coniglio) wrote a book on the M-3 fighting knives and the prices went crazy, at least they are more representative of the quantities produced. Another acquaintance, Frank Trzaska has written a mountain of information on edge weapons and after each publication comes the surge in prices. Again relative to quantities produced. It seams bayonets are very popular with a good many edge weapon collectors as well as gun collectors, this seems to really raise the prices to a level higher than I feel is justified, I.M.H.O.-SDH

[summerside sniper]

On the topic of blade length. How long should a M1 Garands bayonet length be? I will be buying one in the future...

[sdh1911]

They have several lengths, the first issue were the Springfield 1903 bayonet, much too long to be effective for WW II type of warfare, so they chopped them down to around 9.5" to 10" and called them the Model 1942 and in some cases the 1942E1, Then they designed the M-5 bayonet, using a blade much like the one found on the M-3 trench knife, 6.5" blade with a spear point running about 1/3 the length of the blade. I believe there are 6 different variation/Mfgs. of this bayonet. The M1 carbine had no bayonet when it was issued, so the M-3 trench knife was developed. Late in the war they added a bayonet lug to the gun and developed the M-4 bayonet, a very nice looking affair with a ring that slipped over the muzzle and a squeeze release at the pummel end. It is un-clear if these bayonets ever made it to the battle fields of Europe by the end of the war. A little unknown tid bit of information, the M-3 was issued to troops in Europe, but, the fellows in the Pacific rim were issued the Ka-Bar and frequently used edge weapons made down under. Some of which were quite large and scary looking, knuckle knives, skull crushers etc. HTH-SDH

[OLD RSM]

lHi Guy's
US Bayonets M1903 and M1 rifles
Model 1905 16in long bright blade after 1907 parkerized walnut gripes
Model 1942 16in long all metal dark black or brown plastic gripes
Model 1905E1 cut down to 10in some where ground to a spear point some to a bowie type point
Model M1 10in all matal parkerizes black plastic grips the 1905E1 was standarized in March 1943 as M1
Model M5 63/4in long parkerized will fit M1 rifle only
Cheers

[A square 10]

as long as we are adding to the info line here , its worth noting that your fine photos indicate a M7 scabord , there was also a cutdown of the longer M3 to that shorter length , its desifnated the M3A1 and can most often be recognised by the absence of the two crimp indentations you will see at each side of the lower edge of the metal ,

[sdh1911]

very much appreciate the info, a day is wasted without learning something new, thanks again-SDH