Vietnam era M1917 bayonet and scabbard questions?

[browningautorifle]

Now you are back to the original problem.

No. I don't think her scabbards are WW2, unless they're the leather ones. The new type fiberglass scabbard resembles the WW2 Mk1. They can be mistaken, there's two rivets in the face of the 1917 scabbards. There's some unclear information about there being some of the fiberglass scabbards being produced for WW2...don't know...

Here's some info from a collector's forum... "There was a plastic scabbard developed in late 1944 for the M1917 bayonet. What they did was take the body of the M3 bayonet scabbard and added a longer metal throat which allowed it to accommodate the 1917. It wasn't available until early 1945 and few, if any, got issued. For many years they were very rare in the collector market. But then a few years ago some were auctioned off by the govt along with M1917 bayonets. So you see a few around these days but they're still scarce. "

Unless this is what Melanie has...the BODY was used and a different THROAT was devised.

I took the decision to order the U.S.N. M1 scabbard which I had the opportunity to buy because, although I'm not expecting the M1917 bayonet to fit, it will be a useful spare scabbard to have.

Yes it will be.

[BEAR]

Pictures from internet: Top two M1917, bottom three 1903/Garand

Attachment 85344Attachment 85343
Attachment 85345Attachment 85346

BEAR

[browningautorifle]

Thanks Bear. Now they can all see the pictures in my head...simple identification of the M1917 and 1905/10/Mk3 type.

[BEAR]

Gary Cunningham's excellent website Bayonet Points (Bayonet Points) has some amazing photos in the Beckwith Scabbards section.

RIP Bayonetman

BEAR

[Melanie_Daniels]

VIETNAM WAR U.S. M1917 “TRENCH” SHOTGUN BAYONET – Canadian Arsenals - Jims Militaria Collection || 989-274-6314Jims Militaria Collection || 989-274-6314

[browningautorifle]

Interesting, that's a WW2 scabbard.

[Flying10uk]

So are we saying that some plastic M1917 scabbards were made during WW2? I couldn't see a production date on it but presumably there is something about it that "gives it away" as being WW2 vintage, Jim?

[BEAR]

The WW2 M1917 scabbard had a stamped "Ordnance Bomb" above the "M1917" on the throat. The maker mark was on the underside of the hanger brace. They didn't start manufacturing these scabbards until 1944 (as already stated earlier). Less than 200,000 were made.

The Vietnam M1917 scabbard had "US-M1917" stamped on the throat with the maker mark stamped below that on the throat.

Both styles were used in Vietnam however the WW2 scabbard was prone to cracking on the tip due to the M1917's pointed blade.

BEAR

[browningautorifle]

some plastic M1917 scabbards were made during WW2

As Bear states...yes.

[Flying10uk]

Ok thanks chaps.