Carcano Cavalry Carbine Bayonet Issues

[Aragorn243]

I bought an M38 cavalry carbine over the weekend that's in very good shape. Everything matches and the stock hasn't been sanded or refinished. I'm having an issue with the bayonet. In the closed position, it wants to drop about 3/8th's of an inch out of it's stock groove. In the open position, it will not latch. Bayonet is a plum color, looks brand new. Bayonet catch mechanism looks like it may have been one of the leftovers from the 91 carbines. Took it apart and it has a dog leg on the pin end rather than being straight. It is this dog leg which is preventing it from latching in the open position. It is shaped like a kidney bean.

I have checked two of my three Carcano books and cannot find a photo showing any of these bayonets with a dog leg. All are straight. My third Carcano book is hiding somewhere. No internet photos with a dog leg either. To me it looks like it was made that way so I don't want to pound it out before I can get some sort of confirmation one way or the other. It's a Coltellerie Riunite manufactured bayonet

Tried cleaning it and it didn't help.

Information

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[browningautorifle]

It's bent. Easy to see in your pic. Carefully now...it's going to be hard to straighten and get that oval hole back in line.

[Aragorn243]

It is out of round on the end which lends credence to it being bent. It just looks like it was made that way examining it in person. No stretch marks I can see. Bending it back may be problematic as it's pretty heavy steel in that area. I simply can't see how it will work with the bayonet lug as is and from what I can see they are all made about the same with just different methods of latching them in place. I still can't find my third book.

[browningautorifle]

It is out of round on the end which lends credence to it being bent.

Wish I had it here, I'd tap it back to correct for you in a couple minutes. Just put it on your anvil and use a small hammer and tap gently...hard to describe it exactly. It'll come back.

[Aragorn243]

I have what I need to tap it back, shouldn't be too much trouble. Think I should heat it first or just bang away?

[TankerDon]

I'd be more inclined to straighten that in a press. Or a vice with soft jaws if a press isn't handy. Then use the hammer a few taps for final aesthetics. If you use too much heat it might lose whatever temper it has. Good luck with that.

[browningautorifle]

I'd just tap it back carefully...do you mean remove any hardening first? Heating it to red would make it like butter I think. It's not going to war again so once it's straight it should be good. Just for show anyway...

[Aragorn243]

I'm at a loss as to how it got bent like that but I tried the vise first which took a lot of it out but needed to bash it a few times to get it fully straight and then had to pound it onto the center pin to clear out the channel. It is fully functional now. Locks in place in both directions and I have no fear of impaling my hand on it when it is in the closed position. Wasn't hard but I have a 5lb cylinder of steel to bash things with.

[browningautorifle]

I knew it would be out of whack after a little...the sort of thing I like to fix for people. It probably just got mistreated while open.

[Aragorn243]

I'll try to get some pics of the rifle up. Been some excitement here this week that's kept me preoccupied. Bending this bayonet kept my mind occupied. I announced it on the main board.