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  1. #1
    Legacy Member Gilevi's Avatar
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    m1905 SA, parade bayonet

    My buddy gave me this the other day. Its a m1905 from SA, extremely low SN, made in 1906. unfortunately its a chromed parade ground one. It was really rusted when I got it, but was able to conserve it fairly easily with little remaining damage. Here is some before and after pics.
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    A Collector's View - The SMLE Short Magazine Lee Enfield 1903-1989. It is 300 8.5x11 inch pages with 1,000+ photo’s, most in color, and each book is serial-numbered.  Covering the SMLE from 1903 to the end of production in India in 1989 it looks at how each model differs and manufacturer differences from a collecting point of view along with the major accessories that could be attached to the rifle. For the record this is not a moneymaker, I hope just to break even, eventually, at $80/book plus shipping.  In the USA shipping is $5.00 for media mail.  I will accept PayPal, Zelle, MO and good old checks (and cash if you want to stop by for a tour!).  CLICK BANNER to send me a PM for International pricing and shipping. Manufacturer of various vintage rifle scopes for the 1903 such as our M73G4 (reproduction of the Weaver 330C) and Malcolm 8X Gen II (Unertl reproduction). Several of our scopes are used in the CMP Vintage Sniper competition on top of 1903 rifles. Brian Dick ... BDL Ltd. - Specializing in British and Commonwealth weapons Specializing in premium ammunition and reloading components. Your source for the finest in High Power Competition Gear. Here at T-bones Shipwrighting we specialise in vintage service rifle: re-barrelling, bedding, repairs, modifications and accurizing. We also provide importation services for firearms, parts and weapons, for both private or commercial businesses.
     

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    Advisory Panel browningautorifle's Avatar
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    Beautiful piece, you know the chrome CAN be removed without too much effort by the guys that do that sort of thing. Then a return to original finish, hand polish the whole affair and blue the back end only...the scales are good like they are. Then it would be very attractive. The rust would be gone too. It's probably coming through from poor preparation before chrome.

    Very nice though, I have an infinity for low number and early too.
    Regards, Jim

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    Legacy Member Gilevi's Avatar
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    i was half debating doing that. But in cunninghams US bayonet book, it talks about how there was different units that did used nickel and chrome plated m1905s in the field to protect it from the elements or as a point of pride. In theory could be one of them, but most likely its an VFW or honor guard

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    Legacy Member Gilevi's Avatar
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    From- US Knife Bayonets & Scabbards By Gary M. Cunningham

    "This was normally done for parade and ceremonial uses, but at least some were done to help with
    corrosion protection. The following reports document some of these bayonets.
    Unfortunately since the grips are readily removable, it is practically impossible to determine
    who plated the bayonet and for what purpose. American Legions. VFWs, ROTC units and
    schools have plated bayonets for their Honor and Color Guards over the years so a plated
    bayonet is not necessarily US military used.
    “Inspection of the 15th Infantry troops stationed in China in 1933 revealed that all their
    bayonets had been plated". (This information is from the Springfield Research Newsletter.)
    Unfortunately the type of plating was not mentioned but it is likely that it was nickel.
    The Marines apparently did the same, as the book Old Gimlet Eye by Lowell Thomas has a
    quote from Smedley Butler “My Marines were behaving splendidly. When they chaffed under
    inaction they polished their equipment and burnished their mess gear until it sparkled in the
    sun. I even let them nickel plate their bayonets and scabbards although it was against
    regulations. I was glad to have them out of mischief." I am not sure what was meant by the
    scabbards though as the M1910 scabbard had no exposed metal parts.

    Frank Trzaska reported on a letter dated 1940 from the Commanding Officer of the Marine
    Detachment on board the USS Wyoming. “It is the practice in this detachment, upon the
    reporting of new men and the transfer of men ashore, to effect an exchange of bayonets, the
    new arrival getting a nickel plated or bright bayonet for use on board ship, giving his
    serviceable bayonet to the man being sent to shore duty. ”

    “400 nickel plated M1905 bayonets were reported on hand at Fort H.G Wright in 1937".
    Information from the Springfield Research Newsletter.

    “ Periodically in the Post World War Two period, quantities of Kragicon M1898 bayonets were
    overhauled and chrome plated for the USMA. Much of this work was done by Frankford
    Arsenal. M1905 bayonets were also chrome plated during this period." Information from the
    Springfield Research Newsletter. Since the date stated would be after production of the
    M1905 bayonet in 1942-43, they may have also been included in the plating.

    Unfortunately since the grips are readily removable, it is practically impossible to determine
    who plated the bayonet and for what purpose. American Legions. VFWs, ROTC units and
    schools have plated bayonets for their Honor and Color Guards over the years so a plated
    bayonet is not necessarily US military used.

  8. #5
    Advisory Panel browningautorifle's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Gilevi View Post
    Unfortunately since the grips are readily removable, it is practically impossible to determine
    who plated the bayonet and for what purpose.
    Agreed.
    Regards, Jim

  9. #6
    Contributing Member Aragorn243's Avatar
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    If it were mine, I'd leave it alone. There are apparently enough examples of actual military plating that I'd just go with that story. Can't be proven but can't be disproven either.

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