Item Description
Original Item: Only One Available. This is a truly excellent 16” WWI M1905 Springfield rifle bayonet by Rock Island Arsenal, complete with an M1910 Scabbard. It is dated 1918, being made for the M1903 Springfield rifle. It is still in the original issued configuration, with a 16 inch blade and wooden grip scales.
The WWII-era M1 Garand was designed to take the same blade bayonet as the M1903 Springfield rifle, so at the beginning of WWII, many were issued with bayonets originally made for those rifles. Later in 1942 to keep up with wartime production, new orders for M1905 bayonets with plastic grips were sent out, which had plastic ribbed grips. These were also sometimes fitted to M1905 bayonets made previously that had damage to their wooden grips.
In 1943, the specification for bayonets was changed to have a 10 inch blade, and many M1905 bayonets were shortened to this length. This bayonet however is still in the original configuration, which is rare to find on the market today.
The blade ricasso is marked with R.I.A. for manufacture by Rock Island Arsenal in Illinois, currently one of the largest U.S. Government weapons manufacturers. Below this is the Ordnance flaming bomb and date of manufacture 1918. The other side of the ricasso is marked with U.S. above serial number 305211.
The blade is in great shape with a nice edge, and in many places the original factory grinding marks can still be seen. The handle and cross guard still have much of their blued finish, and the original wooden grip scales are in a lovely worn condition with a few cracks scattered throughout. The original ribbed texture can still be seen slightly on the surface.
The scabbard included is an original WWI issue M1910 scabbard, which has a raw-hide clad wooden inner scabbard, with a steel and aluminum throat. The scabbard still has the canvas and leather "sleeve", which is so often missing. The retaining hooks are still intact, so the bayonet locks securely into the scabbard. The canvas and leather sleeve shows some heavy wear and staining with cracking present on the leather portions, with some small loss of material. The sleeve doesn’t fit completely on the scabbard itself, which is common to see as the material shrinks a bit.
A great service-worn example of the 16” WWI M1905 Springfield rifle bayonet by Springfield Armory, complete with scabbard! Ready to display or fit on your Springfield 1903 Rifle.
Specifications:
Blade Length: 16"
Blade Style: Single Edged with Fuller
Overall length: 20 1/2“
Crossguard: 3 1/2”
Scabbard Length: 17"
- This product is available for international shipping.
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