Item Description
Original Item: Only One Available. This is definitely a bayonet with a long history of use, and represents the journey that a lot of Springfield M1905 Bayonets made over the course of TWO World Wars. This bayonet began life as a U.S. M1905 bayonet dated 1914, originally made before WWI for the M1903 Springfield Rifle. It was then updated, shortened, and reissued in WWII for the M1 Garand Rifle. It is fitted with a WWII Issue M7 scabbard.
The Garand was designed to take the same blade bayonet as the M1903 Springfield rifle, so at the beginning of the war they were issued with bayonets originally made for those rifles. Later in 1942 to keep up with wartime production, new orders for M1905 bayonets were placed, which had plastic ribbed grips. These were also sometimes fitted to M1905 bayonets made previously that had damage to their wooden grips, such as this example.
In 1943, the specification for bayonets was changed to have a 10 inch blade, and many M1905 bayonets were shortened to this length, such as this bayonet has been. These conversions took place at the same factories that were producing the M1942 pattern bayonet, and after they were done converting long bayonets, they started making purpose made 10 inch bayonets.
The blade ricasso is marked with SA for the Springfield Armory in Springfield Mass, the primary center for the manufacture of United States military firearms from 1777 until its closing in 1968. Below this is the Ordnance flaming bomb and date of manufacture 1914. The other side of the ricasso is marked with U.S. above serial number 603307. Between these marks is U. F. H. (Union Fork & Hoe of Columbus, Ohio), the company that shortened the bayonet and outfit it for WWII use. The blade is in good shape, with a lot of the original blacked WWII finish present. There is some wear and oxidation, as expected of a bayonet that has seen this much service. The replacement black ribbed plastic grips are in good shape, with some small chips and dents, and a worn patina.
The original M7 scabbard is marked U.S. on the parkerized steel throat over the "Flaming Bomb", and is in very good condition. The thermoplastic impregnated cotton fabric scabbard body has no cracks or major chips, however the paint is definitely worn on both sides of the scabbard, showing the underlying "duck canvas" texture.
A very nice example of a WWI Bayonet, altered for use in WWII. Complete with scabbard and ready to display!
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