Garand bayonet

[ruddersrangers44]

Your most likely correct Doug but just look at the overwhelming odds for a minute,the chances of this individual Bayonet coming from a 1953/54 batch in comparison with the few million plus including 1905/1942/M1/1905E.personally i'll still give it wartime odds........

[douglas2496]

Sure, thank you. Research suggests that the scabbard is a cut down conversion and this seems to suggest that the bayonet might also be of wartime manufacture.

[ruddersrangers44]

Only just noticed your scabbard is the green leather M1917 type which replaced the M1910 so yes its wartime as these were changed around 43 for the green fibreglass M3 type,question solved hopefully............

[Alex W]

Your scabbard is appears to be a cut down M3 with the body made out of resin impregnated cotton duck. You can see the yellowish material showing through the green paint near the tip. I think its a cut down M3 as you can see the small cut outs in the body under the scabbard throat look shorter than on the M7 and its stamped REP under the throat lip which I think is mentioned in bayo points. http://www.thegca.org/pdfs/Bayonets409.pdf has some good info also.

[douglas2496]

Very good information, thanks very much. The scabbard does indeed appear to be made as you describe.

Your scabbard is an unaltered M7 with the body made out of resin impregnated cotton duck and these were made between 1943-53. You can see the yellowish material showing through the green paint near the tip. You can tell its not a cut down M3 as you can see the small cut outs in the body under the scabbard throat. If it were a cut down the body would meet flush with the throat. http://www.thegca.org/pdfs/Bayonets409.pdf has some good info on this. I think I read on one of the bayo points that the B / N number under the lip of the throat possibly indicates 1940's construction with the 1950's marked V / P and that 1950's had a more light (yellowish) shade of green on the scabbard body.

[Alex W]

Sorry mate I rushed the last post and have edited it - I didn't see the REP stamp the first time

[COLONEL666]

That is a 2nd. version M-1905 made from 1942-1943. Sometimes called the "M-1942" model but only by collectors. Generally this type is collected the most by most people. I can use replica lock parts on these without any slippage or grinding. Utica Cutlery is a contract supplier. The "flaming bomb" mark is a definite military issued piece.
One thing I don't see is the year marking that all are supposed to have. A fine example of a 2nd. version with no serial numbers. The M3 Beckwith fiber scabbard was standardized in 1941. By 1943 was the end of the Experimental Production "E1" called M-1905E1. yours was made new at a 10" length in 1943. The bloodgroove does not reach the tip or 7" long.
When bayonets re-manufactured 16" to 10" and then 10" to 6" their original makers marks were ground off and restamped with the logo of the factory that did the modification.