2 new critters 4 the accumulation.

[knife7knut]

Found these at an estate sale today. No markings except the part numbers on the insidde of the grips(C5613680 & 5613681).
I seem to remember reading that these were made in South Korea from cut down M1 bayonets. They fit in an M8A1 sheath. Anyone know the story on them?

[Lars0729]

Nice find! I checked with my friend Ralph Cobb's web site on bayonets - you are correct...but these were provided to South Korea, not made in South Korea.

These are Second World War U.S. M1 bayonets, whose blades have been shortened and slimmed to resemble the M4 bayonet blade. South Korea used the designation "M5" for this bayonet, even though it was not a U.S. M5 bayonet. The old Federal Stock Number (FSN) for the M5 bayonet (1005-726-6556) was used to catalog this bayonet, since a different FSN had been assigned when the M5A1 bayonet was standardized for U.S. forces.

The initial scabbard is a a shortened U.S. M7 scabbard, with the fiberglass body being covered in a thin soft steel sheathing and a thick coat of olive green paint.

As you discovered, these bayonets are also found in the U.S. M8A1 scabbard or the Korean K–M8A1 scabbard. The Military Assistance Program (MAP) records document that the U.S. provided South Korea 330,364 M8A1 scabbards between 1951 and 1972.

In addition, according to Janzen's Notebook on bayonets (pg 139), these were also provided to Japan's Self-Defense Force (SDF) in 1952. The piece in his collection is stamped N.P. for National Police. He further notes that these have been seen for years at gun shows in a "de-milled" condition, and that SARCO apparently imported these bayonets as surplu in 1985.

Isn't great when your recollection is confirmed?

[knife7knut]

Lars: thank you so much for the detailed info!!! It is greatly appreciated!

[FRJ]

Found these at an estate sale today. No markings except the part numbers on the insidde of the grips(C5613680 & 5613681).
I seem to remember reading that these were made in South Korea from cut down M1 bayonets. They fit in an M8A1 sheath. Anyone know the story on them?

Who better to find these bayonets!
Great score, Ray.

[Lars0729]

Schucks guys...twern't nothing....