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Let's Discuss M4 Bayonets & M8/A1 Scabbards |
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Why Carbines?
Hard Corps Joined: Dec 27 2015 Location: Tennessee Status: Offline Points: 883 |
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Wow, pricey, you said it. I may save my pennies up and grab it then since I was wanting to learn some more about this subject. |
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David Albert
Hard Corps Status Quo Challenger Joined: Dec 27 2015 Location: Ohio Status: Offline Points: 1006 |
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NewScotlander,
Thanks for the book recommendation. This looks like a good one, from what I have seen online since you posted about it. I'll see if the book dealer at OGCA has it on Saturday. Thanks! David Albert dalbert@sturmgewehr.com |
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NRA Life Member
Past Pres., The American Thompson Association Amer. Society of Arms Collectors OGCA/TCA/Carbine Club/GCA/IAA SAR Writer Author - The Many Firearm Designs of Eugene Reising Eagle Scout |
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David Albert
Hard Corps Status Quo Challenger Joined: Dec 27 2015 Location: Ohio Status: Offline Points: 1006 |
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I ended up buying an M3 Fighting Knife last weekend. The apparent history of the knife was the reason I bought it.
The knife has "SILLS" scratched into the blade. The sheath has "Bill Sills" inscribed on the front, with a faded drawing. The back of the sheath features the name of the soldier's hometown, along with each Army base at which they were stationed, ending with a Pacific War area of combat in New Guinea. It is inscribed as follows: New Cumberland, PA _____________________ Fort Ord, CAL _____________________ Camp Phillips, Kan _____________________ Jackson Barracks, New Orleans, LA _____________________ Camp Stoneman, CAL (This was a Pacific War embarkation point) _____________________ Finschhafen, New Guinea (This one took me a while to decipher - There was a major battle between Australian and Japanese forces there, and American forces joined, and then it became a significant Navy base) I haven't found any information yet on a William Sills that I think is the same person who owned the knife. Your thoughts? David Albert dalbert@sturmgewehr.com |
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NRA Life Member
Past Pres., The American Thompson Association Amer. Society of Arms Collectors OGCA/TCA/Carbine Club/GCA/IAA SAR Writer Author - The Many Firearm Designs of Eugene Reising Eagle Scout |
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W5USMC
Moderator Group Joined: Apr 29 2017 Location: Missouri Status: Offline Points: 2968 |
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David, nice looking M3, what manufacturer?
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Wayne
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JohnnyDollar
Recruit Joined: Sep 20 2021 Location: Texas, USA Status: Offline Points: 42 |
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Nice M3.
I have an M4 with M8 scabbard that I picked up at a gunshow sometime in the 90's for my M1 Carbine. Always felt like any milsurp rifle I bought needed a corresponding bayonet. I doubt there is anything particularly special about it, except they were probably cheap back then. M4 made by Conetta, Vietnam war era, I believe. and USM8 scabbard, made by B.M. CO. WWII era manufacture. |
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Smokpole
Hard Corps Joined: Oct 21 2019 Location: Madison ohio Status: Offline Points: 1058 |
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Lets see if I can remember how to post pictures.
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Smokpole
Hard Corps Joined: Oct 21 2019 Location: Madison ohio Status: Offline Points: 1058 |
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And a second one. Just a cross section of my blade collection.
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Smokpole
Hard Corps Joined: Oct 21 2019 Location: Madison ohio Status: Offline Points: 1058 |
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And yes, that hatchet is an actual US GI issue. One of the M3 trench knives is a smooth handle straight guard Case.
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David Albert
Hard Corps Status Quo Challenger Joined: Dec 27 2015 Location: Ohio Status: Offline Points: 1006 |
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W5USMC, Thanks! I forgot to post the manufacturer. It's an Imperial. Though it appears the soldier took his sharpening stone to the marking. David Albert dalbert@sturmgewehr.com |
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Past Pres., The American Thompson Association Amer. Society of Arms Collectors OGCA/TCA/Carbine Club/GCA/IAA SAR Writer Author - The Many Firearm Designs of Eugene Reising Eagle Scout |
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Smokpole
Hard Corps Joined: Oct 21 2019 Location: Madison ohio Status: Offline Points: 1058 |
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Many M3s and M4s had the US marking and the makers name "scrubbed" in that fashion post WWII. I have no idea why, but that is more common than you might think. It is rare that there was enough left of those markings to actually tell who made it. I've probably seen 20 or more that had that done to them!
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David Albert
Hard Corps Status Quo Challenger Joined: Dec 27 2015 Location: Ohio Status: Offline Points: 1006 |
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Looks like you have a PAL 36, a Ka-Bar, an M1917, long and short M1905 bayonets for the Garand, an M5 bayonet for the Garand, along with the axe and M3's. I recently bought a PAL 36, as well. David Albert dalbert@sturmgewehr.com |
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NRA Life Member
Past Pres., The American Thompson Association Amer. Society of Arms Collectors OGCA/TCA/Carbine Club/GCA/IAA SAR Writer Author - The Many Firearm Designs of Eugene Reising Eagle Scout |
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rdftwo
Recruit Joined: Dec 06 2021 Location: Buckeye State Status: Offline Points: 39 |
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Gentlemen, I am not a blade guy...at all. I am the Sgt Schultz of knifes and bayonets. I have a few that I would like know more about. Would someone please private message me concerning whom on this forum I should solicit for question without offending them with my ignorance. Regards
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Aim Small...Miss Small
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john843
Recruit Joined: Jan 29 2021 Location: south carolina Status: Offline Points: 97 |
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Nice snag, an M3 with it's path to war documented! Is it usually safe to assume that if an M3 or M4 has the Bakelite spacers above and below the leather washers that it's WWII production? I have an Imperial M4 that has them and it seems like I remember reading when researching Imperial's that they used the spacers at first and then transitioned to full washers within their Wartime production.
I got a great deal on it ($105 and looks basically unissued) and knowing it's WWII prod. would make it that much better. Thanks, John |
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Smokpole
Hard Corps Joined: Oct 21 2019 Location: Madison ohio Status: Offline Points: 1058 |
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Earliest M3s were the blade dated. The next were the blade marked. Last production were the guard marked. Then came the M4 bayonets. As far as scabbards are concerned, M6 leather were first. Then came the short frog M8. Then came the mixed M8 marked M8A1. This is a group of M8 short frogs with wire hangers added and long frog M8s with wire hangers. Then came the M8A1 long frog with wire hangers. After that came the long frog M8A1 with wire hanger and metal tips. If you take the time to study them, there is an interesting evolution of the M3/M4 "fighting knives" and the M6/M8/ M8A1 scabbard series.
There are many details that may be tied to individual makers of the knives. Among them are double tangs, bakelite spacers, smooth handles and bent vs straight guards. Other points of interest are things like rectangular vs star burst tang staking and groove patterns in the leather handles. While not as complex as the parts of the carbine, they can be a very interesting study in themselves. Dave, you've got a good eye for blades. BTW, the 16 inch is an OL marked blade. I used to have a Wilde Tool 1943 16 inch, but someone offered me an amount that I couldn't refuse.
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Rebel92
Grunt Joined: Jul 20 2021 Location: Hattiesburg, MS Status: Offline Points: 541 |
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floydthecat
Hard Corps Joined: Oct 13 2016 Location: Mississippi Status: Offline Points: 1998 |
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Nice!
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David Albert
Hard Corps Status Quo Challenger Joined: Dec 27 2015 Location: Ohio Status: Offline Points: 1006 |
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I believe I dug out all my U.S. and U.S. related (Italian M4) blades for this photo. I have also started to collect U.S. 18" machetes.
David Albert dalbert@sturmgewehr.com |
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Past Pres., The American Thompson Association Amer. Society of Arms Collectors OGCA/TCA/Carbine Club/GCA/IAA SAR Writer Author - The Many Firearm Designs of Eugene Reising Eagle Scout |
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Smokpole
Hard Corps Joined: Oct 21 2019 Location: Madison ohio Status: Offline Points: 1058 |
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Nice! I only have one machete.
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David Albert
Hard Corps Status Quo Challenger Joined: Dec 27 2015 Location: Ohio Status: Offline Points: 1006 |
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I like to think that machetes are a tool/weapon that many Pacific War GI's used alongside their Carbines and Thompsons. What kind of machete do you have? 18"? My 18" machetes are as follows: Disston 1943 with Boyt 1943 Sheath Disston 1944 with Williamsville Duff Mfg. Co. 1944 sheath True Temper 1945 (No sheath) Ontario Knife Company 1943 with Atlas 1943 sheath Ontario Knife Company with generic sheath (I bought this from Brigade Quartermasters in 1981) David Albert dalbert@sturmgewehr.com |
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NRA Life Member
Past Pres., The American Thompson Association Amer. Society of Arms Collectors OGCA/TCA/Carbine Club/GCA/IAA SAR Writer Author - The Many Firearm Designs of Eugene Reising Eagle Scout |
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jeepwm69
Recruit Joined: Nov 08 2018 Location: Arkansas Status: Offline Points: 93 |
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I only have one M4 that I got for $35ish about 20 years ago, thinking I was paying way to much for it at the time. I'm not even sure where it is, but I need to dig it out. I have one of these as well, that I found in my grandfather's basement. I'm pretty sure my dad gave it to him as I've seen one at Dad's house as well and he's always been a milsurp junkie. Anyone else here have a corpsman's knife?
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