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US M1 Garand Bayonet
- Thread starter M-9
- Start date
not2sharp
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- Jun 29, 1999
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The US 1905 Bayonet was originally made by the US Arsenals at Springfirld Armory and Rock Island from 1906 until 1922. These examples will have SA, or RIA markings. Production restarted at the beginning of WWII. About 1.5 million examples were made during 1942-43, and all of these were produced by private contractors; of which Utica accounted for some 200 thousand.
All of these bayonets were intended for the US 1903 Springfield rifle. When the US M1 Garand was adopted early in the war, we decided to supplement the production of 10" M1 bayonets with the modification of some of the existing 16" 1905 bayonets. The 1905 bayonets were to be cut down to 10" and left with either a Spear point (more common), or a beak-point (rarer) after modification.
Again there were a number of private contractors engaged in doing the modification. Utica was one of these and examples modifies by Utica are marked UC-MOD. It sounds like you have a 1942 Utica made model 1905, that was subsequently modified by Utica during 1942-43.
I am not sure what you are calling a "cross cannon". The blade should be marked: "UC/U (flaming bomb)S/1942".
n2s
All of these bayonets were intended for the US 1903 Springfield rifle. When the US M1 Garand was adopted early in the war, we decided to supplement the production of 10" M1 bayonets with the modification of some of the existing 16" 1905 bayonets. The 1905 bayonets were to be cut down to 10" and left with either a Spear point (more common), or a beak-point (rarer) after modification.
Again there were a number of private contractors engaged in doing the modification. Utica was one of these and examples modifies by Utica are marked UC-MOD. It sounds like you have a 1942 Utica made model 1905, that was subsequently modified by Utica during 1942-43.
I am not sure what you are calling a "cross cannon". The blade should be marked: "UC/U (flaming bomb)S/1942".
n2s
Hi n2s, thanks for replying.
On one side the blade is marked "UC/U (flaming bomb)S/1942" but on the other side is the U.C.-MOD stamp and the "crossed cannons" mark. If you have a copy of U.S. Military Knives, Bayonets and Machetes, Book III, by M.H. Cole, refer to page 97. There are examples of U.S. M3 trench knives and example 21, made by Robeson Cutlery Company, shows the mark I am refering to. This one however, appears on the guard of the knife. This is the only occurance I have found in this book and there is no explanation of the mark.
On one side the blade is marked "UC/U (flaming bomb)S/1942" but on the other side is the U.C.-MOD stamp and the "crossed cannons" mark. If you have a copy of U.S. Military Knives, Bayonets and Machetes, Book III, by M.H. Cole, refer to page 97. There are examples of U.S. M3 trench knives and example 21, made by Robeson Cutlery Company, shows the mark I am refering to. This one however, appears on the guard of the knife. This is the only occurance I have found in this book and there is no explanation of the mark.
not2sharp
Platinum Member
- Joined
- Jun 29, 1999
- Messages
- 20,403
M9,
I am not 100% certain. But I suspect that the cross cannon mark you are talking about is the logo of the US Ordinance Department. Perhaps it is an appeal to the vanity of the department engaged in placing the orders for these items.
n2s
Edited to add: You can see a very similar mark promenantly shown on the pommel of the US 1870 Coast Guard Bayonet. The cross cannons on M1870 are superimposed over an anchor to signify US Naval Ordinance Department. So you can see where the motif is coming from.
I am not 100% certain. But I suspect that the cross cannon mark you are talking about is the logo of the US Ordinance Department. Perhaps it is an appeal to the vanity of the department engaged in placing the orders for these items.
n2s
Edited to add: You can see a very similar mark promenantly shown on the pommel of the US 1870 Coast Guard Bayonet. The cross cannons on M1870 are superimposed over an anchor to signify US Naval Ordinance Department. So you can see where the motif is coming from.
Not2sharp has it right.
Your bayonet was originally made in 1942 as a M1905 (often erroneously referred to as M1942 by collectors since most are marked 1942) by Utica Cutlery Co. of Utica NY.
On February 11 1943, the M1 bayonet was adopted which was the same as the M1905 except the blade was shortened from 16 to 10. Most of the newly made M1905s were shortened to make them into M1s (the shortened M1905s are often erroneously referred to as M1905E1s, which was the designation given to the shortened M1905s when they were being field tested prior to adoption). Your bayonet was modified (shortened) by Utica, hence the U.C. Mod marking. The M1's converted from M1905's have fullers that run to the tip of the blade, while those made originally as M1's have fullers that end before the tip.
The crossed cannons mark is a acceptance stamp used by the Ordnance Dept. inspectors.
-Frank
Your bayonet was originally made in 1942 as a M1905 (often erroneously referred to as M1942 by collectors since most are marked 1942) by Utica Cutlery Co. of Utica NY.
On February 11 1943, the M1 bayonet was adopted which was the same as the M1905 except the blade was shortened from 16 to 10. Most of the newly made M1905s were shortened to make them into M1s (the shortened M1905s are often erroneously referred to as M1905E1s, which was the designation given to the shortened M1905s when they were being field tested prior to adoption). Your bayonet was modified (shortened) by Utica, hence the U.C. Mod marking. The M1's converted from M1905's have fullers that run to the tip of the blade, while those made originally as M1's have fullers that end before the tip.
The crossed cannons mark is a acceptance stamp used by the Ordnance Dept. inspectors.
-Frank
...does that mean that the bayonet was made pre 1942 as a M1905 by another company and upon the shortening of the blade in 1942 by Utica, was marked so?
or
It was made by Utica in 1942 as a M1905 and later shortened (by Utica)who then stamped it U.C.-MOD?
I'm a bit confused.
or
It was made by Utica in 1942 as a M1905 and later shortened (by Utica)who then stamped it U.C.-MOD?
I'm a bit confused.
