Item Description
Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very good condition U.S. M1905 bayonet dated 1917, originally made during the WWI period for the M1903 Springfield Rifle, which was then reissued in WWII for the M1 Garand Rifle. It is fitted with a WWII Issue M3 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the same blade bayonet as the M1903 Springfield rifle, so at the beginning of the war they were issued with bayonets originally made for those rifles.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 with ribbed plastic grips were sent out. These were also sometimes fitted to M1905 bayonets made previously that had damage to their wooden grips, however this bayonet still has the original wood grips.
In 1943, the specification for bayonets was changed to have a 10 inch blade, and many M1905 bayonets were shortened to this length. This bayonet is still in the original configuration, which is rare to find on the market today.
The blade ricasso is marked with R.I.A. for the Rock Island Arsenal on Arsenal Island near Rock Island Illinois. Below this is the Ordnance flaming bomb and date of manufacture 1917. The other side of the ricasso is marked with U.S. above serial number 257422. The blade is in very good condition with a nice edge, which looks to have had some post arsenal sharpening. The finish on the blade and grip is relatively worn from years of cleaning and service. The wooden grip scales are also in very nice condition, with a great color with most of the ribbed texture still present.
The original M3 scabbard is marked U.S. on the steel throat over the "Flaming Bomb", and is in very condition. The B N marking on the underside of the metal throat lip indicates manufacture by Beckwith Manufacturing, who produced a variety of thermoplastic impregnated cotton fabric scabbards during the war. The N is for New England Pressed Steel, who made the steel throats under contract with Beckwith. The scabbard throat shows some light past oxidation, and has lost most of the original finish. The scabbard body looks to have been repainted and sanded several times, so it has a very smooth green finish now.
A very nice clean 16” WWI M1905 Springfield rifle bayonet by RIA, reissued for use in WWII! Ready to display or fit on your Garand or Springfield Rifle.
Specifications:
Blade Length: 16"
Blade Style: Single Edged with Fuller
Overall length: 20 1/2“
Crossguard: 3 1/2”
Scabbard Length: 17"
- This product is available for international shipping.
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