Original U.S. WWII M4 Bayonet by Utica Cutlery for the M1 Carbine with Factory Variant Wooden Handle & M8 Scabbard by B.M. Co
-
Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very nice original U.S. WWII M4 bayonet for the M1 Carbine, manufactured by Utica Cutlery Co. and paired with an original M8 scabbard by B.M. Co. Of particular interest, the bayonet retains an unusual coarse-checkered wooden grip in place of the more commonly encountered stacked-leather handle.
The bayonet is clearly marked U.S. M4 / UTICA on the guard, identifying manufacture by Utica Cutlery Co. The blade remains in good overall condition, though the edge shows finish loss from period sharpening. The crossguard, grip, and pommel remain tight to the blade with no looseness noted.
This example has a coarsely-checkered wooden grip which we have found was fitted to M4 bayonets whose leather grips had deteriorated. The style is similar on all of these type, and this one has a great darkened patina. This is only the second example we have seen with these grips, both examples being by Utica, so it is possible this was a Utica factory variant, but we have no solid information regarding when or where they were put on.
The pommel is held on by the correct peened over tang, which proves this is definitely a WWII example, and not a later reissue. There are some other stamps on the pommel as shown.
It comes in a nice WWII issue OD green thermoplastic impregnated cotton fabric scabbard marked U.S. M8 / B.M. CO., also offered in very good condition. There is some wear to the scabbard, but it still has almost all of the original green paint. The throat has some minor surface oxidation, as shown. The canvas is in good condition, and the snap still functions, but there is oxidation staining from the rivets and heavy overall wear. The OD Green #7 color and lack of a bottom reinforcement indicates late WWII manufacture. The scabbard was manufactured by Beckwith Mfg Co., a division of Victory Plastics. There is a retained leather leg-tie-down thong inserted.
The combination of the Utica M4 manufacture, original peened tang, unusual coarse-checkered wooden grip, period-sharpened blade, B.M. Co. M8 scabbard, OD No. 7 finish, and retained leather leg tie makes this a particularly interesting variation of the standard WWII M1 Carbine bayonet setup. The wooden grip is the standout feature and offers an excellent opportunity for further study into wartime or post-production replacement practices.
Specifications:
Blade length: 6 3/4”
Blade Style: Spear Point Bayonet
Overall length: 11 5/8”
Crossguard: 2 5/8”
Scabbard length: 7 1/4"
- This product is available for international shipping.
- Not eligible for payment with Paypal or Amazon
We Buy Military Antiques
Our team expert buyers travels the world to pay fair prices for entire estate collections to singular items.
START SELLING TODAY
