1914 U.S. M1905 Springfield Armoury Sword Bayonet for the M1903 Springfield Rifle with Bespoke Animal Skin Covered Scabbard. BAYO 452. Bayonets

The M1905 bayonet was produced from 1906 to 1922 by Springfield Armoury and Rock Island Arsenal (RIA). The blade and handle frame were forged as a single piece with a wide, square-shaped fuller. The ribbed hand grips were made of walnut and attached to the handle with a screw. The screw also held the catch mechanism, manipulated with a button under the crossguard, that was used to fix the bayonet to the rifle's bayonet lug. In mid-1941, it was decided to restart production of the M1905 bayonet. To simplify production, these later bayonets had handles with black or dark red ribbed grips, made of phenol formaldehyde resin, the earliest type of synthetic plastic. Production was scheduled to begin in January 1942, but the first bayonets were not delivered until April, with quantity deliveries not beginning until the summer of 1942. Despite initial setbacks, the M1905 bayonet was manufactured in sufficient numbers to keep up with the widespread introduction of the new M1 Garand rifle in 1942. By the end of 1942, all six manufacturers had changed the shape of their fullers to a narrower, round-bottomed shape. The later version of the M1905 bayonet with plastic grips is sometimes referred to as the "M1942" by collectors and historians. This is an excellent 1914 dated M1905 Bayonet made by ‘SA’ (see White & Watts ‘The Bayonet Book’ item 921 pages 411 and 434). The 405 mm long steel blade with fullers stamped by the maker ‘SA’ above Frankford arsenal ignited grenade mark and date 1914. The reverse has the number ‘597662’ . The correct, walnut grips are ribbed & correctly held by a single screw. The wood has knocks, bumps and bruises to be expected. The bayonet has the correct press button at the cross guard which releases the locking catch on the rifle and also holds the bayonet firmly in the scabbard. The scabbard in nice order is the early pattern with an unusual animal skin sewn over a wooden frame. The throat has been adapted to fit. The price includes UK delivery. BAYO 452.