Overview
This is a very good condition U.S. M1905 bayonet dated 1913, originally made before WWI for the M1903 Springfield Rifle. It was then reissued in WWII for the M1 Garand Rifle, and fitted with a WWII Issue M3 fiberglass 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the same blade bayonet as the M1903 Springfield rifle, so at the beginning of the war they were issued with bayonets originally made for those rifles.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 plastic grips were sent out, which had plastic ribbed grips. These were also sometimes fitted to M1905 bayonets made previously that had damage to their wooden grips, however this example still retains the original wooden 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 however is still in the original configuration, which is rare to find on the market today. It did however have the blade blued in preparation for WWII service.
The blade ricasso is marked with SA for the Springfield Armory in Springfield Mass, the primary center for the manufacture of United States military firearms from 1777 until its closing in 1968. Below this is the Ordnance flaming bomb.
Excellent Condition for its age.