Correct garand bayonet

[BoogieMan]

I have a IHC Garand, I assume Korean War era. What would be the correct bayonet for my rifle? Would the bayonet brand have anything to do with rifle manufacturer or were they issued seperate? Are WWII and Korean War bayonets the same?

[Orlando]

You have a Post War rifle, WWII rebuids were used in Korean War
The M5 bayo is what was used, any manufacture

[T. O'Heir]

The U.S. and everybody else involved used W.W. II kit during Korea. However, you don't want just the correct vintage bayonet. You want all the stuff that hung off M1's. Grenade launchers(Shooting rifle grenades is great fun and regular training blanks work just fine. Despite the nonsense you might see on-line.), etc. Yes, it's very likely to make you a bit nuts, but you'll get used to it.

[James K]

In WWII, two bayonets were issued to troops armed with either the Springfield M1903/M1903A3 or the M1 rifle. Those were the M1 bayonet, and the M1905E1 bayonet, a cut down M1905. The M1905 itself (with the 16" blade) had long been obsolescent by that time, but a few WWII pictures show it still in use by stateside guards.

In 1953, the Army adopted the M5A1 bayonet, and it became general issue by 1956, though older models remained in use. Note that the M5A1 bayonet is attached by use of the valve-type gas cylinder lock screw; it will not fit rifles with the old solid lock screw.

Jim

[kilimanjaro]

You want the cut-down bayonet with the black grips.

[James K]

The M1905 bayonet has a 16" blade. It was that long to make up for the shorter barrel of the M1903 rifle compared with the Krag. The Krag 30" barrel plus its 10" blade bayonet gave a "reach" of 40 inches.

After the original M1903 rod bayonet was found unsuitable, the rifle was changed to use a conventional bayonet, the Model 1905, with a 16" blade, duplicating the "reach" of the Krag with the 24" barrel of the new rifle.

Later, the Army later decided the M1905 bayonet was too unwieldy and adopted a new bayonet, the M1, with a 10 inch blade. The M1 designation had no connection to the M1 rifle; the bayonet was considered a weapon on its own and carried its own model designation.

The M1 bayonet was standard issue with both the M1 and M1903/A3 rifles. During WWII, a bayonet shortage caused Army ordnance to pull old M1905 bayonets out of storage and cut the blades down to 10", the same as the M1 bayonet. They designated those the M1905E1 bayonets. Some were cut and given a "spear point"; others were simply ground off at an angle.

Both the M1 and M1905E1 bayonets were in use through the Korean war; with the adoption of the M5A1 bayonet in 1953, both became substitute standard, though many remained in use with reserve units until the M1 rifle itself was phased out.

Incidentally, there are repros of the M1905 and M1 bayonets; the ones I have seen are poorly made and incorrectly marked, but the do deceive many new collectors. I have not seen any repros of the M5, but some were made by nations that received the M1 rifle under military assistance. The markings will distinguish those from US-made ones.

Jim

[SIGSHR]

On Google Images you will find a good picture of a GI on Bougainville-right behind a Sherman tank-firing his M-1 Garand with a long bayonet attached. Rule of thumb is older units started out with the older equipment, later war units and replacements received the new ones.
Also my understanding is that the IHC Garands were manufactured too late for Korea. I recall reading the complaint of a lieutenant in one of the first units deployed in Korea -"We never saw anything new." They had to make do with WWII rebuilds.

[James K]

With US defense policy almost wholly focused on Europe, the NK attack caught everyone by surprise. The supply services were set up to support an occupation army whose main needs were for items far removed from arms and ammunition.

Jim