M1 Bayonet: Questions and Answers

Since the nomenclature “M1” appears in the names of both the M1 bayonet and M1 Garand, there might be a little bit of confusion around the term.

So, if you’re looking for a bayonet for your Garand, here are a few things you should know.

What Is the M1 Bayonet?

The M1 bayonet is not the only bayonet that’s compatible with the Garand, but it was the first one specifically designed (redesigned, shall we say) for the purpose.

Around the middle of the war (1943) the United States Army decided to shorten the length of the M1905 bayonet (also compatible with the M1 Garand), repurposing it into a new model, the M1 bayonet. The lighter, shorter bayonets were expected to be more serviceable in close-quarters combat than the longer, sword-like M1905 bayonets.

The first M1 bayonets were made from M1905 bayonets that were recalled and had their blades ground down from 16 to 10 inches. Consequently, several M1 bayonets have the same features of the M1905, with similar red or black phenolic resin handles.

If you’re wondering if you’re looking at a converted M1905 or a new-production M1, look at the fuller, also known as the blood groove. If it runs nearly to the tip of the blade, it’s a converted model. If it ends about an inch before the tip, it’s a new-production M1 bayonet.

Is It Called an M1 Bayonet Because It’s for the M1 Garand?

Regarding the name, it is called the M1 bayonet because it was the first model in the line - hence the reason that subsequent variants were called M3 and M5 bayonets and so on and so forth.

This is the same reason the M1 Garand and M1 Carbine both also contain the M1 designation - which connotes that they were the first models in those lines to be developed.

As for its predecessor, the M1905 bayonet, this one is named after the year in which it was designed.

How Does It Affix to the M1 Garand?

The rear of the M1 bayonet, over the pommel, has a slot that fits a lug under the barrel of the M1 Garand. The top of the crossguard contains a barrel ring.

To affix the bayonet, the user must line up the slot with the lug and the barrel ring over the barrel, and press it down until it locks into place. 

Will an M1 Bayonet Fit an M1 Carbine?

The early model M1 carbines were manufactured without a bayonet lug, so an M1 bayonet will not fit on them.

Later models were produced with a bayonet lug, but these are not compatible with M1 bayonets nonetheless. Later model M1 Carbines with bayonet lugs were issued with M4 bayonets, which were modeled after the M3 fighting knife, also issued with the first M1 Carbines.

How Big Is an M1 Bayonet?

Both converted M1905 bayonets (designated as M1) and new-production M1 bayonets had a 10” blade with either walnut wood or black or red phenolic resin grips.

What Companies Produced the Original M1 Bayonets?

There were 6 companies that made M1905 bayonets, but only 5 of them participated in the conversion programs to re-issue them as M1 bayonets.

The companies that participated were American Fork and Hoe (AFH), Oneida Limited (OL), Pal Blade and Tool (PAL), Utica Cutlery (UC), and Union Fork and Hoe (UFH).

After the Second World War, other manufacturers around the world also produced M1-style bayonets, so if you find one that lacks markings on the Ricasso that align with the manufacturers listed above, it might have been made overseas.

What Is an M1905 Bayonet?

The M1905 bayonet is a sword-style bayonet that was designed and developed in the first years of the 20th century for compatibility with the M1903 Springfield Rifle.

It was longer and heavier than the M1, with a 16” blade, but otherwise identical in nearly every way.

Will a 1903 Bayonet Fit a Garand?

The bayonet designed for the M1903 rifle, known officially as the Model 1905 or M1905 bayonet, is identical to the M1 except in blade length. It contains the same handle design and accepts the same bayonet lug, so it will fit on a Garand that has bayonet lugs.

What Bayonet Succeeded the M1?

During the Korean War, some soldiers were still issued Garand rifles with M1 bayonets. However, soldiers wearing heavy winter gloves had a hard time affixing and removing M1 bayonets because the small button mechanism to release the bayonet was difficult to manipulate.

Consequently, the United States Army began to develop the M5 bayonet, which is totally different from the M1. It lacks a barrel ring, and instead of mounting to the bayonet lug, it has a stud that mounts to the gas cylinder screw lock under the Garand’s barrel.

In the Market for an M1 Garand Bayonet?

Got a WWII M1 Garand? Looking for an M1 bayonet for it or an M3 scabbard? We have a wide range of original and reproduction bayonets for sale in our collection. Check them out online, visit us in our showroom at 50 Hilton Street in Easton, PA, or contact us at 610-250-3960 and we’ll help you find what you need.