Where Can I Find an M5a1 Bayonet

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Where Can I Find an M5a1 Bayonet
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Owners of the iconic M1 Garand have a few
different compatible bayonets to choose from,
including the M1905 bayonet, the M1 bayonet which
was widely used, and the M5a1 which replaced some
of these.
The M1905 bayonet, which was in service starting
in 1906, was actually developed for one of the
predecessors of the M1 Garand, the M1903
Springfield rifle. The M1905 was something of a
sword, with its 16-inch blade and adequate 4-inch
handle. The hefty M1905 was mounted to the barrel
of an M1903 via a mount ring and was also
compatible with the M1 Garand.
That said, starting in 1943 the M1905 was altered
and converted into a new bayonet known as the M1.
The new M1 bayonet was shorter instead of the
16-inch blade of the M1905 bayonet, the M1s was
10 inches, making it lighter and more
maneuverable at the expense of reach. Also, the
M1 was also created with molded black plastic
grips, in contrast to the wood scales of the
M1905.
Divergence from the M1 Bayonet The M1 bayonet,
which was also affixed to the barrel of the M1
Garand via a barrel mount ring, saw fairly
widespread use throughout both the European and
Pacific Theaters of the Second World War, but it
was not the last bayonet devised for the M1
Garand.
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Beginning in 1953, the Army began to replace the
earlier M1 bayonet with a new model known as the
M5, of which the M5a1 was a variant. The M5
bayonet was developed around a similar bayonet
known as the M4 which was paired with the M1
carbine in order to facilitate its use in the
Korean War.
The M1 bayonet that soldiers had been carrying
was difficult to mount, remove and handle using
heavy gloves in response to this, the M5 bayonet
was developed. It was shortened once more from
the M1 bayonet. The M5 features a 6.5-inch blade
and is 11..5 inches overall, and at 11.,5
punches, it is both lighter and shorter than the
M1 bayonet.
The M5 also lacked a barrel mount ring, mounting
instead to the gas cylinder lock screw of an M1
Garand via a lock stud which can be disengaged
via a push button that is easier to reach and
press, even with heavy gloves on.
Lighter, shorter, and of a completely different
design from its predecessors, the M5 bayonet and
variants look much more like tactical or survival
knives than previous designs of bayonets did.
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M5a1 Identifying Features and Variants The M5 was
produced in three variants the M5, M5-1, and
M5a1. In addition to the fact that the M5
featured a shorter blade and was lighter and
smaller than previous models, it also featured
black, checkered, molded plastic grips. The metal
surfaces were given a dark gray finish and the
blade itself lacked the fuller of previous models
and was given a sharpened false edge along the
top edge. Of these three variants, the M5a1 was
the last bayonet developed for the M1 Garand and
was produced during the 1960s.
M5 bayonets were compatible with two different
scabbards, the M8, and the improved M8a1
scabbard, both of which feature steel and
fiberglass construction. The original M8 featured
only a belt loop, but the later M8a1 was updated
with a wire hook that made it easier to attach to
and carry with other gear and packs.
When Was the M5a1 Bayonet Used? The M5 and
variants, including the M5a1 bayonet, were used
beginning in 1953 when they were developed to
replace the M1, and variants were carried
throughout the 1960s. They saw service in both
the Korean War and Vietnam War.
Visit SARCO, Inc Looking for an M5 or a variant
like an M5a1 bayonet in good condition? Check out
SARCO, Inc. online at SarcoInc.com to see what
they have in stock. Youll come across much more
than bayonets for the M1 Garand on their website,
and if you have any questions, you can contact
them directly at 610-250-3960.
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Contact Us
Sarco, Inc
Email info_at_sarcoinc.com
Website www.sarcoinc.com
Phone [phone]
Add 50 Hilton Street, Easton Pa, 18042