MadDog, I have the answer you seek.

[California Tanker]

http://www.gunrunners.com/ViewItem.aspx?ID=56&table=inventory_museum

Your bayonet is Austrian-produced for the Royal Netherlands Army. Fits on the end of the Steyr Mannlicher 6.5mmx53 Model 1895 Infantry Rifle. Originally produced for the Austro-Hungarian empire in 8mm, the Dutch put in an order for the 6.5mm model. Most 1895s were out of service by WWII, a few were still used in the Baltic countries, but it was still the standard weapon of the Netherlands when WWII broke out.

NTM

[viscousmemories]

Well yeah, but what factory did it come out of? :P

[California Tanker]

Well yeah, but what factory did it come out of? :P

They only had one back then. Located in the town of Oberletten. Had over 10,000 employees at the time.

NTM

[Dingfod]

I thought everybody had heard of the Oberletten Maschinewerks Schweinstabbers, they were world-class.

[viscousmemories]

Damn you're good. :bow:

[California Tanker]

I cannot take the credit for knowledge I didn't have. But I always thought the 'real' answer to any question was "I know where to look"

NTM

[ceptimus]

Kudos to California Tanker. I spent ages looking at photos of bayonets on sites I'd googled, but I couldn't find that exact model.

[California Tanker]

Kudos to California Tanker. I spent ages looking at photos of bayonets on sites I'd googled, but I couldn't find that exact model.

It didn't help that they changed the bayonet design part-way through the rifle's run. That 'hook' was dropped in subsequent batches, so not all M1895s had such a bayonet.

NTM

[Dingfod]

Could the bayonet in question be a French bayonet? (http://arms2armor.com/Bayonets/frn1892a.htm) It is quite similar to the one depicted in CT's post.

French Model 1892 Second Pattern Mannlicher-Berthier Infantry Short Rifle Bayonet:
http://arms2armor.com/Bayonets/frn1892a.jpg

[Dingfod]

Or a Mexican 1899 bayonet.

http://arms2armor.com/Bayonets/mex1899.jpg

[California Tanker]

Could the bayonet in question be a French bayonet? (http://arms2armor.com/Bayonets/frn1892a.htm) It is quite similar to the one depicted in CT's post.


Nope. Being a Mannlicher also, there is a family resemblance, but look at the wire hook, which has no 'knob' on the end, and also the boss (mounting point) on MadDog's one is extremely similar to that of an Enfield, not so the one on the French bayonet.

http://www.collectie.legermuseum.nl/strategion/strategion/i004848.html

Dutch museum site, compares different Dutch bayonets. The very first one is the M95 bayonet in question.

NTM

[Dingfod]

I don't know if it's like it or not, I've never seen MadDog's.

[California Tanker]

In her gallery.

NTM

[maddog]

to echo vm: "Damn, you're good!"

Thanks ever ever ever so much, CT!

ETA: Now I want the rifle it goes with!
Proves it was a "mere" souvenir from my dad's pov, though, inasmuch as he told me once that, as a pacifist, he never loaded his own rifle. I asked him, "what would have happened if you'd met a German soldier?" and he said, "oh, I probably would have been killed."

ETA2: CT, or anyone, what would the "hook" be for?
#1098

[Dingfod]

ETA2: CT, or anyone, what would the "hook" be for?
#1098I don't know for sure, it was probably used to lift up barbed wire.

[godfry n. glad]

ETA2: CT, or anyone, what would the "hook" be for?
#1098I don't know for sure, it was probably used to lift up barbed wire.

Wouldn't it also stop the barrel from being shoved into the wound resulting from the bayonet? Thereby preventing the end of the rifle barrel from being filled with gore and tissue?

[California Tanker]

ETA: Now I want the rifle it goes with!


Shouldn't be hard. It's California Legal. (Actually, depending on year of manufacture, it could also be categorised as an antique, and fall under a totally different set of firearms laws).
gunbroker.com has a couple on sale right now for between $125 and $250 . The bad news is that they're not the Dutch build, they're Austro-Hungarian. On the other hand 8mm ammo is much easier to find than 6.5mmx54.

ETA2: CT, or anyone, what would the "hook" be for?
#1098

What he said: Barbed wire.

NTM

[ceptimus]

Before California Tanker identified the bayonet, I'd sent an email off to Richard Abbenbroek, the guy who runs this website. (http://www.bayo-hunter.com/) He kindly offers to identify bayonets, 'first one for free.'

Anyway, after a small mix up where I'd sent him a photo that he couldn't view, he's now come up with this reply, providing some additional info:



Dutch 1895 Infantry Hooked Bayonet

Comments: These were issued to the Infantry. The 1895 bayonets were made by Steyr (Austria), German manufacturers (Alex Coppel, WKC) or the main Dutch arsenal Hembrug. Most inspection stamps found on the blade and handle were a crown over a 'T' or 'Z'. Overall length is 480mm with a 360mm double edged blade. The muzzle ring diameter is 14mm.

Rifle: 1895 6.5mm Mannlicher info (http://www.collectiblefirearms.com/RiflesMannlicher.html)
Price range: $150-$300 US
Rarity: R2 = Scarce (difficult to find)
From the Bayonet Trader (http://www.bayonetsonline.com/)

More Info (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steyr-Mannlicher_M1895)

Richard Abbenbroek
The Bayo-Hunter.... (http://www.bayo-hunter.com)
The Bayonet Collecting Group (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bayonetcollecting/)
Bayonet Collecting at MSN (http://communities.msn.com/BayonetCollecting)

Thanks Richard. :) There is more information, including photos, at Richard's site, but to view all of it you have to register (costs $6 for 6 months).

So, maddog, it seems that your bayonet is 'difficult to find' and worth up to $300 :)

[California Tanker]

Bayo-hunter is definitely the best bayonet site on the web.

Interesting that the bayonet is almost as valuable as the rifle.

NTM

[ms_ann_thrope]

Bayo-hunter is definitely the best bayonet site on the web.:whoa: There's more than one?

[California Tanker]

Sure. For example, if you're interested in former Soviet Bloc bayonets, you can try ak47bayonets.com. m9bayonet.com is an American counterpart. More generically, you can have bayonetsonline.com . Or you can go, simply, to bayonets.com. And so on.

NTM

[viscousmemories]

Bayo-hunter is definitely the best bayonet site on the web.:whoa: There's more than one?
:giggle: