Imperial M4 Bayonet

[flusher]

11127New to Me
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l75/p0838/3d5b6b29.jpg
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l75/p0838/0654dec5.jpg
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l75/p0838/78bde64d.jpg

[lobo]

Hi

Any Imperial bayonet has my attention however new , as is the Beretta AR 70. It seems however the forum readers do not value these as an answer to my question on this is not forthcoming?????? When one is spoilt for choice it is sometimes hard to understand the excitement of others when aquiring a piece for their collection however inferior it may seem.

Hope you have more sucess!!!!

[thorin6]

Everything looks good on this one. Proper SP (Standard Products) marked pommel, blade looks real good. Scabbard looks correct late WWII (no metal tip) but I can't read the throat. There should be some small letters/numbers underneath the piece that lies attop the throat, a B, then one number over the other, and then an N. Those characters can tell you roughly how early or late the throat was made.

[flusher]

it looks like . What's the date?

4
B _ N
2

It's B 4/2 N

[thorin6]

Can't really tie the month down, but most likely 1945. The 4 indicates later (no number earliest, 1, then 2, then 3, etc.). The 2 means early in the 4th iteration (can go up to 8 if I remember correctly) probably early to mid-1945, but I don't think it can be nailed down much better than that. And that is my best guess.

[flusher]

thanks
Any way to pin down the date,other than 1944-45, for the bayonet above?

[lobo]

Hi

Could anyone tell me why this is called an " Imperial " piece ?

[flusher]

Because it's made by Imperial Corp. as shown in the pictures above

[lobo]

Ok Sorry!!!!!

I got this all wrong.

As one residing in Africa I was under the impression it was a blade not made in the US. Your blades are difficult to get here but examples made elsewhere for US rifles issued to armies in Europe and Africa are more common but few and far between. Importing is very expensive and I prefer to see what I am about to buy and having it in my hand even better.

One such blade is the AR 70 Baretta example I can get localy I have asked forum members about it , but it seems not important enough for an answer. Although post war and perhaps inferier to "collectable" stock, it is still a bayonet to add to my collection. I get excited about anything I can get as long as it is not a reproduction or even worse a "fake"

So please, if anyone has some info on an AR 70 Baretta bayonet , post a short reply

[SKIPH]

lobo-Evidently the Beretta AR 70 is a rare commodity here in the US. I had to look it up. The bayonet is based on the US M4, but have only seen the occasional rare picture. I don't see them for sale, and don't know anything about them. I've been collecting for 44 years. We don't know anything about them either. I suspect that's why you haven't had any responses. But, I'll see what I can find out. SKIP

[SKIPH]

lobo-Just found some info for you. Go to "www.usmilitaryknives.com". Scroll down to Porter's Reports, page 10 has some info on the Italian Bayonets. Then just go down to the bottom section and clic into page 10. It has photos, and info. Hope this helps! In fact the whole web site is a veritable encyclopedia of knife and bayonet collecting info. Hate to see a fellow collector left out on a limb. Good Luck! SKIP

[lobo]

Hi Skiph

Thanks very much for the reply.

As far as I can make out it is similar to the Italian BM59 which dates to the 60/70 years? I can get a good AR 70 for 60 USD but want to make sure it fits in with my Greek issue Garand M1 I found and is militaty issue and not a commercial buy.

[Bayonetman]

thanks
Any way to pin down the date,other than 1944-45, for the bayonet above?

It has the early removable latch pins which were replaced with the peened in pins about February 1945. Impossible to date it more accurately than 7-44 to 2-45.