M14 Forum

General · November 18th, 2009, 04:46 PM

Hello all looking to buy an M6 bayonet and scabbard. Are there repro/commercial versions out there that I should worry about?

If so any hints on how to tell them apart? What about "DAS" mark early yes latter no or are the unmarked ones commercial?

I know there are a lot of repro boxs/packaging but are the bayonets inside these correct?

Anyone have a nice source?

UPDATE: Well read below and there are obviously commercial versions out there so how does one tell them apart????

Thanks Ike

Bill Ricca · November 18th, 2009, 06:02 PM

If its an Imperial, there is no way to tell. Imperial made several thousand under commercial contract back in the early 1980's.

The bayonets were exact, except for the DAS marks.

General · November 18th, 2009, 06:18 PM

Thanks Bill, any repros/fakes that I need to be concerned about?
Thanks

Bill Ricca · November 19th, 2009, 01:05 PM

The maker of the Commercial bayonets was Bob Ruvel of Chicago. He used to advertise in the SGN. The bayonets were packed 24 or 25 to the flat box, all blades pointed to the middle, with the lock ring elevated. In those days a bayonet retailed for around $20.00.

About two years ago I saw, what looked like, a fake Aerial on eBay. It was hard to tell due to the photo, but there were a couple of features that did not make sense.

Haven't see any since.

If the supply of M6 Bayonets runs low, I can assure you sombody will bring them into the country, with military markings.

I am more concerned with the scabbards. Very few original scabbards are around for low prices. I recommend you read the thread on scabbards in the Knowledge Base Forum.

General · November 19th, 2009, 08:15 PM

Thanks Bill, I appreciate your help. I have heard rumors of fake Aerials due to their scarcity on expense.
There is no doubt that the fakes will appear sooner than later and that is why I am looking/buying now.

Thanks for the heads up on the scabbards, definitely a concern and I will look thru your suggested reading. I just picked up a rather well used M6 and scabbard on Ebay. The scabbard is marked M8, so I bid on it really for the scabbard. Definitely original and hopefully it will clean up. Thanks again Ike

P.S: Bill I am embarrassed to ask but where is the Knowledge Base Forum you mentioned located. Cannot seem to find it, is it right under my nose?????? Ike

Bill Ricca · November 20th, 2009, 02:53 AM

The M8A1 Scabbard thread is now a green sticky, located at the top. Just above it is a thread on identification of fake M14 Magazines. You may want to explore the entire Knowledge Base as there is a variety of valuable information.

Click Here

General · November 20th, 2009, 07:16 AM

Interesting Bill, your link takes me to a statement that states that I do not have access????

Can you tell me under what "major forum" the Knowledge Base forum is listed under? I had some issues registering and I wonder if some forums are not listed for me. Thanks again Ike

Update Bill thanks again, I had to sign in then out and the knowledge base forum appeared. Greatly appreicate your help and info. Ike

BeNotAfraid · November 28th, 2009, 06:08 PM

...Yessir!

Thanks, Bill!

always learn a lot from you.

Glad you're around to help out.

Eagle 1 · December 4th, 2009, 11:47 AM

Hi Bill,

I'm a little late to this dicussion. Are there any Milpar M6 fakes out there? I bought what I thought was an unissued one, and in fact has a plastic repro scabbard as you have described them. The grips are very slightly different and has non-standard screws. The blade looks identical but the stamping on the guard is not quite as deep, the spring seems weak and the locking portion that fits the lug is extremely tight. I have a real one (Milpar) which I have acquired since then with the correct scabbard, screws grips to compare. I'll try to take some pictures to post. It may be another lesson learned the hard way. I was just wondering if you've run across these before.

Thanks!

Eagle 1

sumoj275 · December 4th, 2009, 12:19 PM

Eagle, I thin I have the same bayonet of yours. It sounds like we did get a lesson on these bayonets from what I have read so far. The bayonet doesn't look bad, but hate having a fake.

Bill Ricca · December 5th, 2009, 02:36 AM

I will not say there are fake Milpars, but there were many Milpars on the market that were not legit. Let me explain.

When I starting going to the OGCA show in Columbus in 1974, there were loads of rejected blades, grips, and other parts that were produced at Milpar. The area was flooded.

A large SGN dealer I know had lots of those parts also. The market was loaded with bayonets made up out of these rejected parts. There were even M5A1 Milpars with solid grips (no cut aways for the locking plungers), made into knives and sold much cheaper to those who either did not know it would not fit a rifle, or didn't care.

In the Columbus Ohio area alone, there were thousand and thousand of those parts available. So logic says there were lots of bayonets produced with rejected parts and sold on this market, both M5A1 and M6.

General · December 5th, 2009, 01:59 PM

Bill, how and when was the "DAS" mark applied and would these privately assembled bayonets not have the "DAS" acceptance mark since they were not officially accepted by the US?

Or was the acceptance mark applied prior to assembly/inspection and thus would still be found on rejected components.

I am assuming that since the mark is in metal it did not happen on final inspection like a rifle and a stock.

Thanks Ike

Bill Ricca · December 6th, 2009, 06:09 PM

No the DAS would not be put on a commercial item, made by a contractor, in the old days. With fakes today, anything is possible.
It depends upon the item. Some items are hardened and the DAS must be put on before the hardening process, which occurs before inspection. Other items were marked after production.
I do not understand your last question. There were no DAS on rifles or stocks. There were pr!ck punches on receivers and cartouches on wooden stocks.

OK, I see now what you mean. Yes the cartouche in late form was a DAS. I jumped the gun when I answered.

General · December 6th, 2009, 06:46 PM

Bill, thanks for your response, time and effort, greatly appreciated!!!

Perhaps my interpretation of an acceptance mark is incorrect or too literal.

My interpretation of the process is that an item would be manufactured, then inspected and then the approval marking in the form of a "DAS" mark would be applied.

Perhaps I again am taking this too literally, and that every bayonet was not inspected by the government before being accepted. Now that I think about it, I guess that would take a tremendous amount of manpower to do so.

With regards to question three I was referring to the "DAS" cartouche acceptance mark that is found on a stock in the 50s, again my assumption applied only after the rifle has been accepted by an inspector for the government . Have I mis-understood the inspection/acceptance process?

Thanks again Ike.

P.S.: I believe your from the area, will you be going to the MAAC show in Harrisburg? Any good? Thanks

Bill Ricca · December 7th, 2009, 02:26 AM

I used to go to the Harrisburg show, but have not been there in about 5 -6 years.