The M1917 Bayonet was a bayonet that was used by the United States, Canada, and Great Britain during World War II. It was designed to be used with the US M1917 Enfield rifle but could also be used by the Winchester Model 1897 shotgun.
History[]
An M1917 bayonet reproduction.
The M1917 bayonet was used first during World War I by American soldiers on the Western Front. A sword bayonet design, the M1917 bayonet design was based on the British P1907 bayonet, which incorporated a long 17-inch blade. While designed primarily for the M1917 rifle the bayonet was fitted for use on all the "trench" shotguns at the time.
The M1917 was used frequently during the several different Banana Wars.
The U.S. continued to use the Word War I-made M1917 bayonets during World War II because of large stockpiles left over. The new Trench Guns being procured and issued were still designed to use the old M1917 bayonet.
The bayonet was again called on during the Korean War for issue with the various Trench guns still in service.
In a strange twist of fate, in 1966 procurement orders were let for brand new production M1917 bayonets. The contracts were issued to General Cutlery of Fremont, Ohio and Canadian Arsenals Ltd., the old Long Branch Arsenal of Quebec, Canada. Stockpiles had finally run out, and new Winchester 1200 trench shotguns were being issued. These were used in limited quantities during the Vietnam War.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||