Quarterbore
03-24-2005, 12:13 AM
K75thranger
Sun Mar 20, 2005 11:29 pm Post subject: The various types and makers of the versitile M7 bayonet
I have been collecting M7 bayonets since the US Army first issued me one in 1970. Having actually used this bayonet in combat with the 1st Cav Division I have grown to love it. I don't think people realize just how many different versions and makers have been a part of M7 bayonet history. In my collection I have the US makers, BOC, Colt, Conetta, FZR, GenCut, Imperial, Milpar, and Ontario. Foriegn examples in my collection are the Korean Eagle, Australian, Israeli, Belgium, Dutch, Panmanian 8 inch and the Canadian C7 made by Nella. Not to be left out by any means are the German M7's. Eickhorn made more varieties of the M7 then any other maker.....the 9 inch double edged version, the wire-cutter M7 with wirecutting scabbard, Colt marked blades made in W. Germany and after reunification, made in Germany, shortened cross-guard versions for use on the M-16 as well as the HK G3. I have a M7 that is marked US M7 TAC, which appears to be an unknown maker. I have 3 of the 4 Imperial Vietnam commemorative M7's, missing only the US Navy one. In my collection I have the standard black plastic handle as well as the rare white handle, several of the tan handle ones, and a green plastic handled BOC alledgedly designed for use with Delta Force. Two green handled Armalite M7's with the Colt logo on the blade have a special section in my collection. But by far, the pride of my M7 collection is #33 of 40 Product Improved Ranger Experimental bayonets produced for Ranger testing when the US Army was originally planning to replace the M7. This particular version is cutting blade up with a serrated edge. This particular M7 PI is only one of 24 that survived the Ranger tests out of the original 40. I have several combat trench versions of the M7 from both Vietnam and Desert Storm. Recent Chinese rip offs of the M7 with blood grooved bowie blades are in my collection as well as both versions of the SARCO bowie blade rip offs, one with black plastic handle and the other with a leather handle. I have a leather handled Mark 2 blade M7 that very well may be one of the Rodman laboratories 1975 experimental M7's but I haven't been able to authenticate it. I would be willing to share any information and facts about the M7 with anyone. And if interested I can post photos of the special M7's in my collection.
Sun Mar 20, 2005 11:29 pm Post subject: The various types and makers of the versitile M7 bayonet
I have been collecting M7 bayonets since the US Army first issued me one in 1970. Having actually used this bayonet in combat with the 1st Cav Division I have grown to love it. I don't think people realize just how many different versions and makers have been a part of M7 bayonet history. In my collection I have the US makers, BOC, Colt, Conetta, FZR, GenCut, Imperial, Milpar, and Ontario. Foriegn examples in my collection are the Korean Eagle, Australian, Israeli, Belgium, Dutch, Panmanian 8 inch and the Canadian C7 made by Nella. Not to be left out by any means are the German M7's. Eickhorn made more varieties of the M7 then any other maker.....the 9 inch double edged version, the wire-cutter M7 with wirecutting scabbard, Colt marked blades made in W. Germany and after reunification, made in Germany, shortened cross-guard versions for use on the M-16 as well as the HK G3. I have a M7 that is marked US M7 TAC, which appears to be an unknown maker. I have 3 of the 4 Imperial Vietnam commemorative M7's, missing only the US Navy one. In my collection I have the standard black plastic handle as well as the rare white handle, several of the tan handle ones, and a green plastic handled BOC alledgedly designed for use with Delta Force. Two green handled Armalite M7's with the Colt logo on the blade have a special section in my collection. But by far, the pride of my M7 collection is #33 of 40 Product Improved Ranger Experimental bayonets produced for Ranger testing when the US Army was originally planning to replace the M7. This particular version is cutting blade up with a serrated edge. This particular M7 PI is only one of 24 that survived the Ranger tests out of the original 40. I have several combat trench versions of the M7 from both Vietnam and Desert Storm. Recent Chinese rip offs of the M7 with blood grooved bowie blades are in my collection as well as both versions of the SARCO bowie blade rip offs, one with black plastic handle and the other with a leather handle. I have a leather handled Mark 2 blade M7 that very well may be one of the Rodman laboratories 1975 experimental M7's but I haven't been able to authenticate it. I would be willing to share any information and facts about the M7 with anyone. And if interested I can post photos of the special M7's in my collection.