Unusual Lan-Cay 2nd Contract Variant

[pwcosol]

I acquired this Lan-Cay M9 about 18 months ago. It is a variation which is outside standard production. It appears to be a first pattern blade with fuller and step on the spine. However, the blade is not concave but flat ground. Finish is the bluish-black oxide. One would expect to see the ricasso stamped "LanCay" but it is the later "Lan-Cay" marking.

The closest example I can find that is similar are the 200 first-pattern bayonets which were initially rejected due to the blades being slightly shorter than the specifications required. These were later given a waiver, were finished in black oxide, & completed as part of the second contract. However, one would think they would all bear the earlier "LanCay" stamping. I suspect there may have been some blades which were rejected prior to being marked, had the later marking applied at the time they were assembled, and were included in the lot of 200.

Possibly in order to meet production quotas, some blades may have been slipped in which were marginal, and delivered to the Army as well. This might explain the left front tip of the blade. The erosion pictured is not pitting, but the original metal finish after the blade was forged. When the blade was finish-machined, this small area was missed, and the defect either failed to be discovered during inspection or intentionally ignored. The PI scabbard has the exposed stone, and Fastex clip is dated 1/95, which was the right time frame when those 200 bayonets received the waiver. Both bayonet & scabbard show light field usage.

The example pictured was found via an EBAY auction. The seller had acquired it in 2009 from a U.S. Army Stryker battalion soldier returning from duty in IRAQ. His unit was based in the Wasilla, Alaska area. The bayonet had been issued to him prior to his tour of duty.

[Misfit-45]

Hello,
My first impression was that this bayonet was an early reject blade that was finished with the "new" Lay-Cay name expressly for the commercial market. The most unusual aspect of this story is that it was supposedly issued to a US soldier. The flaws on this blade are significant. It is surprising to me that this bayonet ever made it off the production line.
This is an early blade with a full sized fuller. That means it was forged before the progressive evolutionary removal of the fuller. Then it was set aside and not finished until the new Lan-Cay roll mark was in use. It was then brought back to the assembly line and finished even though the blade was not completely forged, i.e. there was not enough metal to machine the left side of the blade to within specs.
After all that, it passed all inspections and left the factory to again pass all acceptance protocols at the Army to then be issued to a US soldier.
Something is wrong with this picture. Either this bayonet slipped by unnoticed and became a US issue piece, or this bayonet is a parts kit put together after the dissolution of the Lan-Cay company for the commercial market. In any event, it is still a part of US history. Thanks for sharing.
Marv

[pwcosol]

Marv, I agree with your assessment and subscribe to your first scenario that it "slipped by unnoticed and became a US issue piece...". The seller provided how he came to acquire the bayonet when I made an inquiry after purchase. The bayonet & scabbard do show light field use, and there was dirt/sand residue on both bayonet & scabbard. I have little doubt the scabbard is the one issued with this bayonet, and the Fastex clip date of 1/95 IMHO provides a indication of the approximate time this bayonet was assembled. Also no "Lan-Cay" on the pommel cap, either.

Once this bayonet was slathered with cosmolene and packaged in a brown protective government bag, no one likely laid eyes on it until issued out. I have heard from one or two people whom have intimate knowledge of the workings at LanCay during that time. Once they received the waiver for acceptance of the 200 shorter, left over bayonet blades, it may have been "the camel's nose under the tent". Possibly this provided reason to utilize some other marginal material on rare occasions to meet a production shortfall.