Menno: For a novice collector, you certainly have done your research on the MPBS M9 as produced by Ontario. I have collected the M9 for six years and didn't know what you do about Ontario's production! One question I might ask is why concentrate so much attention on Ontario M9s, when there were many more variants produced by both Phrobis/Buck & LanCay?
However, regarding Ontario's production, you seem to be looking primarily @ bayonets which were contracted for by the US Army (or exact civilian equivalent). Because of the time between the 1999 contract of 12,500 & 2005 contract, I would expect those 1999 bayonets were completed well ahead of scheduled delivery. Therefor, they likely all bore the same grips, markings, and finish. Ontario would know the number of fittings they required to complete the contract, so would have had the components slated for manufacture in entirety early on.
So far as the M9s with black fittings, you might want to look @ the U S Government's Defense Reutilization website:
http://www.govliquidation.com/index.html
You can search for "Bayonet" or use the "FSC" number assigned to them. Recently I have seen black M9s made by Ontario appear as surplus turned in for disposition. This does not necessarily mean the bayonets came from the military, but perhaps other Federal agencies (DEA, Customs, etc.) whom might have purchased them. One would have to see the surrender tag or paperwork to find out where they originated from. In addition, the US military has much more latitude in securing small quantities of equipment for special ops or needs, using a government "P-Card" (Purchasing). If a small unit might require a special knife, or other piece of equipment, with authorization they can acquire this right from commercial/civilian channels. The possibility exists that bayonets might enter the system thru this method rather than part of a large contract from a specific manufacturer.
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