Pictures (click to enlarge) |
Type | Description | Blade Length |
Overall Length |
Muzzle |
Markings | |||
M1874 Socket | Socket bayonet for use on the 11.4 mm. (.45 caliber) M1874 Peabody-Martini rifle, produced in the U.S. for the Turkish government.
The socket is blued and the blade in the white. The socket is cut so that the bayonet hangs below the rifle's barrel. The socket length is 3.125 in. (79 mm.). Research published in 2019 by Edward Hull in his book, Peabody Firearms, expanded on his earlier published work regarding bayonets used with the Peabody-Martini rifles. These rifles and bayonets were made in the 1870s by the Providence Tool Company in Providence, Rhode Island, based on a design patented by inventor Henry O. Peabody. The initial order of rifles were supplied with this socket bayonet. Upwards of 400,000 bayonets were manufactured and delivered to Turkey. When the Providence Tool Co. ceased Peabody-Martini rifle production in 1879, their bayonet manufacture also ceased. |
20.125 | 511 | 23.25 | 591 | .725 | 18.4 | None. | |
M1874 Sword | Yataghan sword bayonet for use on the 11.4 mm. (.45 caliber) M1874 Peabody-Martini rifle. This bayonet also mounts to the 7.65 mm. Turkish Peabody-Martini rifle alteration.
Hull's research also indicated that the Providence Tool Co. obtained an 1875 contract with the Turkish government for Peabody-Martini rifles with saber bayonets. They subcontracted with Ames Manufacturing Co. of Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts, for their manufacture. 200,000 of these large, heavy sword bayonets were made. This example has been converted into a dress saber, by filling the mounting slot and press stud, nickel-plating the entire bayonet, and replacing the original gutta-percha grips with satinwood inlaid with mother-of-pearl. "Yataghan" is derived from the Turkish word for "one who lays down" to describe the downward-sweeping double-curve blade profile. The double-curve added strength and rigidity, while keeping the hilt and point in alignment for thrusting efficiency. This example is pictured in Dennis Ottobre's authoritative work, Observations on Turkish Bayonets. It is also featured in my article at surplusrifle.com, Made by Who? - Bayonets From Unlikely Sources. |
22.625 |
575 | 28.125 |
714 | .715 |
18.2 | Ricasso: "s" |
|
M1913 | Knife bayonet for use with the 8 mm. Mauser M1893 and M1903 rifles.
This is not a cut-down M1903 bayonet. It was produced new with a short blade. Unlike the long M1903 bayonet, the blade is only 6.5 mm. thick at the ricasso tapering down to 4 mm. before thinning out to it's point. In the course of research for his book, Obervations on Turkish Bayonets, Dennis Ottobre noted that all examples he examined had the same maker's mark and number on the front face of the crosspiece. The markings are in Osmanlica (Old Turkish) script used prior to 1928. The marking translated to "Tone Han 31". I suspect that the translation is actually "Tophane" (Armory), which was used to describe the Tophane-i Amire (Ottoman Imperial Armory) in Istanbul. The Ottoman Hijra (lunar) calendar date 1331 corresponded to 1913 on the Gregorian calendar, so Ottobre tentatively classified these as the M1913, indicating that this could change, if additional clarifying information surfaces. However, most civil, fiscal and administrative documents in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries issued by the central (Ottoman) government will bear dates based on the solar Sene-i Maliye (fiscal) calendar. 1331 in the Ottoman Fiscal calendar corresponds to 1915 on the Gregorian calendar. The bayonet once had a hooked quillon, which was subsequently removed. According to Ottobre, the M1913's hilt is the first Turkish bayonet to bear the "small nosed slant pommel" which is found on some later conversions of foreign bayonets to M1935 types. |
9.625 | 244 | 14.50 | 368 | .615 | 15.6 | Crosspiece (front): maker's mark and "31" (in Osmanlica script)
Crosspiece (front quillon): Crescent Pommel: "8568" |
|
German M1898 | Knife bayonet used with 8 mm. Mauser Gewehr 98 rifles provided to the Ottoman Empire by Germany during the First World War.
This bayonet was originally made in 1904 for the Kingdom of Saxony by the firm Simson & Co. of Suhl. Saxon King Georg reigned only two years, from 1902–04. After the First World War, Turkey shortened the 20.5 in. (520 mm.) blade. The shortened bayonet was paired with a Czechoslovak VZ–22 scabbard. The only marking attributed to Turkey is the four-digit serial number on the crosspiece. This bayonet had a very long, active service life, as evidenced by the original German grip scales being worn until they are almost smooth. This bayonet and scabbard was among a quantity of Czechoslovak VZ–22 bayonets I obtained from Century Arms many years ago. |
9.625 | 245 | 13.75 | 350 | n/a | Ricasso: "Simson & Co. Suhl"
Blade Spine: Cypher for Saxon King, Georg over, "04" Crosspiece: "4847" Scabbard: "E" (lion) "23" and "CSZ" on frog stud. |
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M1935 | Knife bayonet for use with the 8 mm. Mauser M1893 and M1903 rifles.
This is the final Turkish bayonet type designed for use with Mauser rifles. This example is of new manufacture. However, the M1935 designation is also applied more broadly to a bewildering variety of similarly-dimensioned bayonets cobbled together using recycled parts from older bayonets. AS.FA is an abbreviation for Askari Fabrika (military factory). |
10.00 | 254 | 14.875 | 378 | .605 | 15.4 | Pommel: "A S. F A" and "161795" | |
No. 4 Mk. II | Spike bayonet for use with the .303 caliber Lee-Enfield No. 4 rifle.
Little is known about these British No. 4 spike bayonets used by Turkey. Most examples observed are of USA or Canadian manufacture. This example was made in the USA by the Savage Stevens Co. of Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts. A quantity of No. 4 rifles were imported to the USA from Turkey in the mid-2000s. These rifles can often be identified by the stacking hook welded to the upper band. This example came in the modified Turkish belt frog below. The scabbard is an early No. 4 Mk. I with the blued steel throatpiece. |
8.00 | 203 | 10.00 | 254 | .595 | 15.1 | Socket: "No 4 Mk II" over "S" and "B 75" over "1455"
Spring Plunger" "S" Scabbard (throatpiece): "No. 4 Mk. I" |
|
Belt Frog | Leather belt frog that came on the No. 4 Mk. II bayonet, above.
This is a typical Turkish leather belt frog used with the M1935 bayonet that has been modified by stitching the front piece to better secure the small, round No. 4 scabbard. The frog measures 9.25 in. (235 mm.) long by 2.625 in. (67 mm.) wide. This frog was not classified by Carter. |
n/a | n/a | n/a | None. | ||||
M1935 Modified (Ottobre #12–102) | M1935 knife bayonet modified for use with the caliber .30–06 M1 Garand rifle.
The modification includes attaching an auxiliary plate with a smaller muzzle ring behind the original crosspiece. The auxiliary plate is secured with a single large diameter pin, as shown in the 4th image at left. According to Dennis Ottobre, M1935 bayonets were modified this way for use with both the U.S. M1 Garand and the Greek 6.5 mm. Y:1903 Mannlicher-Shoenauer rifle. (Greek nomenclature used the letter upsilon, 'Y', as an abbreviation for 'model'.) M1 Garand bayonets have an auxiliary muzzle ring diameter in the 13 mm. range, where the Y:1903 bayonets have a minimum muzzle ring diameter of 14 mm. Military Assistance program (MAP) records document that the U.S. provided 314,432 M1 rifles to Turkey between 1950 and 1972. MAP records do not show shipment of any bayonets to Turkey, which explains the need to produce indigenous bayonets for the M1. |
9.75 | 248 | 14.625 | 371 | .530 | 13.5 | Pommel: "7867" over a previous number (illegible). | |
M5 Bayonet-Knife Copy | Knife bayonet for use with the caliber .30–06 M1 Garand rifle.
This bayonet and scabbard are crude copies of the U.S. M5 bayonet and M8A1 scabbard. They are entirely of Turkish manufacture. The bayonet's grips are made of cast aluminum, painted black. The scabbard body is made of sheet steel. The belt hanger on this example is made of canvas, folded and stitched. These were made by M.K.E. in Ankara (Makina ve Kimya Endustrsi Kurumu, in English, Mechanical and Chemical Industry Corp.) These bayonets first surfaced ca. 2014 in very small numbers. Another quantity surfaced in 2017, about the time Turkey returned 13,000 M1 rifles to the U.S. Government.
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6.50 | 165 | 11.125 | 283 | n/a | Pommel: "4" and "291"
Scabbard Body (front): Turkish Crescent and MKE trademark. Scabbard Body (reverse): Turkish Crescent and MKE trademark. Belt Hanger (inside dome fastener): "Tiger" (2) stars and 3 letters |
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Ersatz M5 Bayonet | Knife bayonet for use with the caliber .30–06 M1 Garand rifle.
Crudely constructed of a pressed steel hilt mated with a recycled blade from an earlier Mauser bayonet. It is unclear whether the hilt is new-made or both the hilt and blade are from an earlier bayonet, with only the crosspiece being new. The scabbard construction differs from the MKE scabbard above, being a more refined copy of the U.S. M8A1, with a belt hanger made of webbing. As shown in this comparison image, the sheet steel body is of substantially better construction than the MKE example above. These bayonets first surfaced in 2017, about the time Turkey returned 13,000 M1 rifles to the U.S. Government. |
6.625 | 168 | 11.625 | 295 | n/a | None. | ||
G1 | Knife bayonet for use on the 7.62 mm. NATO caliber G1 (FAL) selective-fire rifle.
Crudely constructed of a new made pressed steel hilt mated with a recycled blade from an earlier Mauser bayonet. Several variations in blade, crosspiece, and muzzle ring have been observed. The scabbard is recycled from an earlier Mauser bayonet. Again, many variations in scabbard design have been observed. In the early 1960s, Turkey received G1 rifles from Germany, who had procured 100,000 from FN, but then changed to the G3 rifle after FN refused to allow Germany to produce the G1 under license. The Germans did not issue a bayonet with the G1, so Turkey added a bayonet lug to the G1 barrel and produced this makeshift knife bayonet. |
10.00 | 254 | 15.50 | 394 | .710 | 18.0 | Grip (right): "54515" | |
G3 | Knife bayonet for use on the 7.62 mm. NATO caliber G3 selective-fire rifle.
The Turkish G3 bayonet differs from the German G3 bayonet in many ways. It has a a fullered, double-edged blade that is 3.00 in. (76 mm.) longer. It has a 20–groove, convex, green plastic grip. The press catch is at the 9 O'clock position. It has the broad plain crosspiece. The scabbard is constructed of two halves of stamped sheet steel folded together, similar to the First World War German Ersatz scabbards produced by Friedrich August Göbel of Solingen (Turkey received and used many Göbel scabbards). Beginning in 1977, Turkey produced G3A7 rifles under licence at M.K.E. in Ankara (Makina ve Kimya Endustrsi Kurumu, in English, Mechanical and Chemical Industry Corp.). As of 2011, M.K.E. still listed the G3A7 in their product catalog. According to U.S. State Department communications, M.K.E. indicated that they subcontracted with private firms for production of G3 bayonets. In 2009, British bayonet historian R.D.C. Evans published an excellent and comprehensive article on G3 bayonets that is available for download at no cost. |
9.50 | 241 | 15.00 | 381 | .875 | 22.2 | Crosspiece: "6277" | |
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