M1905 Bayonet

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	Weapon: M1905 Bayonet Type: Sword Bayonet Country of Origin: United States Year Adopted: 1905 Overall Length (mm): 508.0 Overall Length (in): 20 Weight (kg): 0.80 Weight (pounds): 1.76

The US M1905 bayonet was introduced in 1905 alongside the Springfield M1903 rifle, replacing an earlier ramrod bayonet design that had been quickly found inadequate. It featured a straight, single-edged blade measuring 16 inches (406 mm) in length, with a fuller running nearly the entire length to reduce weight while maintaining strength. The bayonet was mounted in a straight-line fashion beneath the rifle barrel, giving soldiers a long reach when combined with the M1903 rifle. Its grips were originally made of walnut, with later wartime versions using plastic materials to speed production.

Production of the M1905 began prior to World War I, but ramped up significantly during World War II when the design was reissued for the M1 Garand rifle. In total, hundreds of thousands were produced by Springfield Armory, Rock Island Arsenal, and later by private contractors during the 1940s. During this time, many M1905 bayonets were modified to a shorter 10-inch blade length, becoming the M1905E1 pattern, to better suit the realities of modern combat and to address concerns about the impractical length of the original blade.

The M1905 bayonet saw service in World War I, World War II, Korea, and even into the early years of the Vietnam War in its shortened form. Its long original design was considered unwieldy in trench and jungle warfare, but it became iconic when paired with the Garand, famously carried by U.S. infantry in campaigns across Europe and the Pacific. The bayonet remains notable for its long service life, versatility as both a combat blade and utility tool, and its enduring place in American military history, making it a prized collectible for historians and enthusiasts today.