Early bayonet trials for the carbine m/1894

Last updated 2012-03-20
© Per Holmbäck

Folding bayonet for the 6,5 mm Carbine m/94. Picture from Samlarnytt 1972

Bayonet for the 6,5 mm Carbine m/1894

After the introduction of the 6,5 mm Carbine m/94 the question about a bayonet for the new carbine was quite soon raised:

The Cavalry needed a bayonet.
The newly set up Coastal Artillery was partly armed with the carbine, and they needed a bayonet.
The Navy wanted a long bayonet for the Carbine. They even reworked the sword bayonet m/1867 for the carbine before they got m/1915.

Several models were manufactured, but few made it for troop trials. Finally the m/1914 and m/1915 was approved.
But in this article we will focus on the initial trials with the metal hilted models (clearly inspired by the rifle bayonet m/1896).
These bayonets were initially researched by Björn Schöön (See references). Since then more facts has been found.

The project models

On request by Carl Gustaf Stads rifle factory several proposals for carbine bayonets were presented by Tunafors factories in Eskilstuna during the years of 1908 to 1909. The 19^th of April 1909 the "final" proposal for a carbine bayonet for the 6,5 mm Carbine m/94 was presented.

The proposal was based on two models:

A folding bayonet that can be folded back and carried under the carbine barrel.
A more traditional knife bayonet.

Model I, a folding bayonet

Model I is very interesting, it is a folding bayonet that can be carried mounted under the carbine barrel.
The bayonet is designed by Lieutenant Colonel Bror Cederholm, later chief of "Kronprinsens Husarer" in Malmö. Already in 1905 (the 3^rd June) B Cederholm holds a patent for a folding bayonet for the carbine. That patent was based on a permanently mounted bayonet without hilt.
In May 5th 1906 he gets a another patent for a removable folding bayonet with a hilt and a scabbard. This model is further developed and presented in this proposal.
The scabbard is mounted in the carbine barrel band, an can be used as a monopod when folded down.
When the bayonet is not used, it can be folded backwards.
A number of frogs were also designed so the bayonet could be carried in the belt when not mounted, as the idea of a permanently mounted folding bayonet was quite controversal.

Carbine with bayonet folded back

Carbine with bayonet folded up and mounted

Carbine bayonet with scabbard, double edged blade with fuller.
.

Frogs for the carbine folding bayonet.

Model II, a carbine bayonet

Model II is a more traditional knife bayonet, with a hollow steel hilt inspired by the rifle bayonet m/1896. The model was presented in two variations; A and B, both with a medium length blade.
There was also a third variation, C, with a short blade presented in the proposal.

A	This bayonet has a medium long blade, double edged with a fuller. The hilt is made of steel, it is hollow and has a stud with a locking button. The scabbard looks like the rifle bayonet, but is longer. This bayonet could be delivered with a blade with or without fuller or with a short blade, of the same length as the rifle bayonet.
B	Variation B has a medium long blade, double edged but without fuller. The scabbard looks like variation A but it has no groove. The hilt is of same type as A. The blade can also be exchanged here.
C	This is actually one of the earlier carbine bayonet proposals. The hilt look like the rifle bayonet m/1896 but has a stud with a locking button. The blade and scabbard is the same at for the rifle bayonet m/1896.

The carbine mounting is slightly different between the three variations, but the basics are the same; a round stud on the front band for the bayonet muzzle ring and a rail with the bayonet stud mounted. The fastening of the rail differs slightly between the three models.

Project models, model II, type A, B and C

Common for all three types is a small "plug" to be put in the rear opening of the hilt. The usage was twofold; to protect from dirt and to hold a portepee.

Locking stud and portepee holder.

Out of these 4 models type A that was finally approved for trials.
As the Navy also wanted a bayonet (a long bayonet) for the carbine, they were in the 10th January 1910 asked if they wanted to order the same model that already was under production for the cavalry, but longer.

Mars 23^rd 1910 the bayonets were ordered, and the 26th August 1910 Eskilstuna Jernmanufactur AB delivered 70 medium length blade and 50 long blade bayonets to Carl Gustaf Stad Gevärsfaktori. The price was 28.95 SEK for the long and 26.95 SEK for the short bayonets.
It is these two models that are known as "fm/1910", but there were never a fomal designation for them


The Carbin bayonet intended for the Cavalry. Medium length blade.

The Carbin bayonet intended for the Navy. Long blade.

Dimensions	Overall length	Blade length	Muzzle ring diameter
Medium Length blade	475 mm	331 mm	15,5 mm
Long blade	645 mm	503 mm	15,5 mm

In 1911 50 carbines, 25 short and 25 long bayonets were sent to oth Royal Waxholm coast artillery regiment and Karlskrona naval base for trials.

48 of the 50 bayonets sent to Karlskrona where tested on e.g. the torpedo boat 'Örnen', where the trials were reported satisfactory.
The 7'th artillery company recruits' school reported that the use of these bayonets resulted in large deviations of the point of impact. None of the bayonet model was to be recommended. In particular, the scabbard of the long bayonet was regarded to fragile (leather would be less sensitive to bending etc.)
If a bayonet was to be issued to the Coastal Artillery it should not be the army bayonet m/1896 either, but rather a new model of similar length as the now tested medium length model.

The bayonet trials was considered failed, and the bayonets were never approved.

References

#	Reference
1	"Bayonets/Bajonetter/Bajonette"" Björn Schöön 1986.
2	Eskilstuna Företagsarkiv
3	"Sablar också", streck och punkt, 2004
4	"Samlarnytt", Nr 1 1972
5	Patent No 21677, 3 juni 1905
6	Patent No 24227, 4 maj 1906