M/1942 SLG (M/1953)

Norway  United States of America

M/1942 Knife Bayonet for M1 Garand Self Loading Rifle

In 1952 USA started providing the Norwegian military with M/1942 bayonets for use with the M1 Garand Self loading rifle (Semiautomatic).

In Norway both the short M/1942 M1 bayonet and the shortened M/1905 bayonet was in use. The Garand rifle and bayonet was in use until around 1970, and in the National Guard even longer.

M/1942 bayonet for the M1 Garand rifle produced in USA

In His Majesty The King’s Guard (HMKG), it is still in use by the drill platoon (for parade). When used by HMKG it was provided with a special frog, the scabbard was lacquered black scabbard and the blade was polished.

M/1942 bayonet used by the HMKG. On the top of the picture summer side cap for Sergeants.

The Military Academy, Krigsskolen, used a special variant of the M1 Garand bayonet. Here both the bayonet and the scabbard was lacquered black, and the bayonet was given a black plastic frog with red edges.The Military Academy used both shortened  M/1905 bayonets and M/1942 bayonets.

On the top of the pictures the M/1942 bayonet used by the Military Academy. On the bottom of the picture, the bayonet used by HMKG. To the left the picture the crest used by the Military Academy and HMKG (during King Olav V).

From 1953, the M/1942 bayonet was produced at Kongsberg Våpenfabrikk in Norway. About 50,000 bayonets was produced here. The Norwegian produced bayonet is by some sources called M/1953. These are rare in Norway today, as they where exported, and were probably never used by the military in Norway. These bayonets are marked with a crowned K.

M/1942 produced at Kongsberg Våpenfabrikk

Crowned K marked bayonet indicates that the bayonet was produced at Kongsberg Våpenfabrikk in Norway.