[Windstar]

Hi all,
Wow the new, new boards look very different.

I finally located a proper bayo for my M91 Carcano rifle and would like to do a bit of research. If any of you could supply a link to the "old smithy" or similar bayonet site (UK based) I'd be most happy. I had it once but it is gone now.

The bayo in question is definitely for a Carcano M91 (fits perfectly), and has a serial number on the guard 0 R I 4 7 8 7. On the rear of the pommel is a capital "T". The scabbard is metal with a screwed on hook. I'm familiar with the letter prefixes and up to 4 digit numbers, but the 0 pre-prefix and the T at present elude me. Terni perhaps ?

Thanks,

Dana

 

[airdale]

The "OR" in the serial number stands for Ordnance Roma. They also made M91 long rifles during 1917-18.

 

[Windstar]

Thanks Airdale, I appreciate the response. I must have been mistaken about the 4 digit serial numbers as on rifles indicating a 9,999 series between changes. A five digit serial no.
on a bayonet would indicate a 99,999 run ? Wouldn't a bayonet have been serialed to a specific rifle and why not the letter prefixes ?

 

[airdale]

No the bayonets were not serialed to a specific rifle. The serial number appears to have a letter prefix, I(eye) 4787, the "OR" just means Ordnance Roma and the rest is the serial number of the bayonet.

 

[Franchi]

I believe the bayonets were numbered in the same serial blocks as the rifles, but not matching to the rifles, at least I have never heard of a matching bayonet/rifle. You can date the bayonet WWI WWII by the rifle serial block it matches.
David Franchi

 

[Windstar]

Thanks guys. I understand now. My new bayonet serial no. I 4787 predates my M91 rifle serial no. KF 41 (Terni 1900). Both WWl vintage with the bayo being a bit older. Any idea as to the production quantities the Italians were capable of leading up to WWl ?