M9 Bayonet
Encyclopedia
The M9 Bayonet is a multi-purpose knife
and bayonet
officially adopted in 1984 by the United States
. It has a 7 inches (17.8 cm) blade
and is issued with a sheath designed to double as a wire cutter. It was designed and developed by Charles A. "Mickey" Finn
at his R&D company, Qual-A-Tec. He later produced it under the Phrobis III name, filling a military contract for 325,000 units. Buck Knives
was contracted to make 300,000 units and sold a commercial version under their own name. Finn's designs proved extremely popular, and were widely counterfeited and sold illegally by other makers. In 1986, Finn received , however they continued to flow unchecked into the United States from Asia and Mexico, cutting into legitimate sales.
After the Phrobis III bayonet contract was completed, rights to the M9 reverted to the United States Army
and there were many subsequent versions from other companies. It is issued by the armed forces of the U.S. and other countries, and has also been sold commercially in various versions.
Some production runs of the M9 have a fuller
and some do not, depending upon which contractor manufactured that batch and what the military specs were at the time. The M9 Bayonet partially replaced the older M7
Bayonet, introduced in 1964. Although it has been claimed that the M9 may be more prone to breakage than the older M7; in actuality the M9 bayonet has a 20% thicker blade and tang (0.235" vs. 0.195") and a 75% greater cross-sectional area of steel in the blade than the M7.
The M11 bayonet, or M11 EOD is a version of the M9 specialized for explosive ordnance disposal
(EOD). It has some extra features, such as a hammer pommel, but uses the same blade and sheath as the M9.
There have been four main makes of M9's: Phrobis, Buck (subcontracted from Phrobis during the original Army contract), LanCay, and Ontario. Starting in 1987, Phrobis subcontracted Buck, finishing up in 1989. It was around this time that Buck sold commercial M9s as well, which it did up to 1997.
LanCay got its first contract in March 1992 (taking over production from Buck) for 30 (later 50) thousand knives (with General Cutlery as a subcontractor); in 1994, there was another contract issued for about 100,000 improved M9 models. In 1999, a contract for 25,000 knives was split between LanCay and Ontario (12,500 each). Ontario Knife Company
also participated in later contracts, and is one of the current (as of 2005) contractors for producing them. These can be identified by the blades, which are marked "M-9 / ONTARIO / KNIFE CO / USA".
, introduced in 1964, was used as a bayonet on the M16 rifle
and as an edged melee weapon. The M9 multipurpose bayonet system is used as a bayonet on the M16 series rifle, on the M4 series carbine
, as an edged melee weapon, as a general field and utility knife, as a wire cutter when used on the sheath
, and as a saw. The M9 also fits the Mossberg 590
Special Purpose shotgun
.
, one of the manufacturers of M9 bayonets. The 5000 for the U.S. Marines are included under the U.S.Army numbers in this listing.
Knife
A knife is a cutting tool with an exposed cutting edge or blade, hand-held or otherwise, with or without a handle. Knives were used at least two-and-a-half million years ago, as evidenced by the Oldowan tools...
and bayonet
Bayonet
A bayonet is a knife, dagger, sword, or spike-shaped weapon designed to fit in, on, over or underneath the muzzle of a rifle, musket or similar weapon, effectively turning the gun into a spear...
officially adopted in 1984 by the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It has a 7 inches (17.8 cm) blade
Blade
A blade is that portion of a tool, weapon, or machine with a cutting edge and/or a pointed tip that is designed to cut and/or puncture, stab, slash, chop, slice, thrust, or scrape animate or inanimate surfaces or materials...
and is issued with a sheath designed to double as a wire cutter. It was designed and developed by Charles A. "Mickey" Finn
Mickey Finn (inventor)
Charles A. "Mickey" Finn was an American inventor who specialized in designing and producing weapons systems for the U.S. military. He retired from defense work and began designing sporting equipment, including the Mickey Finn T-Bar Putter, a golf putter.- Background :For thirty years Finn...
at his R&D company, Qual-A-Tec. He later produced it under the Phrobis III name, filling a military contract for 325,000 units. Buck Knives
Buck Knives
Buck Knives is an American knife manufacturer founded in San Diego, California and now located in Post Falls, Idaho. The company has a long history through five generations of the Buck family from 1902 to the present day...
was contracted to make 300,000 units and sold a commercial version under their own name. Finn's designs proved extremely popular, and were widely counterfeited and sold illegally by other makers. In 1986, Finn received , however they continued to flow unchecked into the United States from Asia and Mexico, cutting into legitimate sales.
After the Phrobis III bayonet contract was completed, rights to the M9 reverted to the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
and there were many subsequent versions from other companies. It is issued by the armed forces of the U.S. and other countries, and has also been sold commercially in various versions.
Some production runs of the M9 have a fuller
Fuller (weapon)
A fuller is a rounded or beveled groove or slot in the flat side of a blade . A fuller is often used to lighten the blade, much in the way that an I-beam shape allows a given amount of strength to be achieved with less material...
and some do not, depending upon which contractor manufactured that batch and what the military specs were at the time. The M9 Bayonet partially replaced the older M7
M7 Bayonet
The M7 Bayonet is a bayonet that was used by the U.S. military for the M16 rifle, it can also be used for the AR-15 rifle. It was introduced in 1964, when the M16 entered service during the Vietnam War....
Bayonet, introduced in 1964. Although it has been claimed that the M9 may be more prone to breakage than the older M7; in actuality the M9 bayonet has a 20% thicker blade and tang (0.235" vs. 0.195") and a 75% greater cross-sectional area of steel in the blade than the M7.
The M11 bayonet, or M11 EOD is a version of the M9 specialized for explosive ordnance disposal
Bomb disposal
Bomb disposal is the process by which hazardous explosive devices are rendered safe. Bomb disposal is an all encompassing term to describe the separate, but interrelated functions in the following fields:*Military:...
(EOD). It has some extra features, such as a hammer pommel, but uses the same blade and sheath as the M9.
LanCay got its first contract in March 1992 (taking over production from Buck) for 30 (later 50) thousand knives (with General Cutlery as a subcontractor); in 1994, there was another contract issued for about 100,000 improved M9 models. In 1999, a contract for 25,000 knives was split between LanCay and Ontario (12,500 each). Ontario Knife Company
Ontario Knife Company
Ontario Knife Company, also known as 'OKC', is an American manufacturer of knives and other edged tools.Ontario Knife Company was founded in 1889 in Naples, New York. The company takes its name from Ontario County, New York...
also participated in later contracts, and is one of the current (as of 2005) contractors for producing them. These can be identified by the blades, which are marked "M-9 / ONTARIO / KNIFE CO / USA".
Comparison
The M7 bayonetM7 Bayonet
The M7 Bayonet is a bayonet that was used by the U.S. military for the M16 rifle, it can also be used for the AR-15 rifle. It was introduced in 1964, when the M16 entered service during the Vietnam War....
, introduced in 1964, was used as a bayonet on the M16 rifle
M16 rifle
The M16 is the United States military designation for the AR-15 rifle adapted for both semi-automatic and full-automatic fire. Colt purchased the rights to the AR-15 from ArmaLite, and currently uses that designation only for semi-automatic versions of the rifle. The M16 fires the 5.56×45mm NATO...
and as an edged melee weapon. The M9 multipurpose bayonet system is used as a bayonet on the M16 series rifle, on the M4 series carbine
M4 carbine
The M4 carbine is a family of firearms tracing its lineage back to earlier carbine versions of the M16, all based on the original AR-15 designed by Eugene Stoner and made by ArmaLite. It is a shorter and lighter variant of the M16A2 assault rifle, with 80% parts commonality.It is a gas-operated,...
, as an edged melee weapon, as a general field and utility knife, as a wire cutter when used on the sheath
Scabbard
A scabbard is a sheath for holding a sword, knife, or other large blade. Scabbards have been made of many materials over the millennia, including leather, wood, and metals such as brass or steel.-Types of scabbards:...
, and as a saw. The M9 also fits the Mossberg 590
Mossberg 500
Mossberg 500 is a series of shotguns manufactured by O.F. Mossberg & Sons. The 500 series comprises widely varying models of hammerless, pump action repeaters, all of which share the same basic receiver and action, but differ in bore size, barrel length, choke options, magazine capacity, and...
Special Purpose shotgun
Shotgun
A shotgun is a firearm that is usually designed to be fired from the shoulder, which uses the energy of a fixed shell to fire a number of small spherical pellets called shot, or a solid projectile called a slug...
.
| Designation | M7!!M9 | |
|---|---|---|
| Entered Army Service: | 1965 | 1987 |
| Blade length: | 6.5 in | 7 in |
| Total length: | 11.75 in | 12 in |
Buck Knives production
An overview of M9 types made by Buck KnivesBuck Knives
Buck Knives is an American knife manufacturer founded in San Diego, California and now located in Post Falls, Idaho. The company has a long history through five generations of the Buck family from 1902 to the present day...
, one of the manufacturers of M9 bayonets. The 5000 for the U.S. Marines are included under the U.S.Army numbers in this listing.
| Type | Buck Part# | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| US Army United States Army The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services... |
0188-00-0 | 330,254 |
| Australia Australia Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area... n |
0188-A1-0 | 20,050 |
| Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi , literally Father of Gazelle, is the capital and the second largest city of the United Arab Emirates in terms of population and the largest of the seven member emirates of the United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi lies on a T-shaped island jutting into the Persian Gulf from the central western... |
0188-AD-0 | 1,500 |
| Commercial (black) | 0188-BK-0 | 14,213 |
| Diemaco Diemaco Diemaco was a Canadian defense company based in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, that manufactured the C7 family of rifles under a licence from Colt. It was acquired by Colt on May 20, 2005, in a $18.2 million purchase from parent company Héroux-Devtek Inc, which had purchased Diemaco in 2000.... |
0188-DM-0 | 8,681 |
| Marine Prototype | 0188-MC-0 | 350 |
| Commercial (green) | 0188-CB-0 | 28,238 |
| Field Knife (Japan I) | 0188-J1-0 | 1,956 |
| Field Knife (Japan II) | 0188-J2-0 | 504 |
| Total: | 405,746 | |
See also
- Aircrew Survival Egress KnifeAircrew Survival Egress KnifeThe Aircrew Survival Egress Knife or ASEK is a U.S. Army aircrew survival knife, designed and initially manufactured by the Ontario Knife Company, and entered service in 2003.-Development and Adoption:...
(ASEK; special knife adopted circa 2003 for Army aviators) - OKC-3S BayonetOKC-3S BayonetThe OKC-3S is a bayonet developed by the United States Marine Corps to replace the M7 bayonet as its service bayonet for the M16 family of rifles. This multi-purpose bayonet provides greater durability than the M7 and also functions as a fighting knife....
(USMC Bayonet;adopted in early 2000s for M16/M4 family) - KA-BARKA-BARKA-BAR is the contemporary popular name for the combat knife first adopted by the United States Marine Corps in November 1942 as the 1219C2 Combat Knife , and subsequently adopted by the United States Navy as the U.S. Navy Utility Knife, Mark 2...
(Fighting Knife)