View Full Version : M9 bayonet procurement
For anyone else that keeps up with such trivia, apparently a company called Tri-Technologies from Mount Vernon NY received a contract in 2012 for 40,000 M9's (modified in 2013) at $38 each:
https://contracting.tacom.army.mil/confls/awd/W56HZV12C0327P00002/0000.pdf
Somewhat surprised that the Army is still buying these bayonets. And from what I've seen, many (most?) were auctioned off and are available on EBay and various other websites (full disclosure, I've got one on order for my collection). They're still in their original packaging. The bayonet itself has Tri-Tech's CAGE Code marked on the blade.
So why would the Army order 40,000 bayonets that it later decided it didn't need? I guess that's the story of government purchasing :D
Pictures here:
http://www.m9m4.com/index.cfm?currentpage=39
TexasAggie2005
12-15-16, 08:31
Clicked on this expecting to see bayonets for the Beretta M9, I am slightly disappointed.
KalashniKEV
12-15-16, 09:06
Somewhat surprised that the Army is still buying these bayonets.
Why is that surprising in any way?
A bit out of my lane, but I heard that the Army is deemphasizing bayonet training.
Eurodriver
12-15-16, 11:42
OP do you just read procurement contracts all day?
Only the ones that seem interesting :D
KalashniKEV
12-15-16, 15:32
A bit out of my lane, but I heard that the Army is deemphasizing bayonet training.
Who told you that?
Well, articles such as this:
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Military/2010/0928/One-less-skill-for-soldiers-to-master-at-boot-camp-bayonet-training
KalashniKEV
12-15-16, 15:54
Well, articles such as this:
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Military/2010/0928/One-less-skill-for-soldiers-to-master-at-boot-camp-bayonet-training
TRADOC has nothing to do with the operational Army.
Further, there is no qualification on the bayonet.
OK, so soldiers do have to undergo some sort of bayonet training after all?
KalashniKEV
12-15-16, 17:47
OK, so soldiers do have to undergo some sort of bayonet training after all?
I'm not sure why you're asking about the training... as I said- the bayonet is not a weapons system with it's own qualification. You don't "qualify" MM-SS-EX -on the M7 or the M9, and they don't check your quals before allowing you to fix bayonets.
When CPT KalashniKEV lays out 170 bayonets for Change of Command, and 4 of them turn out to be just sheaths (oops) and 6 of them are missing, CPT KalashniKEV is signing a statement of charges (assuming he kept them locked up with the PVS-4s and all the other dumb shit).
If CPT KalashniKEV chooses to distribute them as Platoon equipment, they will get sub-hand receipted to the squad level- and many more will go missing, some will end up being empty sheaths, and a few will break.
Well at least now I can tease my friend about how incomplete his M9 collection now is!!!
From my recollections bayonet training was pretty much just playing with bayonets for a day. From PT to COB. Generally pretty lame, only exciting parts was pugil sticks in the morning and running the assault course by platoon (in ADA we had small platoons) in the afternoon. We broke about 3-4 M9s each time. I cant imagine bayonet training being any weaker but then again we only ever touched bayonets twice a year(training and Division review). They stayed locked up in the arms room because of what kev outlined above. The whole thing was really more about building aggression and esprit de corps than any preparations to "go over the top"
IMO the M9 looks cool but its a big clunky POS. The M7 is so much more efficient and I just dont recall seeing that many broken. I only saw the M7 in basic and they were all pretty crusty but our entire training Battery broke maybe a half dozen over the couple days we had them. With about 4X more soldiers involved too.
I should add this was the late 90s too
I guess I was asking the wrong question. How about this - Has the M9 bayonet been effectively removed from US Army issue and use?
I guess I was asking the wrong question. How about this - Has the M9 bayonet been effectively removed from US Army issue and use?
I cant believe it would be removed from issue and use in the near future. To do so would be as shortsighted as foregoing training fighter pilots to dog fight because we haven't had a real dogfight in a while.
Besides, DI's aren't going to get down with hollering "What's the spirit of the not greater than 31/2 inch folding knife?" it just lacks a certain panache.
The M9 has been replaced by the M10 which is similar but with a MOLLE/PALS sheath attachment and coyote brown handle and sheath.
KalashniKEV
12-16-16, 07:56
Has the M9 bayonet been effectively removed from US Army issue and use?
Why on earth would you think that?
The M9 has been replaced by the M10 which is similar but with a MOLLE/PALS sheath attachment and coyote brown handle and sheath.
Nope.
M10 is the sheath.
Besides, DI's aren't going to get down with hollering "What's the spirit of the not greater than 31/2 inch folding knife?" it just lacks a certain panache.
WHAT IS THE SPIRIT OF THE GERBER!!??!?
Just something else to help your average E6 and under make some extra cash. I have fond memories of the black market in Clarksville, TN with all the GI Magazines leaving the base in the trunks of cars and ending up at the surplus joints on Ft. Campbell Blvd.
Just something else to help your average E6 and under make some extra cash. I have fond memories of the black market in Clarksville, TN with all the GI Magazines leaving the base in the trunks of cars and ending up at the surplus joints on Ft. Campbell Blvd.
I didn't take a single one to any of those surplus stores. I did pick up a few more at them though.
While I am a fan of the bayonet and guys did use them for crowd control, the M9 is a piece of shit. They broke all the time.
While I am a fan of the bayonet and guys did use them for crowd control, the M9 is a piece of shit. They broke all the time.
As a fan of The Walking Dead, my ARs and AKs in the apocalypse would be sporting bayonets. Provides stand-off killing and saves ammo. Why have the producers of that series not thought of that? Certainly the military-style "sporting rifle" seems abundant in that zombie filled world, and ammo seems somewhat plentiful.
Below is an old GAO document on a protest submitted after the M9 bayonet trials. Evidently the entries submitted by Phrobis were superior to current production M9's, because they got glowing reviews from the test personnel:
http://www.gao.gov/assets/480/478492.pdf
I strongly suspect there is not one legal American working in the Mt Vernon plant making these bayonets. The entire workforce in the area is made up off illegal aliens.
WHAT IS THE SPIRIT OF THE GERBER!!??!?
Nope - leads to baby food t-shirts with baby holding a bloody bayonet.
As a fan of The Walking Dead, my ARs and AKs in the apocalypse would be sporting bayonets. Provides stand-off killing and saves ammo. Why have the producers of that series not thought of that? Certainly the military-style "sporting rifle" seems abundant in that zombie filled world, and ammo seems somewhat plentiful.
I agree. Part if the issue is not many folks have bayonets. I need to pick one up for my A2 build. It's the only AR I have that will take one. The rest are SBR's. =)
I'm not sure why you're asking about the training... as I said- the bayonet is not a weapons system with it's own qualification. You don't "qualify" MM-SS-EX -on the M7 or the M9, and they don't check your quals before allowing you to fix bayonets.
When CPT KalashniKEV lays out 170 bayonets for Change of Command, and 4 of them turn out to be just sheaths (oops) and 6 of them are missing, CPT KalashniKEV is signing a statement of charges (assuming he kept them locked up with the PVS-4s and all the other dumb shit).
If CPT KalashniKEV chooses to distribute them as Platoon equipment, they will get sub-hand receipted to the squad level- and many more will go missing, some will end up being empty sheaths, and a few will break.
Thats why you make the big bucks, just be thankful you dont have an Aviation company that "loses" tools.
brushy bill
12-18-16, 23:15
As a fan of The Walking Dead, my ARs and AKs in the apocalypse would be sporting bayonets. Provides stand-off killing and saves ammo. Why have the producers of that series not thought of that? Certainly the military-style "sporting rifle" seems abundant in that zombie filled world, and ammo seems somewhat plentiful.
I often wonder that, but since they don't travel in buddy teams, never seem to use an overwatch, don't check their six, or use any other tactically sound procedures, stands to reason. Also, I'm a little disappointed to hear big Army is deemphasizing bayonet. We still trained with them when I was in. Still remember "Spirit of the bayonet," "What makes the grass grow?" and the response of "blood, blood, blood" from Infantry OSUT and ran a few bayonet assault courses in permanent party. Of course, we didn't have wimmens, a rainbow coalition of soldiers, or a social experiment as infantry then. Clearly, things are better now and we're more prepared for war. Good thing the senior officers were sacrificing their careers to ensure the infantry remained a war fighting function vice career progression mechanism.
ramairthree
12-18-16, 23:20
So what is a good price on a surplus M9 bayonet now and the best source.
I see a lot of new copy type ones.
When they were first issued in the 80s they seemed well made.
I don't know what changes or cost cutting measures have been made on the new ones.
Many, many issue items were losing quality over the years.
KalashniKEV
12-19-16, 09:30
I strongly suspect there is not one legal American working in the Mt Vernon plant making these bayonets.
I strongly suspect that there is not one illegal American working in that factory.
It's a government contract for something that will constantly be ordered. Once you land one- MONEY DANCE.
Nobody puts through the effort to WIN and then ****s up on a glaring non-compliance issue like that. Even cheaping out on the quality of the end product and failing QC will lead to a cure notice or a CAR. Willful ****ups are game over.
So what is a good price on a surplus M9 bayonet now and the best source.
Just tell the Armorer you'll watch the Arms Room while he goes to get some dip...
;)
j/k
So what is a good price on a surplus M9 bayonet now and the best source.
I see a lot of new copy type ones.
When they were first issued in the 80s they seemed well made.
I don't know what changes or cost cutting measures have been made on the new ones.
Many, many issue items were losing quality over the years.
The Tri-Technologies ones seem to be the most recent surplus. They're on various E-Bay sites and probably at gun shows, surplus stores, etc. Prices seem to be in the $95-110 range. Ontario (a previous contractor) makes ones for the civvie market but I don't know how closely they conform to the milspec/drawing.
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