The Swedish bayonets during the 20th century.

By O. Janson

Updated 2022-04-18

 

Bayonets from Sweden left to right: m/96 old type, m/96, m/1914, m/1915, m/39 and m/65
 
Bayonet Length over all Length of blade Intended for weapon
m/1896 with flat locking stud (early production)
(Rare)
335 mm 212 mm Rifle m/1896
m/1896 with conical locking stud. 335 mm 212 mm Rifle m/1896, m/1938 and
automatic rifle Ag m/42
m/1914 460 mm 332 mm Carbine m/1894/14 and
Submachine gun m/1945C
m/1915
(Rare)
630 mm 500 mm Carbine m/1894/14 and
Submachine gun m/1945C
m/1939 380 mm 252 mm Only for Rifle m/1939 (Not for m/1940)
m/1965 310 mm 168 mm Ak4 and Ak5

 

 


Bayonet m/1896.

Picture above:

Left bayonet shows the later produced m/1896 bayonet with conical stud.

Right bayonet shows early production of m/1896 bayonet with flat stud and single edge. Please note the better quality of the old bayonet with its nice careful checkering.

 

Swedish knife bayonet m/1896 apart

for the Swedish Mauser m/1896, m/1938 and Ag m/42 (Ljungman rifle).

These bayonets were delivered to the Army in pieces like this and upon arrival assembled to complete bayonets.

We can notice that the construction will only take a short blade. The short tang will never allow a long blade and the locking construction was too weak for a long blade. The first bayonets from 1896 were delivered with a flat locking device, but these were soon exchanged for the conical locking device like on this bayonet.

This bayonet was made in Eskilstuna Iron manufacture company (EJ AB) which is stamped on one side of the ricasso. On the other side of the ricasso are the Swedish Royal Acceptance Crown and a number.

These bayonets were used by the Swedish Army for at least 100 years!

 

 

 

Above:       (from "Hvar 8 dag")

A picture from 25th of April 1914.
The text says: “The famous artist Oscar Lycke sends his regards for the Eastern holiday from his place in the far north were he is making his military service.”

He carries the Swedish army rifle m/1896 with m/1896 bayonet.

 

Rifle m/1938 with bayonet m/1896

 

Semi-automatic rifle Ag m/1942B (Ljungman rifle) with bayonet m/1896

 

 

 

Here is a m/96 intended for parades:

Read more here about this type>>>

 

Many variations were tested. Here i fm1910 with long blade and exchanged locking mechanism.

 


 

 

 Peace time equipment for Swedish bayonets. 

 


 

Bayonet m/1894.

Carbine m/1894/1914 with bayonet m/1914

See Swedish Cavalry Soldier Equipment m/1910

Bayonet m/1914

 

Bayonet m/1915.

Submachine gun m/1945B with bayonet m/1915

 

Bayonet M/1915,
Two diffrent tips are reported

The bottom rounded tip is rare.


 

Bayonet m/1939

The Sweden bought Kar98k from Germany 1939. These bayonets had the WaA stamps and none and they were not marked with the Swedish Crown or any other acceptance stamp from Sweden.

This bayonet has been sold by Carl Gustafs Stads Gun factory to a collector.
It has been made by the German company Berg & Co. sometimes mistaken to be the Swedish company with the same name.

 

Bayonet for Rifle m/39
The m/1940 rifles had no bayonet because of the muzzle brake.

 

Rifle m/1939

Here is one of the very rare Mauser made Swedish rifle m/1939, which also was sold by Carl Gustaf GF to the same collector together with the bayonet.

 


 

These two bayonets were intended for the use with carbines m/1894-15.

The long bayonet (M/1915) has basically been used by the Navy.

The Navy used a capital "M/" for designation while the Army used lower case letter "m/".

During the period 1935-1939 these long bayonets were used by the guards for the main entrance of the Naval base of Karlskrona. My father told me that they for them for guard duty without any gun!

The shorter bayonet (m/1914) has been used by other troops equipped with carbines like the cavalry.

Nowadays they are used for guard and parade duty in combination with Submachine gun m/1945.

 

The Navy equipped with Carbines M/1894-15 and the bayonets M/1915 on parade in Karlskrona.

For drills, the servicemen brought special carbines for parades from the supply depot, these carbines were unsuitable for sharpshooting.

Note the empty cartridge belts

Picture:
"Sveriges försvar 1939"

 

 

Carbines M/1894-15 with  bayonets M/1915

For a parade like this, or training for it, the navy supplied the men with special worn out carbines. They were not intended for shooting only for parade purpose.

Note the round (19 mm wide the disc with a number) on each bayonet. This type of disc was issued with each edged weapon of the Navy.

Picture:
"Sveriges försvar 1939"

 


Bayonet 1965

Assault rifle Ak4, old modell, with bayonet 1965

 

Försöksbajonett för AK 3 (FN)

Försöksbajonett för AK3

Lägg märke till vingarna som fungerar som  flamdämpare

 

 

 

Bayonets for Ak5

When Sweden went for the 5.56 mm calibre another assault rifle was introduced. It was a variation of FNC.
Here above is a FNC

 

 

 

Här ser vi en försöksbajonett för Ak5

 

 

Ak5 is produced under license in Sweden.

This is the Ak5 with a test-model bayonet, which also fits the FNC.

 

A small number of this test model bayonet, was bought by the army but it was never accepted.

The Ak5 is not issued with any bayonet for combat purposes only for parades and guard duty at the Royal Palace.

 

The Ak5 with bayonet is used for guard duty and parade only.

See more pictures and read more about this system here>>>

 

 


 

The two most common bayonets in Sweden - on top m/1896 and bottom modell 1965.

 

A new service bayonet tested for Ak5d, made by Eickhorn with wire cutter.

courtesy of Michigan Knives

There are rumors that Eickhorn 2005 will be accepted for Ak5 but nothing is known until now.

with scabbard

 

The new Swedish Ak5 bayonet for parade made by Eickhorn.

Based on the system Eickhorn bayonet 2000. These were introduced late 2008,

 

 

The new Swedish bayonet for parade with Ak5 made by Eickhorn

(It can be bought as commemorative sample from Eickhorn)

And here the bayonet on top of Ak5 at the Royal wedding 2010.

(Courtesy of Hans Aronsson)

 

Beside these ordinary accepted models there have been a number of test models. For further information about them and other bayonets please visit Per Holmbacks website about bayonets.

 

To see bayonets for trials please visit Paer Holmbacks site:

http://www.holmback.se/bayonets/Notes-Swedish/swed-Main-Trial.html#fm1910long

 


[Top of the page]

 

 

WARNING THESE m/1896 ARE FAKES:

First the recently appeared Chinese copy of m/1896 with thinner handle and off side stampings.

 

It is amazing that anybody will take the effort to copy the Swedish bayonet m/1896
 which is very common and costs only $50 as original!

You can find it here at Stockholms Vapenfabrik

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And here a cut off and changed m/96 to a Parade bayonet

Compare this fake with the original one here, which I mentioned before

Here you have a link to the real civilian dagger

 

References:

Josef Alm - Eldhandvapen förr och nu; 1953 (in Swedish language)
Soldatinstruktion för Artilleriet; 1941
(in Swedish language)
Soldatinstruktion för Infanteriet; 1943
(in Swedish language)
The Defence of Sweden; 1939 (in Swedish language).
Hvar 8 dag - An illustrated magazine from 1914 in Swedish.
Dana Jones - Crown Jewels of Sweden (in English) ISBN 0-88935-283-6
Per Holmbäck - http://www.holmback.se/bayonets/bayonets.htm
Mats Persson - http://www.mtek.chalmers.se/~m95perm/vapen/index.sv.html
Vapenmuseet in Eskilstuna

 

 

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