![Bericht Bericht](./styles/acidtech_tiger/imageset/icon_topic_latest.gif)
Italian 1891/97TS bayonet
This type of Italian bayonet was introduced starting with the year 1897 and it was named originally "Sciabola-Baionetta Modello 91 da Moschetto per Truppe Speciali". It is for the Italian 6,5mm Mannlicher-Carcano carbine. The bayonet is also known as the "Mod.1891TS" where "TS" stands for "Truppe Speciali" [specialist toops]. --->
Dimensions: Overall length = 414mm; Blade length = 292mm; Blade width [at crossguard] = 25,5mm; Blade thickness [at crossguard] = 4,8mm; Muzzle ring [interior] diameter = 13,3mm. --->
A few years ago I got the Italian 1891/97TS bayonet only for a few dollars; it had plenty of rust, no scabbard, no grips and the locking piece was missing. My pictures from below show how the bayonet looks today. --->
Photo 1: TOP => The image shows 2 bayonet pommels from top: at left it is the 1891/97TS bayonet and at right it is the usual 1891 bayonet. Note the locking system difference. BOTTOM => At top/left it is the locking piece which I made myself, the press-stud button with its spring and the pin which secures the system in place. Below it's the usual locking mechanism for the 1891 bayonet [L-shaped piece, spring and round nut]. --->
Photo 2: LEFT => The left side of the crossguard is stamped with "Q7927" and the letter "P" is stamped below the muzzle ring [also on the crossguard]. Note the 2 rivets which secure the crossguard in position from below. I made new grips made of aluminum which must have scallops [2 scallops for each grip] located on the side which contacts the blade tang at the crossguard, in order to fit into the rivets which secure the crossguard in place. The scallops can be made using the tip of the drill at low speed. To secure the grips to the blade tang I used 2 screws with countersunk flat heads [diameter = 8mm] for the "Allen wrench" [an L-shaped wrench with a hexagonal head at both ends]. On the other side the grip has inserted 2 steel round nuts with the diameter of 9,5mm. Note the diagonal pommel which has a transversal slot and a hole for the pin. At right from the pommel there is the locking piece I had to make myself [from a solid piece of metal], it has a tooth, a flat top surface and a rounded bottom with a hole with thread for the end of the press-stud button. Note also the the metal pin I made from an ordinary nail [diameter = 2,4mm and 18mm long] which has to be fixed into the hole across the pommel, to secure in place the press-stud button allowing it to move about 4mm back and forth in order to lock and unlock the system. At the bottom of the pommel there is the original press-stud button and its spring, exactly in the position in which goes into the 2-step hole drilled inside of the pommel. The pommel is brazed to the blade tang [note the yellow color above on the blade tang]. RIGHT => At left there is an 1891 bayonet [with aluminum grips I made] and at right there is this 1891/97TS bayonet. Right in the middle there is an 1891 bayonet [WW2 production] in mint condition [I sold this bayonet!]. --->
Photo 3: TOP => Since I don't have the 6,5mm Mannlicher-Carcano 1891/97TS carbine, in order to be able to make the missing locking piece, I had to buy the original "upper band" piece with the bayonet lug. I used an original barrel of the 6,5mm Italian Mannlicher-Carcano 1941 rifle with the "upper band" piece of the 1891/97TS carbine to attach the 1891/97TS bayonet and to make sure the locking piece I had made works very well. The "upper band" piece has a tranversal long screw which secures in place the bayonet lug. The 1891/97TS bayonet fits perfectly! The locking piece I made locks perfectly into the bayonet lug. Note the press-stud button at the back of the pommel and the pin head [located under the tranversal slot], pin which secures in place the odd locking mechanism used by the 1891/97TS bayonet. Also note the 2 round nuts inserted into the right aluminum grip. BOTTOM => The left side. Note the flat screw heads [for the Allen wrench] on the grip level. NOTE: I did not polish to perfection the surface of the new made aluminm grips, in order to let them to look somehow like the wooden grips. Orita 08/20/08