Listed here we will discuss a few items that can be found quite regularly at just about any gun or knife show. These items generate quite a few questions so we hope this is a help to a few folks.
Above we feature the Camillus USMC reproduction. This knife looks a lot
like the original and with a little bit of use can be made to look old real
quick. the markings are all the same and in the same place as the originals.
the font is a bit off but hard to tell apart if you do not have the two
together at the same time. The bit telltale difference is the sharpened false
edge. The WW II era knife has a long sweeping false edge while the current
repro has a very short and sharply curved false edge. We place the WW II era
USMC next to the current repro which graphically shows the difference. Any
scabbard marked with the Eagle, Globe and Anchor is a current reproduction
piece, they were never made in WW II.
We see this one constantly on sale as a "Vietnam Era" knife. We have been told these knives were carried by various elite and special units so many time we almost gave up the argument on the subject. Well Camillus didn't start making these knives with this marking until 1974 so if it was in Vietnam it must have been with some other folks not the US forces. Yes the Vietnam War lasted until 1975 but the majority of US combat forces were gone by 1973. Carried in Vietnam... we doubt it.
This marking is post 1990 and is the current marking, it surely wasn't in Vietnam... unless it was with a tourist.
Camillus Factory still shot courtesy of Tom Williams showing the M3 and the M4 reproductions. Note the scabbards with and without sheet metal tip protectors. These sheaths are in a very different style from the originals and always set off an alarm when looking for an original knife.
USMC Raider reproduction with fine pewter handle.
If you are interested in the Camillus M4 and it's variations check out Gary Cunningham's Bayonet Points # 8 right here Bayo Points 8 for great photos and full text on telling them apart. These bayonets are very similar to the originals so you need to check this out before you buy.
Shameful right after the factory closes what comes out.