Kalashnikov Bayonets of the World

https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/201 ... Newsletter

The above link is to a very interesting article on the Evolution of Soviet AK Bayonets. It will answer a lot of questions we have all had regarding these bayonets.

Thanks! Well done article! Ties it all together. The things we knew, the things we suspected, and some new things too. I will have to go through my collection and pictures and re-examine them. Reclassify and reorganize a few items!? I wish someone with organizational skills would take all the information currently available and combine all of it in a new or upgraded book. I'm old school and appreciate hard copy, but even an online PDF version would be appreciated. Mike

I would love to do that, but with the current job I'm having a hard time making time.
I keep wanting to come through this site and catalog the information into a book.
May do it yet.

6X3 "Square round back!"
Ha!

Pictured there, and what we were debating about whether they are arsenal repairs or original.

Awesome article. Finally we have a conclusion to the "pebbled 6X4" bayonets.

I agree with and appreciate most of information in this article. It is well presented, logical and coordinates with other information that is available in other references and from examples. However I do have a couple questions.

The first one is minor and a matter of something that is implied in the drawings and not otherwise referred to. The drawing of the 6X3 with the squared pommel implies it is a production variation and not from replacement/rework. If it is a production variation, is it early or late, Tula, Izhevsk or both? In my experience the squared pommel grips have been replacements. (see pictures and posts under the Topic: Russian AKM 6X3 Type I Bayonets and Scabbards.)

The second question raises a more serious concern. The author of the article quotes, "6X4 Type l - This very first version of the 6X4 bayonet was equipped with the scabbard borrowed from the previous model (6X3). It turns out that the distinctive red scabbard of this bayonet entered the service much later than the bayonet itself". This contradicts all the currently available references and previous information available. (see pictures and posts under the Topic: Russian AKM 6X3 Type I - II Transitional Bayonets and Scabbards.)
Mike

Adding a pdf version of this, in case the original article disappears.