[Perseverando]

USMC BAYONET

PURPOSE
From 500 yards, every Marine is accurate with a rifle. Attach the OKC-3S Bayonet, and the weapon becomes just as effective in close combat situations. Also a Marine's multi-purpose fighting knife, the OKC-3S is the weapon of choice when shots can't be fired. Every Marine receives bayonet training in the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program (MCMAP) and on the Bayonet Assault Course in Recruit Training.

FEATURES
Grooved, non-slip handle with steel guard and butt
Polyester elastomer sheath offers weight and noise reduction
Serrations at base of blade for utility knife purposes
Sharp tip capable of puncturing a ballistic vest
Ergonomic grip design helps prevent training-related, repetitive-strain injuries
Grip embossed with an Eagle, Globe and Anchor

SPECIFICATIONS
Overall length: 13.25 inches
Blade length: 8 inches
Blade Material: Carbon steel
Weight: 1.25 pounds with sheath
8" partially serrated blade
Non-reflective phosphate finish
Fielded in 2003

BAYONET TRAINING (See Sidebar)

Charge with lethal precision
A bayonet is a removable fighting knife that attaches to the muzzle of a rifle barrel. In close combat situations where a rifle cannot be fired, the bayonet is an indispensible, lethal weapon. Learning how to effectively use a bayonet is an important part of Marine Corps training.

On the bayonet assault course, recruits learn to attach and detach the bayonet from the rifle quickly and to engage targets aggressively. They become masters of offensive and defensive fighting techniques.

[jboot]

Bayonets are HARDLY obsolete. I know WWII US Army bayonet drill (old-fashioned thrust and parry) fairly well. At hand-to-hand range a rifle with a fixed bayonet is a much more decisive weapon than either a pistol or a hand-held knife. Good on the Marines for keeping the focus on them.

[Buffalo Head]

Even though the Marine’s M4’s have a bayonet lug on the base of the front sight, a bayonet can not be attached to the carbines. The M4’s and M16’s utilize the same front sight (to save money?). The bayonets can only be attached to the longer barreled M16 rifles.