POLISH MAUSER Bayonets and Variations.

On this page I intend to outline the various Polish made Mauser bayonets available to the collector I  will use my collection and photographs from other collectors to illustrate the variations. Hopefully it will allow you to get through the minefield of identification of these bayonets, as unfortunately the good sites on Polish bayonets no longer exist, and the books do not seem to be consistent.

Note dimensions are nominal and there will be some variations between different blades. The information is taken from various Polish bayonet books, and help from other collectors, however any mistakes are down to me and I would appreciate any corrections or examples of blades not illustrated to give the most accurate information possible. I have used Bagnet Wojska Ploskiego 1914-1999 Vol2  by Krzystof Szczeglow (an excellent set of books) as a basis for designations for consistency. The translations and most of the pictures are courtesy of "Christopher from Radomsko" without who's help this page would not be possible, any thanks Christopher.

All pictures are from "Christopher from Radomsko" unless noted

M1922

The first bayonet produced in Poland, it is clearly based on the German 84/98. The grips are made of beech fixed by two screws with the nuts on the left side of the grips. German WWII reworks are typically blued and have the grip fixings reversed (though not always to confuse things further). The bayonet has no flash guard or muzzle ring, and has a polished blade. This bayonet has a slightly slimmer blade than later versions.

The bayonet was made to fit the Mauser M1898 rifle and the carbine Mosin M1891/98/25

 

Markings

Pommel - sometimes marked WZ22

Right ricasso - typically Zbr 4 (armoury #4 in Krakow), however you can also get Zbr. Nr.4, Zb.Kr (rare) or Zbr.4 over Krakow (very rare)

Left ricasso - Polish eagle over W.P, (Wojsko Polskie = Polish Army)

Scabbard

Austrian type painted green was originally used, but also late scabbards form the M1927 and M1928 models

Dimensions

Overall Length - 384mm

Blade Length - 250mm

Blade width - 23mm

Blade thickness - 5.4mm

Not very well made these bayonets were replaced by the M1924

1922 Mauser, this is the first pattern of many for the Polish made Mauser rifles. this is marked ZBr4 for the armoury #4 in K.

 

M1924

The bayonet was an improved version of the 1922 model. The construction is the same but uses a heavier blade and is fitted with a flashguard and no muzzle ring, (German Influence). These were all made by Perkun a private manufacturer

The bayonet was made to fit the Mauser M1898 rifle and carbine and the carbine Mosin M1891/98/25

 

Markings

Pommel - marked bg.wz.24 or WZ.24

Right ricasso letter in a rectangle over Perkun and the bayonet serial number

Left ricasso has Polish eagle over W.P, (Wojsko Polskie = Polish Army)

Scabbard

Perkun made scabbards are marked with the letter in a rectangle with a matching serial number. Originally painted black these were repainted after 1936 with dark green

The M1924 usually doesn't have an eagle under the pommel

Dimensions

Overall Length - 381mm

Blade Length - 248mm

Blade width - 24.6mm

Blade thickness - 5.5mm

 

WZ24 Mauser bayonet made by PERKUN, this one has WZ24 marked on the pommel, which is not commonly found This one has a German scabbard

Matching M1924, painting is non original

 

 

right side of ricasso, D in hexagon, is a control mark #238671

 

 

Similar D in hexagon control mark on scabbard

 

back of scabbard marked 238761

 

Combat cut point on this bayonet

 

 

Flash guard but no muzzle ring

 

Eagle mark under the pommel

 

 

M1925

Only one known example of this is recorded. It is the same as the M1924 but is 5mm shorter. Is fitted with flashguard

The bayonet was made to fit the Mauser M1898 rifle and carbine and the carbine Mosin M1891/98/25

 

Markings

Pommel - WZ.25

Right ricasso letter in a rectangle over Perkun and the bayonet serial number

Left ricasso has Polish eagle over W.P, (Wojsko Polskie = Polish Army)

Scabbard

Originally painted black these were repainted after 1936 with dark green

Dimensions

Overall Length - 376mm

Blade Length - 244mm

Blade width - 25mm

Blade thickness - 5mm

 
 

No example

 

M1927

Fitted with flashguard and no muzzle ring, it has an eagle under the pommel and serial numbers on the cross guard

The bayonet was made to fit the Mauser M1898 rifle and carbine and the carbine Mosin M1891/98/25

 

Markings

Pommel - marked WZ.27 (somethimes)

Right ricasso letter in a rectangle Perkun, an M in a triangle and the bayonet serial number

Left ricasso has Polish eagle over W.P, (Wojsko Polskie = Polish Army)

Scabbard

 

Dimensions

Overall Length - 380mm

Blade Length - 247mm

Blade width - 24.5mm

Blade thickness - 6mm

 

M1927

Number on the cross guard

left ricasso

Eagle under the pommel

Flash guard

 

M1928

Later known as the M1929 this was originally produced as the M1928

The 1928 has a flash guard and a muzzle ring also made without the flash guard. This bayonet was made  PERKUN

 

Scabbard

 

Dimensions

Overall Length - 385mm

Blade Length - 253mm

Blade width - 25mm

Blade thickness - 6mm

muzzle ring 15.3mm

 

 WP is double stamped

 

M1930

The 1930 has no flash guard but keeps a muzzle ring. This bayonet was made by RADOM and PERKUN

The bayonet was made to fit the Mauser M1898 rifle and the carbine PFK wz. 1929

 

Dimensions

Overall Length - 385mm

Blade Length - 252mm

Blade width - 25.5mm

Blade thickness - 6mm

muzzle ring 15.5mm

 
1930 model with muzzle ring and no flashguard made by Perkun

 

M1930 opposite

The 1928 has no flashguard but keeps a muzzle ring. This bayonet can be found made by both PERKUN  and RADOM and is noted for its reversed marking positions

The bayonet was made to fit the Mauser M1898 rifle and the carbine PFK wz. 1929

 

Markings

Right ricasso Polish eagle over W.P, (Wojsko Polskie = Polish Army)

Left ricasso has PERKUN, RADOM are unmarked

Scabbard

 

Dimensions

Overall Length - 385mm

Blade Length - 253mm

Blade width - 25mm

Blade thickness - 6mm

muzzle ring 15.3mm

 

Eagle on right sideLeft side nothing  - so RADOM made

 

M1930 Mobilisation

This model has no flash guard but keeps a muzzle ring, and si made by both PERKUN and RADOM. Often recorded as a short production for a semi auto rifle

The bayonet was made to fit the Mauser M1898 rifle and the carbine PFK wz. 1929

 

Markings

Right ricasso letter, PERKUN or RADOM, and the bayonet serial number on the cross guard

Left ricasso has Polish eagle over 1939

Scabbard

 

Dimensions

Overall Length - 383mm

Blade Length - 250mm

Blade width - 25mm

Blade thickness - 6mm

muzzle ring 15.5mm

 

Factory blued

 

German Reworks

All models of the Polish Mauser can be found reworked by the Germans during WWII. This work involved removing the muzzle rings on ones originally made with them, re-blueing the blades, and often replacing the grips with a resultant reversal of  grip bolt direction (but not always). They may also have German WaA acceptance marks

 

Perkun 1928 rework

Polish M1928 Mobilisation bayonet used by German Kreigsmarine unit

 

RADOM manufactured with low serial number of "20"

 

Only German marking on Blade is the WaA on the blade spine

 

Significance of grip marks and whether German or Polish is unknown

(old smithy collection)

Comparison of reworked M1928 (left) and normal model

 

Scabbards

Originally panted black, after 1936 these were painted green

 

RADOM made

RADOM double rivet

RADOM

PERKUN single rivet

German Rework

 

Frogs

The same frog was used by the Polish for Polish, French and German bayonets