Kalashnikov rifles are highly-regarded, probably the finest produced today.Īrsenal Co. was chosen as a supplier for two reasons: 1) Bulgaria was a coalition member supporting the 2003 invasion of Iraq (Russia had undermined efforts to curb Saddam Hussein) and, 2) Arsenal Co's. Government to supply Kalashnikov rifles to equip the reconstituted New Iraqi Army. I found this information on line, which may be of interest: I do believe the blade Richard owns is one of the first run (possibly could be called prototype) units produced. I ended up buying a later version with the metal painted black. As with Richard, it was at a ridiculously high price so I passed. I've known the owner of K-Var for years and was offered one of these bayonets when they first came available. So, to resupply the Iraqi Police and later Army with AKs the US bought brand new AKs from Bulgaria and Romania in 7.62x39 with many of the Bulgarian AKs being the T3 design. The US destroyed thousands of AKs captured in Iraq because they said it was too expensive to check them all for safety - even the brand new Tabuks captured at the factory. The US government is one of Bulgaria's main customers for these. They have been updated with a variety of things like a 90 degree gas block similar to the AK74s' gas block and black plastic furniture similar to that used on the AK74. The frog usually has two leather flaps that will go around the rubber insulator of the scabbard to secure itself to the scabbard.The Bulgarians still produce milled receiver AKs based on the Soviet T3. The frog can be found made of cotton-canvas (ranging in color from light green to brown), all leather, or nylon (from light green to brown in color) material. But most commonly, the bayonet can be found with its unique frog. The Romanian "Type I" bayonet can be found with a leather belt loop style hanger that's brown in color as well as a brown leather hanger which has two hooks on either end of it. The handle can be found in smooth/clear colors as well as a marbling finish and sometimes even a mottled finish. The bakelite handle of them can be find in all sorts of colors, too, ranging from orange-yellow to very dark brown. Rubber insulators can be found in many colors such as white, grey, tan, yellow, orange, pink, red, and brown. The Romanian "Type I" also has a brown leather wrist strap with two buckles. Three letter and four digit number SJC 8042 Single letter and four digit number K 2934ĭouble letter and four digit number DB 1828
#Ak 47 bayonet belt hanger serial#
There are some exceptions in the style of serial numbering (or lack of it) but the common ones you'll encounter are: Almost all the Romanian "Type I" bayonets you encounter will be serialized. The Romanian "Type I" bayonets aren't assembled exactly perfect - you'll find them a bit more crude in manufacture than other countries' "Type I" bayonet.Īnother tell-tale sign is the serialization of the bayonet and scabbard which is done in electropencil or sometimes stamped. It's normally a phosphate, dull dark grey finish. There is an extremely early version of the Romanian "Type I" without the raised edge because it was a direct copy of the Russian one, but it's extremely rare and not encountered hardly at all.Īlso, look for the finish on the scabbard. Some Romanian "Type I" bayonets will have that raised edge slightly different (more pronounced, etc.) but almost all of them have it. Here's the Romanian "Type I's" raised edge on the end of the handle: Other countries' "Type I" bayonets don't have it and retain a smooth/flat, unraised end. On the Romanian "Type I" bayonet, you'll find a raised edge on the end or pommel of the handle where it's rather bulbous. Poland, East Germany, Russia, and Hungary made "Type I" bayonets but the Romanian ones are distinct by a few features: The Roamnian "Type I" bayonet probably has the most variations of any other country's "Type I" bayonet. A "Type I" bayonet is basically a bayonet that has a bowie-type blade, bakelite or plastic handle with a rounded/bulbous pommel, and a metal scabbard which has a rubber insulater around it. The Romanian "Type I" bayonert is what you want for your rifle project.