M1 Carbine bayonet will not go on.

[Jerico]

Just purchased an Auto Ordnance/Kahr Arms M1 Carbine and wanted to use it with my M1 Carbie bayonet. I purchased an M1 Carbine barrel band with the bayonet lug from Kahr Arms and installed it onto the rifle. When I went to attach the bayonet it would not go all the way down to lock into place. It was as if the barrel was too long by about 1/4 inch. Are the barrels on the Kahr Arms/Auto Ordnance M1 Carbines not mil-spec? Any input would be appreciated.

[Deputy]

Very possible they are not EXACTLY the same. I bought a GI M2 carbine handguard to replace the factory metal ventilated one on my Kahr carbine and it would not fit either.

[Jerico]

I wonder what anyone from Kahr Arms has to say on this problem or do they not have any input on this forum. Seems funny they advertise a bayonet lug barrel band to use with a bayonet, yet it will not work when put on the rifle. I've even tried a USGI barrel band with the bayonet lug and it was the same.

[fishinallday]

Mine works just fine, did you get the bayonet from AO as well? Is it possible that you have a different type of bayonet?

[Jerico]

The bayonet is a new Cammilus M1 carbine bayonet, which fit all my other standard GI M1 Carbines I've had. Seems if I would have to go to the expense of purchasing another bayonet from AO, it would mean that the Kahr/AO carbines are not to mil-specs. I did purchase the barrel band with bayonet lug from AO and it did not work with the bayonet, nor did a regular GI barrel band work with the AO carbine. Still waiting for Kahr/AO to pipe-up on some feedback on this issue.

[Deputy]

Quite honestly, I don't believe ALL the parts on the AO carbines are exactly the same as GI carbines. I don't ever remember AO stating they were built to GI spec either.

[Jerico]

Would have been nice for them to say that in advertising. Also why do they offer a bayonet lug barrel band, for use with a bayonet, without stating it may or may not work with some of their guns. The bayonets they offer are just regular used GI issue ones, nothing special, so you'd think the rifles were at least within GI specs. Looks like all they did was re-create what IAI offered a fews years back, which also was more trouble than what they were worth.

[WMD]

Jerico said: "The bayonets they offer are just regular used GI issue ones, nothing special...."

I do not think it is as simple as that. I think there are different variations of the same "style" of bayonet. I am not sure which variation AO sells. I have a friend who has good knowledge of this stuff and will ask him his view and report back!

[HigherPeace]

Are you sure your firearm is AO? AO isn't the only one who makes that model.

[Deputy]

Something else intetresting...when AO first came out with their version of an M1 carbine, I bought a folding stock to mount on it. It wouldn't fit at all. Now AO is selling a version with that exact same (Made in Italy) folding stock. I suspect they made some mods to get it to fit.