KCB-70 "Stoner" Bayonet

To be fixed on the Stoner 63A1 Weapons System 

In the seventies the Dutch company NWM (Nederlandse Wapen- en Munitie Fabriek) 'De Kruithoorn' developed the "Post-70 Soldier" program. The intention of this program was to equip the modern soldier with better weapons, which of course were all made by NWM. The Dutch NWM company had acquired a license to fabricate the Stoner 63A1 Assault Rifle (XM 22), Carbine (XM 23), and the MG (XM 207) and wanted to sell this within this program. 

Henk Visser (famous international weapon collector), who was one of the NVM board members, approached the Eickhorn company to make a bayonet with the same resemblance and functionality as the AK-47 bayonet. The result of this combined effort was a new (NATO) bayonet which could be fixed on all Stoner 63A1 weapons systems but also on the M16. Varieties of this bayonet are still in use in modern armies.

The KCB-70 (which stands for: Knife-Cutter-Bayonet 1970) bayonet can be identified by the NWM logo underneath the Eickhorn logo. Also this type of bayonet has a hollow grip in which a sight adjustment tool can be inserted.  However most of these bayonets do not have this sight adjustment tool, because the tool itself was made by NWM and not by Eickhorn. The main reason for this was out of a commercial view, NWM also wanted to sell this bayonet for other NATO type weapons as well. That is why another kind of tool/part was also optional 'as long as the dimensions are right'. The hollow space is closed by a metal square part which can be easily removed by pressing a spring coiled press-stud trough the round opening inside the metal closing part (see photos).

  

This bayonet has a parkerised bowie-type (AK-47 bayonet) blade with an elliptical opening of 15 by 8 mm in order to function as a wire-cutter in combination with its scabbard. Even electrical wires can be cut (up to 20.000 Volts), since both the hilt and body of the scabbard serve as insulated handles. The end of the scabbard can be used as a screwdriver.

In the  NWM "Post-70 Soldier" program brochure (see brochure gallery) the following is mentioned about this bayonet: This combined combat knife, wire cutter, saw and bayonet, developed jointly by NWM and Eickhorn of Solingen, will prove a useful adjunct to the Stoner Weapons System.  

Dimensions
Overall Length: 302 mm
Blade Length: 175 mm
Blade Width: 30 mm
Blade Thickness: 3,5 mm
Number of saw teeth: 49 mm
Muzzle Ring Diameter: 22 mm

KCB-70 M1 "Stoner" Bayonet Collection:

    

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