In 1977, soldiers of the Austrian army received new StG 77 (AUG) rifles. However, unlike the previous model, a bayonet-knife was not attached to this rifle unit.
Apparently, the Austrian politicians considered that such edged weapons are inhumane and will encourage the aggressiveness of soldiers, which is contrary to the purely defensive military doctrine of Austria. However, since its inception, the bayonet-knife has evolved significantly and has become a multi-purpose tool. Therefore, a new rifle unit should have been equipped with a piercing-cutting product. Soon they became the Glock 78 bayonet. Information about the device of the combat blade, purpose and technical characteristics is presented in this article.
Introduction
The Glock 78 knife (product photo below) is a 1978 field knife. Designed by the Austrian arms company Glock GmbH. Official combat knife "Glock78" is listed as Feldmesser 78. However, it is mostly abbreviated as FM 78.
A bit of history
The knife was created on a competitive basis by three companies: the Austrian Glock GmbH, Ludwig Zeilter and the German Eickhorn. Due to the fact that the Austrian army, as a customer, put forward a number of requirements regarding the design and use of materials, the presented knives turned out to be very similar in appearance and design. The blade was developed with the participation of the Austrian army special forces Jagdkommando. Soon an experimental batch of knives from Zeilter was released. The expert commission liked the model, but the company unexpectedly went bankrupt and left the competition. Judging by the reviews of experts, the knife was of high quality. The contract for the supply of combat blades was received by Glock GmbH, which produced pistols and various army equipment: machine-gun belts, sapper shovels, etc. Judging by the reviews, the Glock 78 knife was lighter than previous models, structurally simpler and easily attached to army uniforms.
Description
Outwardly, the Glock 78 knife does not look very aesthetically pleasing. The reason for this is the presence of a crosshair in the form of a stamped part. However, according to experts, this is not considered a disadvantage in a tactical knife. At one end, the crosshair was bent in such a way that the thumb could rest against it.
In addition, this element can be used as an opener. Judging by the reviews, bottles and boxes of ammunition are easily printed using the Glock 78 knife. Blade with clip-on side profilepoint, which is also called "bowie". In the production of FM 78, spring carbon steel is used, which is subject to heat treatment. Blade with black oxide coating to prevent corrosion.
It is noteworthy that for most combat knives, the durability index varies from 58 to 62 units. In FM 78 it is only 55 HRC. According to experts, this does not mean that low quality steel is used in the Austrian bayonet. The indicator on the Rockwell scale was deliberately underestimated by the Austrian designers. The developers pursued the main goal - to make the knife more resilient and not so fragile, and for this it was necessary to reduce the hardness. As a result, sharpening the blade became easier. For the manufacture of the handle, polyamide is used, from which frames are made in Glock pistols. This material has high mechanical strength and wear resistance. In addition, polyamide is resistant to aggressive environments. So that the fighter could securely hold the knife in the palm of his hand, the surface of the handle was made rough. Additionally, the knife handle was equipped with five transverse annular grooves. Inside the handle there is a special cavity that can be used as a pencil case. It closes tightly with a plastic cap.
About the scabbard and how to wear it
The Austrian combat knife comes with a 45-gram plastic sheath. The uniqueness of the case lies in the fact that there are absolutely no metal parts in it. The latch in the form of a console with a release button was made as a simpleplastic tide. The lower part has two holes: a rectangular "drainage" hole, through which accumulated moisture is removed from the sheath, and a round one, to which the cord is attached. Its task is to provide additional fixation of the cover. The sheathed blade can be worn in either direction. So that the fighter could hang the knife on a waist belt no more than 6 cm wide, the sheath was equipped with a plastic loop. In the Austrian army, the knife can also be worn in another way - on the chest, with the handle pointing down. Judging by the reviews, this method is considered the most popular. Initially, before the advent of adapters with rubber mounting loops, bayonet-knives were tied to straps in unloading with adhesive tape. The soldiers of the Bundeswehr did the same, adapting the bayonet-knives from the AK to the NATO RPS.
Competitor
In 1981, the Austrian company released a new version of the combat blade, which is listed as FM 81. Unlike the Glock 78 knife, the butt in the new sample was equipped with a saw. The developers of the Austrian company call such products knives "survivors". However, according to experts, survival blades are multifunctional. Due to the fact that ordinary steel is used in the production of models No. 78 and 81, the cost of these knives is no more than 30 euros. For both options, three versions are provided: depending on the color of the uniform, the plastic parts in cutting products can be black, olive and sand. FM 81 did not enter service with the Austrian army. The reason for this was the presence of a saw.
The fact is that according to the Hague Convention signed in 1899year, a knife with a file is considered a melee weapon that can cause unnecessary suffering to the affected person. Therefore, even in the First World War, soldiers tried not to use sapper bayonets with saws in hand-to-hand combat. In captivity, the owner of such a knife cannot escape cruel reprisal.
About specifications
Glock 78 knife has the following parameters:
- Item weighs 202g
- Total length is 29 cm, blades are 16.5 cm.
- The blade is 5 mm thick and 2.2 cm wide.
- Made from high carbon steel.
- The hardness index is 55 HRC.
In closing
Since 1978, soldiers of the Austrian army special forces have been equipped with knives. According to experts, the FM 78 is no less popular than the Glock pistols. Also, these bayonet-knives rely on every soldier of the Austrian army.
It is noteworthy that the blades of this type in the Bundeswehr are the prerogative of only the military elite, and the rest of the soldiers are forced to be content with the usual "stockpiles". Since 1980, tactical knives have also been used by the special forces of the Austrian police.
