M-1880 Hunting Knife Basic Information

The M-1880 Hunting Knife was designed for concurrent use with the M- 1881 and the M-1888 Rod Bayonet Rifles also manufactured at the Springfield Armory. The first 1002 knives were made in 1881 and had iron guards. Subsequently another 9,000 or 10,000 were made with brass guards (records vary). In 1883, the first 4,000 or 5,000 M-1880 Hunting Knives were made with brass guards and another 5,000 were made in 1885.

All M-1880 Hunting Knives were serial numbered. The knife was used heavily in western outposts, accounting for the wide distribution and usually sharpened or pitted condition found by collectors. The purposes of the knife included skinning game, digging shallow trenches, and clearing brush.

Reproductions of this sought after knife are common, as are finding legitimate ones with replacement handles. Collectors should use caution.

M-1880 Basic Data