The OKC-3S is a

bayonet A bayonet (from Old French , now spelt ) is a -4; we might wonder whether there's a point at which it's appropriate to talk of the beginnings of French, that is, when it wa ... , now spelt ) is a knife, dagger">knife">-4; we might wonder whethe ...

developed for the

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for conducting expeditionar ...

History

The OKC-3S is part of a series of weapon improvements begun in 2001 by

Commandant of the Marine Corps Commandant of the Marine Corps may refer to: * Commandant of the Marine Corps (Indonesia) * Commandant of the Netherlands Marine Corps * Commandant of the Philippine Marine Corps * Commandant of the Republic of Korea Marine Corps * Commandant of th ...

James L. Jones to expand and toughen

hand-to-hand combat Hand-to-hand combat is a physical confrontation between two or more persons at short range (grappling distance or within the physical reach of a handheld weapon) that does not involve the use of ranged weapons.Hunsicker, A., ''Advanced Skills in ...

training for Marines, including training in the

Marine Corps Martial Arts Program The Marine Corps Martial Arts Program (MCMAP, ) is a combat system developed by the United States Marine Corps to combine existing and new hand-to-hand combat, hand-to-hand and Close combat, close quarters combat techniques with morale and team ...

and

knife fight A knife fight is a violent physical confrontation between two or more combatants in which one or more participants are armed with a knife.MacYoung, Marc, ''Winning A Street Knife Fight'', (Digital format, 70 min.), Boulder, CO: Paladin Press, ( ...

ing. In the Multi-Purpose Bayonet program, 33 different knives were evaluated and to replace the

M7 bayonet The M7 bayonet (NSN 1095-00-017-9701) is a bayonet that was used by the U.S. military for the M16 rifle, it can also be used with the M4 carbine as well as many other assault rifles, carbines, and combat shotguns. It can be used as a fightin ...

and

M9 bayonet The M9 bayonet, officially known as the M9 Phrobis III, is an American multi-purpose knife and bayonet officially adopted in 1986 by the United States Armed Forces for the M16 rifle. History In 1973, the U.S. military retired the M7 bayonet, i ...

as its service bayonet for the M16 family of rifles and M4 series carbine. The OKC-3S performed best, or next to best, in nearly all testing categories. A contract for OKC-3S was made in December 2002, with production and distribution beginning in January 2003. The OKC-3S is manufactured solely by the

Ontario Knife Company Ontario Knife Company (OKC) was an American manufacturer of knives and military tools. On August 1, 2023, OKC was acquired by Blue Ridge Knives and subsequently closed. History Ontario Knife Company was founded in 1889 in Naples, New York. ...

and identical civilian versions are available for purchase. The National Stock Number (NSN) is 1095-01-521-6087.

Specifications

The OKC-3S features an long, wide, thick blade. The serrations measure of the blade length on the true edge. The entire weapon is designed to be corrosion resistant, and weighs with its sheath. The scabbard and grip are colored to match the Corps' coyote tan gear, compatible with both woodland and desert camouflage.

Design

The OKC-3S bayonet provides greater durability than the M7 bayonet and it also functions as a

fighting knife A fighting knife has a blade designed to most effectively inflict injury in close-quarters physical confrontations.Burton, Walter E., ''Knives For Fighting Men'', Popular Science, July 1944, Vol. 145 No. 1, p. 150Hunsicker, A., ''Advanced Skills ...

. The OKC-3S bears a resemblance to the Marines' iconic Ka-Bar fighting knife with serrations near the handle, though it is not fullered. The OKC-3S is slightly thinner and lighter than the current U.S. Army issued

Blade

The blade is made from

high High may refer to: Science and technology * Height * High (atmospheric), a high-pressure area * High (computability), a quality of a Turing degree, in computability theory * High (tectonics), in geology an area where relative tectonic uplift t ...

carbon steel Carbon steel is a steel with carbon content from about 0.05 up to 2.1 percent by weight. The definition of carbon steel from the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) states: * no minimum content is specified or required for chromium, cobalt ...

rated at HRC 53-58 and is capable of functioning without breakage in

operating temperature An operating temperature is the allowable temperature range of the local ambient environment at which an electrical or mechanical device operates. The device will operate effectively within a specified temperature range which varies based on the de ...

s of . The blade also has a non-

reflective Reflection is the change in direction of a wavefront at an interface between two different media so that the wavefront returns into the medium from which it originated. Common examples include the reflection of light, sound and water waves. The ...

phosphate Phosphates are the naturally occurring form of the element phosphorus. In chemistry, a phosphate is an anion, salt, functional group or ester derived from a phosphoric acid. It most commonly means orthophosphate, a derivative of orthop ...

finish. In one demonstration, a prototype was able to pierce a

punching bag A punching bag (or British English punchbag) is a sturdy bag designed to be repeatedly punched. A punching bag is usually cylindrical and filled with various materials of suitable hardness. History Punching bags have been used in martial arts ...

covered with aircraft aluminum and a

ballistic vest A bulletproof vest, also known as a ballistic vest or bullet-resistant vest, is a type of body armor designed to absorb impact and prevent the penetration of firearm projectiles and Fragmentation (weaponry), explosion fragments to the torso. The ...

. A sharper point helps penetrate

body armor Body armour, personal armour (also spelled ''armor''), armoured suit (''armored'') or coat of armour, among others, is armour for human body, a person's body: protective clothing or close-fitting hands-free shields designed to absorb or deflect ...

that many modern adversaries wear; while serrations near the handle help improve its function as a utility knife.

Grip

The grip is made of Dynaflex, a synthetic non-slip material, is ergonomically grooved, and is more oval than round. This design helps prevent repetitive-strain injuries and hand fatigue during training. It also features an embossed

Eagle, Globe, and Anchor The Eagle, Globe, and Anchor (commonly referred to as an EGA) is the official emblem and insignia of the United States Marine Corps. The current emblem traces its roots in the designs and ornaments of the early Continental Marines as well as the ...

molded in to allow a user to identify the direction of the blade in the dark. The encapsulated tang connects the cross guard/muzzle ring (which is ) and pommel latch plate that clasps the barrel lug; both are phosphate coated like the blade. Former Ontario Knife Company president and chief executive Nick Trbovich Jr. said of it:

"We spent a lot of time making sure the handle was ergonomically correct… There are no
blister A blister is a small pocket of body fluid (lymph, serum, plasma, blood, or pus) within the upper layers of the skin, usually caused by forceful rubbing (friction), burning, freezing, chemical exposure or infection. Most blisters are filled ...
points on the handle."

Scabbard

The

polyester Polyester is a category of polymers that contain one or two ester linkages in every repeat unit of their main chain. As a specific material, it most commonly refers to a type called polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Polyesters include some natura ...

elastomer An elastomer is a polymer with viscoelasticity (i.e. both viscosity and elasticity) and with weak intermolecular forces, generally low Young's modulus (E) and high failure strain compared with other materials. The term, a portmanteau of ''ela ...

scabbard, designed by

Natick Labs The DEVCOM Soldier Center, sometimes CCDC Soldier Center (Combat Capabilities Development Command Soldier Center, DEVCOM SC aka CCDC SC), formerly the Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center (NSRDEC), is a military research com ...

, offers a weight and noise reduction from the previous M7 scabbard and is

ILBE The improved load-bearing equipment (ILBE) is a United States Marine Corps program that had included individual load carriage equipment, individual hydration systems, and individual water purification. Since the rucksack was the first component o ...

compatible. It has a fitted internal

stainless steel Stainless steel, also known as inox, corrosion-resistant steel (CRES), or rustless steel, is an iron-based alloy that contains chromium, making it resistant to rust and corrosion. Stainless steel's resistance to corrosion comes from its chromi ...

spring and friction device at its throat to secure the bayonet. A

ceramic A ceramic is any of the various hard, brittle, heat-resistant, and corrosion-resistant materials made by shaping and then firing an inorganic, nonmetallic material, such as clay, at a high temperature. Common examples are earthenware, porcela ...

-coated

aluminum Aluminium (or aluminum in North American English) is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol Al and atomic number 13. It has a density lower than that of other common metals, about one-third that of steel. Aluminium has ...

honing rod is located on the back of the scabbard. The scabbard is compatible with the

MOLLE Modular lightweight load-carrying equipment, or MOLLE (pronounced ), is the current generation of load-bearing equipment used by the United States Army. MOLLE equipment uses Pouch Attachment Ladder System (PALS)-type webbing – rows of hea ...

PALS Pals () is a medieval town in Catalonia, northern Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of con ...

modular attachment system. The scabbard lacks the wire cutter of the M9 for use when assaulting beaches or other

concertina wire Concertina wire or Dannert wire is a type of barbed wire or razor wire that is formed in large coils which can be expanded like a concertina. In conjunction with plain barbed wire (and/or razor wire/tape) and steel pickets, it is most oft ...

–fortified obstacles.

Users

* **

References

* * * * {{commons category, OKC-3S Bayonets of the United States Military knives United States Marine Corps equipment Military equipment introduced in the 2000s