Posted 12 years ago
Samovar88
(29 items)
There are no marks on this bayonet except for what is shown in the picture. I have had a difficult time researching this bayonet as there is an overwhelming amount of wrong or contradicting facts on the internet. I have read that triangle bayonets were banned by either the Geneva Convention or the Hague Convention. Any ideas?
The Geneva Convention did ban triangular bayonets, knives etc.. I believe that was after WWI. This looks like for an earlier gun, maybe muzzle loader. What is the dia. of the hole?
The inside diameter is pretty small, about 5/8 inch.
That eliminates muzzle-loaders & guns up to about 1890. My guess is from then to maybe 1915. The "Limies" made some kind of like this even until maybe after the ban, but I don't recognize the "Z" locking system. Here again, I'm not an expert or serious collector of bayonettes, but do generally know most styles. Just struck me that it might be Russian from that period. Do you know what area it came from? It is obviously a "dig".
I might add for those uninformed, early bayonets had that "L" pattern away from the muzzle because it was painful to load a muzzle-loaded with a bayonet almost in line with the bore. Even the first breech-loaders using black powder had to have the bore cleaned after about 10-15 rounds(from the muzzle) so the same problem prevailed. Smokeless powder(less residue) came around about 1890 but that doesn't mean everybody changed all at once.
Thank you for your input, blunderbuss2, I know next to nothing about this, picked it up cheap at a flea market in Pennsylvania. I know it isn't Pennsylvanian :)
Almost positive it isn't U.S. My guess is around 6-8 m/m rifle.
With the lack of markings or a clear picture I would guess British 1870's -80's or possibly Russian.