The term "bayonet" is thought to have derived from the French town of Bayonne, famous for its cutlery and may have originally referred to a type of long auxiliary knife which was carried by French soldiers of the time.

Around 1630 the rifle of the day was a matchlock, muzzle loading musket.  It was an extremely slow loading weapon and hence the musket users a.k.a musketeers required defence whilst reloading.  This defence was provided by soldiers armed with pikes and halberds, which could keep the enemy at bay whilst the musketeer re-loaded.

Re-loading the Matchlock:
The musket was first loaded with a measure of gun powder (known as black powder) this was poured down the barrel, then the ball shot was rammed down the barrel with a rifle ramrod, after first being wrapped in a little square of paper (what is today known as cartridge paper) this to stop it rolling back out and give it a tighter fit to aid gas expansion, then the pan on the side of the breach was opened and primed with a measure of black powder, then the hammer was cocked, ensuring that the wick on the end of the hammer was smouldering from a brazier that was always burning away next to the musketeer.  Then after all that they could actually fire the weapon.

Armies persevered with the musket, as it was a half decent long range weapon and eventually pikes and halberds became obsolete.  To put a bayonet on the end, the usual practise was to adapt the handle of a sword and ram it over the muzzle to create a makeshift spear, the musket could not be fired though and developments were carried out in earnest to improve the idea.   The result was the socket bayonet, that could be slipped over the muzzle and the musket could still be fired.

The socket bayonet  first appeared with the French army  around 1670 and was soon adopted by armies throughout Europe.  The basic socket bayonet comprised of a short steel tube 3 to 4 inches long that fitted around the muzzle of the musket on to which was welded a steel blade.  The socket is then  locked on to the muzzle by means of a "zig-zag" slot which engages with a stud or part of the front sight.

Below are images of several socket bayonets that were attached to rifles from around 1670 and onwards.

Below is a very early designed "butterfly bayonet" that  simply slid over the end of the muzzle and was tightened with the butterfly nut.  This type came out before the invention of the "zig-zag" slotted socket.

Initially, lots of various knife and sword blades were welded (heated on) to the socket shroud, but in 1715 the familiar triangular section blades were introduced as the new standard pattern and one that stayed, right into the 20th century.

At the start 18th Century there was a great variety of different muskets with their different corresponding calibers and the external diameter of musket barrels could hence vary greatly.  In the days of the socket bayonet this became a problem so the socket of nearly all new bayonets were tapered, which meant that one size was universal and fitted all.

Gunsmiths were later generally making bayonets to fit the particular weapon that was being produced, this made the bayonet more secure and eliminated any wobbling and rattling bayonets.

Below is an early American M1795 socket bayonet.


Below is the M1835-42 US socket bayonet with a tightening ring that could clamp up the bayonet as a more permanent fixture



Below is the Prussian M1809 "Potsdam" bayonet


Below is an early British Enfield bayonet with scabbard.  The scabbard was a place to keep the bayonet once it was taken off the rifle, it also kept it clean and protected the sharp point.

The bayonet in all of its forms must represent one the most primitive of weapons which is a spear and even with today's modern high tech armies the bayonet is still catered for.  The construction of them may have improved with them being made from tough vanadium steel and poly-carbon-fiber handles etc but the premise is still the same...a sharp object attached to the end of you gun!

MODERN BAYONETS

The M9MPB ( multi-purpose bayonet ) with its 7 inch blade, as seen below, is the latest development for issue with the US army, with the M16 and M4 assault rifles.  The M9 is strong, sharp and robust being made from the latest technology in metallurgy and poly carbon fibers.  Although different contractors have made the M9, the best one has the fuller groove in the blade, as these make the blade stronger.

The bayonet is actually an important part of a soldiers kit just as his rifle and ammunition are, as a bayonet is also a  general utility knife that no soldier should really be without.

Below the US armies modern  M4A3 which is an improved version of the original Colt Armalite M16, is fitted with an M4 bayonet.  The M4A3 assault rifle has the provision for several type of bayonet to be fitted as the military deemed it compulsory.

Every assault rifle that is produced today has the provision to accept a bayonet and a lot of these bayonets are bespoke items, manufactured for the gun in question.  One bayonet does not fit all !

As long as men go into battle with firearms or in the not to distant future...laser guns or electro magnetic pulse rifles, there will always be a provision for a bayonet to be attached to it somewhere.  The latest trend is to attach a bayonet to the humble pistol, as seen below.  It appears that regardless of the type of firearm, there still remains that element of doubt that needs to be covered...and a trusty bayonet covers that doubt.

THE PISTOL BAYONET

The pistol bayonet is in effect a small knife that fits under the frame of the gun, it would deliver a lethal jab or could slash if the pistol shooter was over-run, sneaked up on or cornered by an enemy. In a tight situation where the gun could be snatched or knocked aside in close combat the bayonet would be an added measure of defense.

Manufacturers comment's on the pistol bayonet:

LaserLyteŽ in association with Ka-BarŽ Knives is excited to introduce the Pistol Bayonet.

This razor-sharp, 2.75 inch Ka-Bar blade fits on any medium to large pistol with rail and slides on and off easily with the press of two buttons. Its carbon steel blade is sharpened to a fine edge and finished with a black TeflonŽ coating for protection. Featuring a full tang design, the blade also comes with a custom polymer sheath.  The blade handle is constructed from 30 percent glass-filled nylon for extra strength and durability.

LaserLyte Pistol Bayonet Specifications:

- Product Number: PB-1
- Compatible Firearms: with rails, medium to large frame pistols
- Material: medium carbon, glass filled nylon
- Finish: black oxide
- Weight: 2.6 oz., 73.71 g
- Blade Length: 2.75 in., 69.85 mm
- Overall Length: 5.75 in., 146.05 mm

 

In many ways the bayonet is being further procured and not abandoned, as I stated on an another web page "...a blade is always loaded, always armed and always dependable".  And on that note, I don't ever expect that weapons such as knives, spears, swords and indeed bayonets will ever truly become obsolete from the battlefield.

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