A Sterling bayonet?

[Flying10uk]

Is this a Sterling SMG bayonet rather than for a L1A1, please? Thanks

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[skiprat]

It looks like a commercial Sterling bayonet made by Sterling to fit their SMG ... Not a British military issue item

[porterkids]

I agree, looks like a commercial Sterling with plastic grips. Mortise slot in back of pommel should be round for a Sterling.

[Peter Laidler]

Talking of which....... come a bit closer as I don't want the rest of the bayonet collectors in the world to know this but a little birdie has made it known to me that someone has a little stash of No5 and/or L1A1 cross-pieces from one of the last UK Military contracts. It has just been confirmed - and there are just a few No5 types. Come back if you're interested and I'll put you in touch. But when they're gone, that's it......... And in a years time, when you've bought a cheap hard-to resist-at-the-price broken No5 bayonet you'll be reminding yourself about how you should have bought one when they were cheap!

That bayonet could just do with a easily made wood grips plus the grip screws and nuts and you'll have yourself the correct No5 bayonet that we all know. BUT........
It might be that when you get the grips off, the tang/blade is cast to take the steel grips from the L1A1 bayonet. The grip rivet centres suggest that it'll be a No5 type blade.

[tankhunter]

I have a set of those plastic grip scales myself. I have yet to handle a 'Correct' Bayonet with them affixed!

I THINK this particular specimen, MIGHT be a foreign contract version? The OFFICIAL Sterling COMMERCIAL No.5 Bayonet
Had Metal grips as we all know. AND, the Etched word 'STERLING' in a rectangular box on the Blade.

I would be interested to know for sure. Which Country Made/ obtained the plastic gripped variants?....

[Flying10uk]

I was a bit mystified/curious about those plastic grips which I haven't seen before, hence why I posted the picture in Post 1.

[browningautorifle]

those plastic grips

We talked about those here some time back...but I don't remember what reason Peter gave us for Sterling to actually produce and market a "Commercial model"...like it's target is the civilian populace...?

[tankhunter]

We talked about those here some time back...but I don't remember what reason Peter gave us for Sterling to actually produce and market a "Commercial model"...like it's target is the civilian populace...?

Jim, I feel by what Sterling Termed 'Commercial'. They meant ANY approved 'Customer/ end user' OTHER then the British M.O.D. Or as it was Termed back then, The War Office.

[browningautorifle]

ANY approved 'Customer/ end user' OTHER than The War Office.

That makes sense.

[porterkids]

They are commercial models. I have examples with plastic grips affixed by rivets and by screws.