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Saw this on ebay and wanted to know if this is really a genuine Indian made bayonet from 1921 or not. I'm not too familiar with the Indian production dates. Thoughts?
Original WW1 WW2 Indian Pattern 1907 Ishapore Long Bayonet and Scabbard CA 1921 | eBay
It is a nice honest genuine example of a post WWI RFI P1907, not super rare but rates an uncommon to find. Good luck.
It looks OK to me.
The (British) Indian Army decided that the standard length 1907 was too long for the type of terrain that they expected to have to operate in and so came up with the shorter version. In my opinion, it is a pity that the British Army did not do the same. That damn great 1907 on the end of a rifle handicapped its proper use, that is to say - chucking lead at the enemy and made the rifle difficult to handle when fixed. It is not difficult to see the 1907's heritage in the Arisaka bayonet but that came from an Army who thought of a rifle as a useful device on which to attach a bayonet and even had bayonets on their LMGs!
"Bayonet Fencing" was largely a myth by the Twentieth Century and even when a bayonet is used (in the last resort) a shorter handier one is no real handicap.
BTW I am not saying the the order "fix bayonets" does not gird up the loins etc. just that it does not have to be so bloody long!
BTW, thanks for posting the bayonet. It has reminded me that I intend to do some research shooting an SMLE with a standard 1907 and and Indian version.
So the 1907 bayonet was too long for them and the SLR bayonet too short !! Its interesting to see the manufacturing process in the later years, regarding the Mk11 and the Mk 111, with the Mk 111 looking more agricultural, with the Mk11 blade but straight grips and square pommel.
A bit off topic but I know a lad who goes off to India a few times a year, to show how a manufacture can cut costs and improve profits, some of the stuff is so simple, but the amount it saves is unbelievable, I,m not saying he had anything to do with the Mk111 bayonet (dont think he,s that old), but same meat different gravy.
IIRC the Indian Army was reluctant to adopt the P1907 as they preferred the shorter P1903. I have a WWII Indian manufactured P1903 scabbard which suggests they were keen to keep the ones they had in service.