L1A1, L1A2, L1A3 Bayonets??

Can someone tell me what the difference is between the L1A1, L1A2 and L1A3 bayonets? Or is there a defference? Any pictures would be great.
Thanks

One of the easiest ways to tell them apart is by the press stud. L1A1 has a protruding press stud and the grips are marked L1A1 with a stores number. I don't have my reference material handy to tell you the exact number. Usually they have a blackened hilt and a bright blade.

The L1A2 is very similar to the L1A1 with the protruding press stud, but the bayonet is completely unmarked and has a parkerized finish. These were used by Australia.

The L1A3 has a concave recess around the press stud and the stud does not protrude past the body of the pommel. Grips are marked L1A3 with a different stores number.

SLR bayonets shows examples of the various versions

i responded to your post elsewhere [here] and mentioned the same but i qualified by saying that the truely knowledgable would correct my errors - they have , those that responded here are the ones i was refering to

The L1A1 bayonet is the original unmodified British issue for the L1A1 rifle

The L1A2 was left in abeyance in order that this number could be allocated to an outside contractor '.....where the specification might differ somewhat to that approved pattern, in order to accommodate the ......blah blah and on and on. In short, an L1A1 bayonet made by a sub contractor (such as BSA or Hopkinson) who has made the best use of his facilities. BUT, if it conforms to the specification, then it's an L1A1! Think material or as a good example, the slight variation with straight sides to the cross piece. Just a minor variation and not a designation change

The L1A3 was a modified L1A1 bayonet whe the catch was shorter and thepommell recessed to accommodate the shorter catch. Modified to minimise losses of bayonets!

The L1A4 was to have been a modified L1A2 bayonet.

Some say that the differences between an A1 and A2 (and A3 and A4) was in the shape/length of the fuller or groove. This is incorrect. So far as the Army parts list and EMER were concerned, there were only two sorts approved. The L1A1 and the L1A3.

L1A4

Essentially the L1A3 with a riveted rather than brazed tang, not produced till after 1970

My examples are all stores marked with NATO numbers

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...MARKINGS-1.jpg

The rivets are clearly visible on the pommel

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...s20stamp-1.jpg

No rivets in A3

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...K20L1A32-1.jpg

A3 converted from the A1, note the waisted cross guard the A3 new made are all straight sided

Are you SURE that there aren't rivets in the A4 version Smithy? I think that there are rivets in all of them.

Brazing was a method of REPAIR after the rivets had worked loose due to the fact that brazing wouldn't alter the structure of the blade steel. As Armourers, the only reason we didn't re-rivet (we did occasionally of course) was because if the pommel was loose on the blade, it indicated that the holes had become elongated.

I think what old-smithy said, and what I believe to be the case, is that all L1A4 bayonets have the pommels riveted in place while the earlier bayonets have the pommels brazed.

Thanks Bill, I meant the pommel was riveted to the tang, and the rivets are clearly visible in the pommel of my example, i believe the crossguard is always riveted.