Lebel 1886 Bayonet

Hi all,

Felt I would share my most recent acquisition to my collection. It is a Lebel 1886 bayonet. Over the last bit I have decided to help save money and to help bring my collection up to speed I would focus on bayonets and the little things (those have kinda fallen by the wayside, and my bayonet collection is woefully undersized for my firearm collection).

Overall my feelings on this bayonet is I honestly quite like it. It might even qualify as my favourite bayonet. Very nice lines, a hooked quillion (for whatever reason I love those), and in particular the Alpaca alloy handle (a mixture of Brass, Nickel, and Zinc) all add to the look of this bayonet. It also quite light, especially for its size. This is what I would call a long bayonet, as you can see in one of the photos below I compared it to some other 'long' bayonets and it towers over them. Mounted on the end of my Berthier M1907-15 it brings the overall length of the rifle to about 6'!

From what research I have done this particular example was made between 1886-1891 due to the inspector mark on the bayonet at MAS (St. Etienne). Overall it is hard to find any real information on these bayonet (and in that way they are much like French Rifles as well).

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...4gibogbv-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...kpgqbz4s-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...xmhonaef-1.jpg
From the top down there is a Soviet M91/30 bayonet, Japanese Type 30 bayonet, the Lebel 1886 Bayonet, and finally a Swiss 1918 bayonet.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...arygzn3v-1.jpg

Can't be 100% certain from your pictures, but it looks to be unmarked. If that is the case, it is most likely one of the bayonets manufactured by Remington in the US.

The other side of the bayonet has where the serial number was (pitting has removed it to the point of illegibility). I was going off the proofing marks on the side of it to get the information for manufacturer and date (based off of what someone who appeared to be knowledgeable about these bayonets on a other site said for a similar bayonet).

If you would like to see more pictures, and if possible provide more information on it here is the link to this exact bayonet (I won't take any more pictures myself as I fought for about 45min with photo bucket to get these few up).

WW1 FRENCH LEBEL 1886 BAYONET SCABBARD 1886 Mod Rosalie | eBay

OK, these auction photos show that it is NOT a Remington manufactured bayonet.

They are interesting. I have quite a few variations of them, with and without quillion, brass, alloy, long and short (for the WWII shortened Lebel). They've been a fairly common encounter in my area. I have one that I need the rear "nut" for. Probably going to have to make one.

I wish bayonets of any sort were a common encounter in my area. I am mostly limited to online sales, which can be a issue as you can't examine in person and it can be difficult to get a deal. My biggest concern particularly with this bayonet was that it was the proper length, as you have mentioned many were cut down either due to blades breaking or factory shortening programs. Hopefully it won't be too difficult to manufacture one, based on how simple the design is I can't see it being too complicated.

Bayonets are drying up here also. I'm fortunate that I started collecting before that happened and have most types already. I still have a few guys in the area that deal in them. Most of my purchases were online and most of them ebay. I learned to be patient, wait on my price because someone will always list another one if the first goes too high. My most recent purchase has not yet arrived. A Vietnam production 1917 trench gun bayonet. I've actually picked up a few recently, full length Italian Vetterli, and the Danish rolling block bayonet. Prior to that, might not have bought one in six months. Good places to look are antique shops and malls, flea markets and yard sales. I try to have one for each rifle I own and I think I'm current. Not sure if my Chinese Hanyang bayonet is legit or not, and technically, I have two Polish rifles and one bayonet. Might be short a Japanese bayonet also. I am actively seeking an SA marked folding Carcano bayonet. I have three or four of them now but none are SA marked and I have an SA marked rifle.

I don't know how far you are interested in traveling but I've been told there is a great flea market in Conneticutt twice a year called the white elephant or something like that. I have yet to go there personally, probably a 6 hour drive but it's supposed to take two days to get through it and I don't know if you even manage that. Supposed to have a fair amount of military stuff.

At some point I want to go to some of the gun shows held in Michigan, just to get odds and ends like bayonets, ammo pouches, slings, and mannlicher clip/stripper clips (and also to see what is out there). I have to get a bit more stable for that to happen though. Generally I am working +/- 40 hours a week at the moment plus college. Schooling is finishing up so I need to find a more stable job, otherwise within a year or two it will be back to the Army for full time work (not a terrible thing, just not my first option at the moment). The good thing is where I live it is a fairly inexpensive place to live (average income is about 36,000$ a year) so it isn't too difficult to make a living here.

Bayonets at gun shows here are tough. Plenty of them but the sellers seem to think they are made of gold. Two times the actual value is the norm.

I have noticed that with online sales as well. It is part of the reason I haven't really collected many bayonets as I find it hard to stomach paying essentially the cost of the rifle or 1/2 the cost of the rifle for the bayonet when the bayonet is essentially a decoration as far as collecting goes. For example this 1886 Lebel bayonet cost me about 200$ (Canadian) all in, well the 1907/15 in the photo cost me about 350$. Hard to justify the bayonet when I could just buy another rifle.

I think you overpaid for this particular bayonet which is one reason I'd recommend you follow the sales for a bit and decide how much you want to pay. I would assume you have the same access to ebay that I do here in the states. Most Lebels seem to sell between $60-$80 US and I've paid as low as $20 in person. Never go by what they are asking, always watch what they sell for. I can be extremely patient with bayonets unless I have the rifle. I've gone 3 years watching the auctions before actually getting one. Now if I just acquired the rifle, that's another matter. suddenly my buy price goes way up and I'll have the bayonet in about three weeks.

I was fortunate in that I couldn't afford rifles for a long time so I bought bayonets, so most rifles I have acquired recently, I've already had the bayonet for it.

I do a twice daily search for bayonets on ebay. I have the page bookmarked. Mornings I usually just check to make sure I didn't forget something and then in the evening I go back at least 24 hours, no real need to go further. If I want a specific bayonet, I will also search for that. Nowadays I'm mainly snagging things that I wasn't aware of or forgot about. I also don't really collect varieties at all. One of each type is sufficient unless I have more than one rifle that takes the same bayonet. Then I try to get different types if possible. The older I'm getting the less patient I am. I also have a bit more disposable cash now than earlier.

There are a few bayonets that can be pretty expensive. the British jungle carbine No 5 bayonets, Carcano folders, anything Finnish, Soviet SVT, Carcano TS, US 1903's, French Berthiers, anything with a sawback, Austrailian produced, Chinese WWII era, Hungarian WWII, and a lot of the pre WWI stuff is going up. Now that's just off the top of my head so I'm sure I missed some but most other bayonets can be found for under $100. And I don't exactly know what it means when I no longer consider $100 for a bayonet expensive. I'm not a wealthy person by any means. I guess I'm just getting used to the market.

The problem with Canada is the market is significantly smaller and the quantity is as well. Only a few places stock bayonets of any sort, and out of those only a few are reasonable in the prices. I am not much of a bayonet collector, generally speaking I only seek one of each (much like my rifles), and depending on how rare it is maybe less than that. It is really hard to find any for sale at a reasonable price here, and since gunshows don't really happen in my neck of the woods it prevents face to face interactions (I have only been to one gunshow in my life and that was around Halifax area). The only bayonets you see for less than 100$ here is basically the simple No. 4 Mk. 1 bayonets and occasionally some Mauser variations.

Definitely need to do a good trip to some gunshows in the States at some point, seems to be worthwhile.

Just a curiosity, you don't have the brass handle version of this bayonet do you? They show up occasionally here, and a dealer I know gets them once in a while...he sells online too but if you wish and one shows up I can notify you. He had a suitcase of various come in and I had to sort them, clean them and name them for him. There was a brass and white metal version then...

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Originally Posted by Eaglelord17

At some point I want to go to some of the gun shows held in Michigan, just to get odds and ends like bayonets, ammo pouches, slings, and mannlicher clip/stripper clips (and also to see what is out there). I have to get a bit more stable for that to happen though. Generally I am working +/- 40 hours a week at the moment plus college. Schooling is finishing up so I need to find a more stable job, otherwise within a year or two it will be back to the Army for full time work (not a terrible thing, just not my first option at the moment). The good thing is where I live it is a fairly inexpensive place to live (average income is about 36,000$ a year) so it isn't too difficult to make a living here.

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I used to( moved to NC)have good luck at the Michigan Antique Arms Collectors show in Novi,Mi. I lived in Northville, so it was just down the street.

I am good for the moment. Soon I will be going away to work for the summer and won't have the opportunity to receive or sell items so this was somewhat of a last hurrah before the work begins (I also just lucked into some Argentine 7.65 surplus on stripper clips I will post up soon). Next bayonets I will likely be looking for is either the 1886/15 Lebel bayonet (should have brass handle and no hooked quillion), a P07, a P13 or one of the many different bayonets for the M71 Mauser (specifically to mount on my Commission Gewehr 88/05).

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Originally Posted by Aragorn243

I don't know how far you are interested in traveling but I've been told there is a great flea market in Conneticutt twice a year called the white elephant or something like that. I have yet to go there personally, probably a 6 hour drive but it's supposed to take two days to get through it and I don't know if you even manage that. Supposed to have a fair amount of military stuff.

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You would be extremely disappointed if you drove 6 hours to go to the Elephant's Trunk. It's held every Sunday during decent weather. It's about 40 minutes from my house and I've been there countless times over the last 30 years. I have NEVER found a bayonet there that I purchased and the few that I have found were so over priced it wasn't funny. It takes several hours to walk through but that's it. There is a huge antique show that is held once or twice a year in Brimfield MA. Maybe you're mixing the two up.

There is an excellent show coming up next weekend in Baltimore. I always come home from there with a decent haul.

Elephants Trunk is it but there is supposed to be something twice a year. A business associate is the one that has been talking to my wife and I about it. You may have saved me a trip. Thanks.

How far are you from Lutherville-Timonium? The show there next weekend is well worth the trip.

Baltimore Antique Arms Show

---------- Post added at 11:02 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:55 PM ----------

Brimfield Antique Show Homepage

I am about 2 hours from there and have thought about going for years. Just never get around to it. As my primary interest is post 1900, I'm not sure if it would be beneficial or not to go other than to just look.

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Originally Posted by Eaglelord17

I will likely be looking for is either the 1886/15 Lebel bayonet (should have brass handle and no hooked quillion), a P07, a P13 or one of the many different bayonets for the M71 Mauser (specifically to mount on my Commission Gewehr 88/05).

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I suppose I should PM you the name of this dealer local and you can keep him in sight yourself. He has quite a smack of stuff at times.

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Originally Posted by browningautorifle

I suppose I should PM you the name of this dealer local and you can keep him in sight yourself. He has quite a smack of stuff at times.

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I would greatly appreciate it!

Watch your PMs...

I did go to the Baltimore Antique Militaria show today. I wasn't planning on it but I was upstairs when the wife yelled up she found something to do and I was shocked that this was it. If the wife suggests going to a gun show for the day, you do it.

I was very impressed with what I saw. More bayonets than my last 40 gun shows combined. Swords by the hundreds but no Spanish ones. The most common rifle was the 1873 Springfield trapdoor and I did get tired of them. I did get some ammo for my Siamese Mauser and a Martini Henry bayonet and a little bomblet that I forget what it's called, "lazy dog" or something like that. Solid projectile with fins they dropped by the hundreds or thousands at a time. Momentum did the damage. about an inch and a half tall.

I didn't really find any rifles that I was interested in which was disappointing but there's next week at Oaks.

Original ammo for the Siamese Mauser?

No, made from 45-70 brass. Guy makes all my missing ammo. Had 11 French revolver on hand also but it was smokeless and wasn't sure if that would be alright in my 1873. He sold 6 boxes of Dutch Beaumont before I got there and was all out. Didn't have any Danish rolling block either.

Just a heads up for anyone going on Sunday. The food there SUCKS and is expensive. We made the mistake of leaving the house at 11:30 without eating, got there at 1:00 and by 3:00 I had to eat or I was going to be sick. Only thing I could justify for the price was a $4.00 hotdog that came with some burnt fried potato slices. Drinks were too expensive for my wife to buy which is saying something.

I was there from set up on Friday until about noon on Sunday. It is one of the best shows I go to. But you're right, the food sucks. I bring a cooler of drinks and a bag of food. Or we send someone out to get takeout from one of the area places.

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Originally Posted by porterkids

But you're right, the food sucks.

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I've found most of the gunshow food is substandard. If you look at the guys that eat it regularly and sit after, you can see the long term effects.

You're right there BAR.......... jeeeees, some real monsters!

Gut grenades!! When we worked the SAR East show in Harrisburg in June 2015, we were lucky that they had a farmers market in conjunction. We got lots of fresh stuff to snack on and never spent a dime at the concession in the show. We had a beautiful display but there were no people through the gate so it was a big time loser. I passed on the one last year that was advertised in March. I'm not even sure he managed to get enough dealers to attend.

We will be going back next year. I was very impressed, actually a bit overwhelmed. I had no real expectations going in. Once I saw what was there I decided to look for a few older types, found three of one all more than I wanted to pay and none of the second. Snider being the first, Italian Verterli original caliber being the second. The show I found to be more expensive than others but not so far out that I wouldn't think about it and there were bargains to be had. I also drew a complete blank of all the various parts and things I need but that came back to me after a bit. This is a show I would say you have to prepare for as 3 out of 4 tables will have military stuff rather than 1 out of 15 like normal shows. A bit light on the WWI, WWII stuff but it was there in sufficient numbers. Lots of rolling blocks, several tables of Swiss rifles which I haven't seen much of lately. Tons of bayonets. I also want to get there early in the morning, WITH FOOD AND DRINKS, and just spend some time looking at things. Getting there late, I had to pretty much ignore a lot of interesting stuff, like Napoleonic hats, etc, because of a fear I wouldn't get through it, and it was tight. We had about 40 minutes to spare so it took over 4 hours to walk through for us with me primarily scanning for wanted items.