No8 BAYONET. A point to ponder
I need a bit of assistance from the forum flock regarding my No8 bayonet.
I have one. You know the sort. LOOKS like a No5 but with a smaller dia crosspiece. I was having a look at mine last week, alongside a No5 bayonet. I was surprised that the opening in the rear of the pommel seemed to be slightly smaller than the No5 bayonet
My No8 bayonet hole dia .344" (8.75mm) with the slot along the top .216" wide
My No5 bayonet hole dia .372" - 3/8" (9.43mm) and slot along the top: as above
Are they ALL like this. I ask because it's not as if you can test-fit a No8 on a No5 rifle or Sterling SMG
It does seem strange that the No5 and No8 bayonets would have different dia holes for the bayonet standard fitting. Maybe it was a mechanical safety feature so that a small dia pommel hole bayonet could not be fitted (?) to a No5 rifle or Sterling SMG with disastrous results caused by a bullet hitting the smaller dia crosspiece. Even though that while a No5 bayonet might be a very loose fit a SLEM rifle, a No8 bayonet would not clip nto a No5 rifle or Sterling SMG
Apart from that daft reason, I can see absolutely no reason why the pommel would need to be changed.
As a matter of interest, the catch and nut are also a slightly smaller dia, to match the geometry of the smaller bayonet standard opening.
Anyone else out there in forumland noticed this?
No 8 BAYONET , A point to ponder
Hi Peter , just compared , measured , My No 5 and No 8 , both 1946 Poole , 372 and 372 so they are the same . Hope this is of help .
John