Enfield number 5 Mk 1 Bayonet help

[Peter Laidler]

Are you absolutely SURE about this 2BA mouthpiece screw assertation Lester? There MUST be a mistake............. I have probaly fitted several hundred + new mouthpieces to No5 scabbards over my years as an Armourer and it's a 6BA machine head screw. A 6BA screw will drop straight through a 2BA tapping size hole - yes?

Regarding the Indian No5 bayonets, those made for the Indian Army Sterling SMG's (and long and short L1A1's) are made from (virtually) identical steel spec as those made here. Just touch one on a grinder or subject one to a DPN test to see what I mean) I can't comment on the 'tourist' trade but certainly can vouch for the Army ones. Can you imagine Indian Army soldiers being given low carbon mild steel bayonets while fighting in the NorthWest of the Country............., they'd be a laughing stock. They're a bit rough and ready but to be honest, you can say the same about the dismal uinfinished guilloutined edges of Hopkinsons L1A1 efforts

[old-smithy]

I have decided I must complete my Number 5 "Jungle Carbine" with the appropriate bayonet.
I have bid in several on ebay but they are quite the hot item. I can not bring myself to spend more on an accessory than I did on a very nice Number 5. Any ideas where one could be purchased without me having to sell the rifle to buy it? Anyone have an opinion on the Indian remakes as to quality? I may be forced to purchase one until I can obtain an original.

If I knew where such a thing existed I woudl by it and sell it on! That is hwo it goes, the dealers get the cheap prices adn then sell at market value. Try buying the 1st pattern

[HOOKED ON HISTORY]

Were is a good place to view pictures/descriptions of the various patterns?

[old-smithy]

Try under the UK at BAyonet Collection Presentation I have both versions there of the No5 UK and under India the others

[LesterH]

There is nothing wrong with the "proper" Indian Army specification No5 Bayonets. Ditto with their SLR and No9 bayonets. They tend to be longer than the British spec.
These Snide No5 bayonets on sale on various USA web sites for about USD45- 65 are rubbish. Unscruplus dealers are trying to pass them off as the real ones for £150+ in the UK. It's a hard hit when you spend £150 on an exhibit and find out it's worthless! That is why I am flagging the issue up.
I can't bottom out the 2BA screw issue. The two scabbards that I repaired are now living in Southern Ireland, members of a shooting club purchased some No9 bayonets from me. I was not saying you were wrong. It was just the parts I used to mend the scabbards. Of course it's better to use the correct parts if you have them. Which I did not.

[Peter Laidler]

Yep, point taken........ But if you're out there in the wide Bayonet collecting world, the correct screw for the No5, 7 etc etc scabbard mouthpiece is a 6-BA machine head (a sort of semi-rounded appearance and readily available on ebay under model engineering supplies). The brass or steel mouthpiece 6BA thread is easily stripped if you're a bit ham-fisted but you could easily machine out the oversize hole, soft solder a bush in place, re-drill and tap to get you out of a hole. We'd do it if we were pushed or awaiting spares but not as a general rule.

I mentioned in a thread some time ago but in Malaya in the 60's, we had loads of single screw No5 bayonets but the grips were always prone to cracking due to lack of support for the grips when twisted I imagine. We also had loads of grips too but with the one and two hole grips having the same part number, it was always a bit of hit or miss whether you got, say 10 left handed single hole and ten right handed two hole grips.

[HOOKED ON HISTORY]

Is this a number 6? Ring diameter seems too small.
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[LesterH]

Thanks for the info Peter. Regarding hand grips on No5 bayonets. I have a late produced Sterling No5 bayonet. Fitted as standard with metal hand grips. Similar to the grips on a L1a3 or 4 bayonet.
If any one needs some wood grips for their No5 bayonet ( two hole type). With a bit of cutting and redrilling you might get a set of 1907 bayonet grips to fit. Terry Abrams and Chelmsford Militaria. Have new wooden 1907 hand grips on sale for £7.50 a pair. Having had problems in the early part of my militaria collecting days, I tend to buy bayonet spare parts if they come on to the market, just in case!

Kind regards, Lester

[Peter Laidler]

Pattern 07 bayonet grips are much to thin to be of any use on the No5 bayonet. We did a big Ordnance trawl for No1 rifle parts for the L60 (the DP version of the No1 rifle) and unearthed a load of the grips wrongly catalogued as No5 grips but they were unuseable/useless! I seem to recall that we had loads of the grip screws and nuts too but these were the wrong length and thread

[LesterH]

Thanks for the note Peter. Looks like it's the old wood chisle and sand paper method then!