Bayonet Bonanza

[Sentryduty]

I can't believe this discussion as devolved into an argument on whether particular holes were bored or punched, and reminds me of a saying about stupid leadership: "(He) doesn't know if his xxxhole is punched or bored"

You have no idea how much the irony of this situation delights me.

[Peter Laidler]

This is my last missive before I lose the will to live. If you can punch out a 3" AND a 4.2" mortar base plate and the ribs, supports and fillets from a sheet of steel far thicker than a crosspiece.........guess what?

[Flying10uk]

Here are some close up pictures of the cross guard of my No7 & No5 bayonets.

[Flying10uk]

Here are the other 3 pictures which go with the last ones I posted.

[Peter Laidler]

I'm just guessing now, with an idea based on nothing more than my limited experience with military specs. F-10. Maybe - just maybe....., the spec stated that all sharp edges must be removed and the hole diameters must be clean and blemish free. You'd expect that. After all, we, at the sharp end had a go/no-go gauge to test fit fit and ovality. Additionally, the sharp edges would be removed otherwise the poor souls would be shredding their hands to ribbons on the sharp edges. JUST as your photo shows. Gauged hole and edges linished(?) clean albeit roughly!

[CINDERS]

My No 7 does not have those gouges UK
As Sentry stated not worried about how it looks as long as it stays put on the rifle and make them cheaply because they are going to break them, do they admonish you greatly Sentry if it does get busted!
Just my 5c worth

[Sentryduty]

As Sentry stated not worried about how it looks as long as it stays put on the rifle and does its job then well and good make them cheap because they are going to break them, do they admonish you greatly Sentry if it does get busted!

Certainly not, with the old C7 Nella bayonets on the bayonet training course, if you didn't break your bayonet you weren't fighting the target hard enough. They always have a milk crate full of spares for those days.

In fact, Peter will cringe here, we were never punished for breaking equipment, broken equipment was seen as the spirit of speed and aggression required to be an Infantry Soldier. Rip the cocking handle off a C6 clearing a hard extraction? (I did it) Enthusiastic slap on the back, and you got to keep the souvenir. Bring up the spare gun.

Modern weapons have things done to them that would make collectors cringe, mortaring a C7 rifle to clear a stoppage, kicking bolt handles open on glowing hot MG's, gas system parts separated with blunt instruments, the bolt extension on a C9 gas piston makes a dandy hammer. It's not that abuse to the point of destruction was the order of the day, but either the piece worked, or it was forced to work.

Mostly our peacetime and training equipment suffered the worst, and because it was trained on so often it got worn out, and usually required this sort of abuse upon failure. During my deployment we got all new gear, Inglis pistols out of the cosmo with the decal, C8A3's out of the box, and our rifles were recently rebuilt/upgraded C7A2 models, brought from Canada. Only the C9 LMG's were a bit tired, but they were upgraded a couple years later.

However losing a piece of weapons equipment was not taken lightly, that was considered willful neglect, you could lose a pouch or canteen here or there, but the world stopped turning if a C79 Elcan sight was even misplaced slightly.

[Flying10uk]

I don't believe, if my posts are read carefully, that I've ever stated that I don't believe that the cross guards were ever punched out. I've questioned if they were or were not; there is a subtle difference between the two. Both my No5 & No7 bayonets do appear to have been drilled, reamed or bored out but they may or may not also have previously also been punched. While examining the bayonets for the pictures I did notice that they appeared to have been surface ground/linished which would account for the flatness more than I would expect to see if they had been punched out. Remember that more than one method of production may have been used during WW2 taking advantage of whatever equipment/plant was available to the contractor.

I probably have a much greater interest in the actual manufacture of military equipment than the average forum member.

[CINDERS]

Sentry - I think Peter had a story some time ago on the forum where there was an errant bolt or rifle or both but quite a story

[Flying10uk]

I have this new/replacement blade of the British No5 style which I believe may/could fit some or all of the bayonets with this style of blade. The chap who I purchased it from told me that it came from the firm of Hopkinson Ltd when the company ceased trading and was used by them for reconditioning work for the U.K. and foreign customers. The tang looks too short, to me, for it to be suitable for a replacement blade for the L1A1 bayonet but perhaps others will confirm this, please.