Chassepot socket bayonet

[Patrick Chadwick]

A distinctive feature of the Chassepot barrel is the long bayonet lug on the right side, near the muzzle, which means that it can only take a bayonet with a T-slot in the back of the grip. The "bar" of this lug extends right up past the foresight block, almost to the muzzle, so it would not be possible to fit a bayonet of the type shown in your post, which is slid over the foresight and then rotated to lock it.

Whatever it is, its not a bayonet for the Chassepot infantry rifle. Gendarmerie a pied? Cadet? They both seem to have the same bayonet fitting. As does the "mousqueton" (short rifle). In short, I do not know of any Chassepot version that takes such a socket bayonet. Google some photos yourself, maybe you have more luck.

The basic "push and twist" mechanism of the type of bayonet that you have posted was used by everybody and his brother in the 19th century, so any marks (numbers don't help much) and some basic dimensions would help to identify the type of rifle on which it was mounted.