Did RSAF Enfield Lock provide crossguards for No.5 'Jungle Carbine' bayonets?

[LesterH]

Reference the post above. Most of the bayonets on sale on this web site can be obtained much cheaper elsewhere. The G3 and Eickhorn bayonets. can be obtained from Eickhorns own web site. PM me if you need some info.

[tankhunter]

Some infor for those who MIGHT not be aware.

A LOT of L1A3 Bayonets were converted from the L1A1 & A2 Variants.
This was because of In Service User expirience Feedback.
As mentioned previously by Another member. The catches protruded approx 1/4" inch from the Pommel. This led in a lot of cases, to the catch accidently gettin depressed & the bayonet falling off the Flash Hider!
To counter this (& there is an E.M.E.R Instruction & diagram to this effect) Jigs were manufactured to hold the bayonet in a Horizontal plain. & a Rotary Burr/Cutter, bought down onto the LHS catch Hole in the Pommel. This removal of metal to a set depth, resulted in the 'Dished' area of the attatchment catch hole. Then the catches were reduced in length to the 'Normal' length that you encounter these bayonets of A3 & A4 today.
The metal grips N.A.T.O Stock numbers were Barred out with Two lines. As the model of bayonets designation was obviously changed after modification.
It is EASY to spot a Modified L1A3 from a later MANUFACTURED L1A3. Look on the END of the Pommel. If it is stamped L1A3, then you have a MODIFIED example from one of the previous Two variants! If it NOT stamped on the end of the Pommel & has the 'Hex' Version crossguard. Then it was MANUFACTURED as a L1A3.

Be wary of falling into any traps by reading the Nomencleture stamped into Bayonet grips. You MAY well encounter L1A4 Bayonets (Stronger Crossguards with NON Hex Profile) with L1A3 grips! This was simply because, if a grip got damaged/dented badly. The Armourer at that unit IF he had no other Spare grips than some early L1A3's. New or reclaimed stock from Bayonets B.E.Rd (Beyond Economical Repair) These were bayonets damaged/broken/Blade length reduced to under limits size. That were written off for destruction at unit level. They were stripped of any usefull parts & the blade & crossguards were destroyed by Oxy Aceteline 'Gas Axe'

He would use WHATEVER grips he had on the shelves as parts serviceable for usage.
Peter, Im SURE will confirm this practice.

Interestingly enough, The Aussie & Canadian Variants REMAINED with the Protruding Catch Version! (Same profile as L1A1, well, sort of!)

FIX BAYONETS!....................CHAAAAAARGE!!!!!!

[LesterH]

I am please to inform you I have two manufactred L1A3 with hex cross guards. Got an Australian L1A2 as well.With protruding catch and no stampings at all.

I take it from the above post, you had to fix the bayonets and then fix the bayonets to the rifle and charge. ( Or in my case run away quickly)!

[tankhunter]

Lester, as Armourers, we had to fix just about anything you can think of that also was NOT trade related! Typewriters, Filing cabinet locks,Mecahnisems that made dolls jump out of a cake, Etc Etc Etc.....................

Bayonet repairs & Mods were a VERY small part of our repair inventory! Peter will confirm this I Know! Ha Ha!

Most of the charges I did, were fincially to Officers who Broke/lost items of equipment!............ I have also been Known to charge up to a few Mess Bars in my time, as did Peter of course! S.O.Ps for Us! (Standard Operating Proceedures)

[sidcass]

I have the L1A4 in excellent condition, with photos, I have listed on eBay if anyone is interested

(It's not fully manufactured) but has all the markings you would expect

---------- Post added at 05:16 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:11 PM ----------

There are different types of cross pieces in L1a3 bayonets, hex or streight. I have a 1986 made L1a4 (AM86 stamp) bayonet which seems to have a stronger blade. Probably one of the last SLR bayonets made.
Thank you for the tip on broken cross guards, this may explain why some people attempt to sell SLR bayonets as "fighting knives".

Kind regards, Lester

What manufacture is AM ?

[sidcass]

Didn't realise I couldn't sell on eBay, they removed it. can anyone recommend any other places to sell my bayonet?

Attachment 48450Attachment 48451Attachment 48452Attachment 48453Attachment 48454

[gsimmons]

You can sell it in the quartermaster section.
I believe the AM could be Air Ministry.

[nzl1a1collector]

I'll take it.

[sidcass]

I'll take it.

If your genuinely interested you can send me a message

[Peter Laidler]

Why do some call these crosspieces 'hex' pattern? THey were introduced in the late-ish 70's as a simplified and strengthened (and much cheaper) pattern from the commercial market. They really weren't strengthened because they'll still bend/ across the walls of the ring and if I remember correctly, they were a real handful with regards to repairing a bent/cracked crosspiece because they were a crap casting that didn't lend itself to heating and subsequent welding. The castings weren't as forgiving as the machined ones either.

The pommell was also a (lost wax) casting too and the markings will (?) indicate the caster. The C was the Armourers guide that it was a casting.

We had a flash eliminator (plus lengths of barrel muzzles/Sterling muzzle casing etc etc) welded to a steel plate and every bayonet the came through the workshops was tested at the out-inspection stage fir fit. And sometimes, there'd be MANY hundreds to test. We also had various 'slave' bayonets, painted in BFA yellow that the in-inspectors would test every rifle with. I kept a couple of yellow painted L1A3's

The apprentices at the big workshops used to come in for bayonets to section for workshop projects. The No4 spikes were the best because the Mk2 solid ones were a real test - simply because they had so many hard spots to fool you and test the apprentices hand fitting skills. Sorry if I've gone off at a tangent again.........

Do you have the rest of the catch parts such as the retaining screw, catch and spring? The GUIDE, spring, plunger doesn't fit where you've got it either!!!!!!!