I got an FN FAL bayonet today off an ebay auction. Not real important but curious as to what country it was used by. It is a Type A with wood grips, parkerized blade, 4 digit serial number on pommel and two small "1"s stamped on the metal between the grips, one on the top, one on the bottom.
Limited research said that the only nation that serial numbered them is Belgium. Is that the case?
No, Argentinia also numbered Their bayonets.
Does the scabbard have an Plain OVAL stud. Or the LONGER straight edged type. With Asthetic lines on the top of the stud?
Pics would be priceless here.
Regards, Jim
Argentina used plastic grips on theirs. The scabbard stud is a long oval type that looks like most mauser studs.
As for pics, it's a plain old type A bayonet. Nothing unique about it other than the two tiny "1"s. If they are inspection marks rather than country marks, they aren't all that helpful.
They ALSO used wood grips as well. I KNOW, I have had a 'Few' of them! We captured a LOT of FALs & other smallarms etc. During the Falklands conflict.Originally Posted by Aragorn243
MANY Hundereds of them went through th Command workshop I was attached to at the time. For total refurbs. Only to subsequently, be welded solid!!......
I have owned/ do own a few Ex Argie FAL Bayonets. Including the Tubular 'Apple Corer' types. The Argie Bayonets Were: All Numbered. Type 'A's had Wood & plastic grip scales fitted. ALL type 'A's had scabbards with the OVAL stud fitted. As you state, they LOOK like Mauser Studs. (From Spanish Toledo Bayonets for Example) This is a Distinction on Argie Scabbards for the FAL.
OK, you've convinced me to take some photos. I'll get them up soon.
Now I see...the early model.
Regards, Jim
NOT an Argie one then. & Argie Serial numbers are much more in the higher range.
And that scabbard Stud is DEFINATELY NOT of the Argie style.........
I'm no bayonet fiend or expert by any stretch of the imagination but isn't this a UK FN bayonet with those prongs that were supposed to act as a primitive flash eliminator when the bayonet was fixed - as we had faffed around with during the EM2 trials/No7 type bayonets?
I know what you're going to say......... Surely, if you need a flash eliminator, you need it ALL of the time, not just when the bayonet is fixed. Yep......, but I'm just saying what I saw and what we had tucked away at Warminster.
As for the scabbards. I would imagine that FN just supplied what the man with the money asked for. If he wanted oval, he got oval. Round and he got round. Square and...............
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