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Contributing Member
In the seventies, a questionnaire went out to ALL infantry units to provide a wish list on a bayonet and its scabbard for the future.
What came with the SA80 was a close run thing in its response. It covered most things except a bottle opener and a decent can opener.
I still have in their individual wrapper the 24 hour ration pack can opener. I can open a tin quicker than my wife can use her fandangled one!!
I have attached an image of the bayonet and its scabbardd issues they were made to have a non reflective coating on the blade, also the scabbard is complete with its camo sheath on issue now in MPT not DPM , sharpening stone, saw, & cross button in place to enable it to be used as a wire cutter when both are joined.
'Tonight my men and I have been through hell and back again, but the look on your faces when we let you out of the hall - we'd do it all again tomorrow.' Major Chris Keeble's words to Goose Green villagers on 29th May 1982 - 2 PARA
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08-07-2020 03:17 AM
# ADS
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Legacy Member
Jim, Cross piece or quillion looks pretty straight to me. The hang up seems to be in the mortise slot.
And Gill, that is a pretty well thought out bayo and scabbard!
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Advisory Panel
Originally Posted by
levallois
The hang up seems to be in the mortise slot.
Just needs some fiddling.
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Contributing Member
I would check the end of the mortice slot for any hard compacted dirt/rust/etc which at first glance may appear to be part of the bayonet.
Sometimes it is necessary to remove the bayonet catch from the bayonet in order to clean it, remove burrs from it etc, replace the catch spring if broken and lubricate it before replacing. To do this you will need a tool to remove the catch nut which you could buy a purpose made tool for. I just use a suitably sized screwdriver with a small piece ground out of the centre part of the blade to clear the screw.
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Legacy Member
I appreciate the replies. I have cleaned the mortise slot again and the bayo still sticks. The inside "floor" of the mortise slot just does not look right to me but I don't have another one of these to compare it to. Could someone please photograph to opening and looking from opening in to the interior of the slot? I cannot get a good photo of mine with my lousy phone. Thank you!
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Contributing Member
Have a look where the bayonet interfaces between the mortice slot on the bayonet and the bayonet lug on your rifle. There has to be a certain amount of clearance between the two or the bayonet would never be fitted and removed from the rifle.
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Advisory Panel
Originally Posted by
levallois
I have cleaned the mortise slot again and the bayo still sticks.
It doesn't need cleaning. It's banged out of shape. The metal is out of whack. You have to look at all the mating surfaces. If I was there, using the hard side of the nylon hammer, I'd simply bash it on and then side to side and front to back. It would fit perfectly after and you wouldn't ever know it didn't.
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Advisory Panel
It's also been suggested that perhaps you have an early bayonet on a later rifle. They started with a smaller muzzle ring but some were filed out a couple MM to fit. Read this site and see what I mean. They didn't interchange naturally.
bajonet.be
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