Australian Bayonet

[Eric K.]

I was wondering about this bayonet,to me it doesn't seem practical at all. It looks like once the bayonet is mounted the blade would sit way too high to be able to fire your rifle without hitting the blade.

Plus once it mounted the edge would be facing up.Does anyone have a photo of this actually being used?

 

 

 

[Brian Wolfe]

Hi Eric,

 

It`s been a while since I sold my example of the Australian Machette Bayonet Mk. I, but if memory serves me well the one side is flat with the other side having the sharpened edges.  This allows the bullet to pass along the side of the blade rather than passing over it as in most other bayonets.  The blade edge on the bottom is sharpened as is 4 inches of the top edge, the idea was to make this a better thrusting weapon.  Some bayonets used in other countries are mounted with the sharp edge upward allowing for a slashing injury when withdrawn with a slightly upward action.  This Australian bayonet was developed in 1944 for jungle combat and was originally developed for paratroopers.  As the name suggests this bayonet did double duty as a machette.  Sorry, I don`t have any photos of the bayonet in use.

 

Regards

Brian

 

 

[Eric K.]

Ahh that makes more sense,by the picture you can't tell it's off center. I knew someone would clear this up for me,thanks Brian.

 

Eric

[peter monahan]

I also suspect that, like many bayonets issued in WWII, there was little expectation that it would ever be attached to a rifle and used against the foe.  This looks to me like a decent machete which some brainiac in HQ persuaded his superiors could be made 'dual purpose' by installing a mounting device and calling it a bayonet, to the detriment of both its primary function and the rifle.   But maybe that's just me being cynical. 

[Eric K.]

I agree, It is much more suitable as a machete than a bayonet.I'm not much of a knife guy,but it would be a nice addition for me.

[peter monahan]

Oh, my too!  Not a collector at all, really, but am always being tempted from the path of virtue [fiscal virtue] by nice blades!

[roberthenry]

Hi.re bayonet refer to Skennertons book Australian service bayonets ,the bayonet fits the s.m.l.e. .303 and does not obstruct the barrel ,I hope I have been of help if by any chance the bayonet is for sale could I please be advised of purchase price  regards Robert Henry

[peter monahan]

There wouldn't be much point to a bayonet which prevented the rifle being fired while it was mounted!  What it di to one's aim is amnother story entirely.  In fact, if memory serves, wasn't there a British regiment badly cut up whilst using plug bayonets?  That very early form actually went into the muzzle of the musket.  In the case I'm recalling, the pulgs were fixed just before a charge,  by Highlanders, perhaps at Preston Pans, who decimated the British soldiers.

[Brian Wolfe]

The Japanese used their rifles with the bayonet attached and were trained to shoot with bayonet in place. I suspect the problem with other armies was that they were drilled firing their rifles without bayonets afixed and when they needed to use them the additional weight threw off their aim.  I have read that the Japanese used their rifles afixed so as to be more in line with the old code of Bashido. 

Regarding the plug bayonet, I agree with Peter, however I would like to pose this thought.  Imagine the surprise when one side used the socket bayonet for the first time against a foe still using the plug bayonet.  Both sides would advance after what would seem to be the final volley prior to afixing their bayonets and then one side stopped and let fly with yet another volley being able to do so due to the construction of the socket bayonet.  Military advances often follow such battlefield surprises.

Regards

Brian