British P1888 Bayonet

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D5CAV
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British P1888 Bayonet

Post by D5CAV »

Sometimes being a nice guy pays off.

GF wanted to go to junk shop to look at "vintage fashion accessories", aka junk. How about I listen to the radio while GF browses? No go. I have to go into the junk shop with her. "It will only be a few minutes".

There's lots of junk. I see what looks like a bayonet amidst all the other junk in the display cases. It's not familiar to me. It looks old and pitted, but I notice the "VR" under the crown, so probably a product of "Victoria Regina's" empire. I negotiate with the proprietor.

GF doesn't find anything that interests her, so she walks out empty handed. I walk out with the bayonet.

Turns out it's a Mk1 version of a British Pattern 1888 bayonet for the Long Lee Enfield or Long Lee Metford rifles.

The "crown over VR" is, of course, HM Queen Victoria's cipher. The "9 '97" underneath the Queen's cipher is the date of manufacture, September of 1897, so this could have seen service in the 2nd Boer War.

On the other side of the blade is the "Broad arrow" over "EFD", which indicates the blade was made for British Ordnance by Enfield. Underneath the "EFD" is a small crown over "34" over "E", which I believe is some Enfield inspectors mark. Underneath the "E" is an "X", which is the proof mark that the blade passed some flex test.

On the spine of the blade is a crown over "16" over "E", which I believe is another inspectors mark. Further down on the spine is another crown. Maybe an acceptance mark?

On the back of the blade tang is another crown over "10" over "M". Maybe a unit marking?

On the bayonet mount, there is "569", which is probably just a rack number. I don't believe these were serialized.

I don't own a Long Lee Enfield or Long Lee Metford, nor do I have any plans to do so. Since all the bayonets I own fit on rifles I own, this bayonet will likely end up as trading fodder for something more useful to me at some ELGS. Worst case, it goes on Ebay. Anyway, a neat piece of history.
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Yogimus
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Re: British P1888 Bayonet

Post by Yogimus »

I used to be posted with the 569th
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HTRN
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Re: British P1888 Bayonet

Post by HTRN »

Lemme know if you decide to sell, and what you want for it.
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D5CAV
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Re: British P1888 Bayonet

Post by D5CAV »

I'm more interested in trades. I figure you, and most of the other denizens of this board, have lots of stuff in your own "junk drawers" to trade. ;)

I don't know what these P1888 bayonets are worth. I think some 70k of the Mk1s were made, but I'm sure wars and scrap recycling drives have reduced that number. Of course, there are not a lot of Long Lee Enfields floating around either, which probably diminishes demand commensurately with diminished supply.

Too bad it doesn't fit any rifle I own. It's actually a surprisingly well made bayonet. It's much lighter and slimmer than other equivalent sized bayonets, like my various mauser and swiss rifle bayonets. It has a nice spring and ring to it. It feels like it would take a lot more abuse than modern bayonets - I'm comparing it to the US M4, M6 and M7 models, which represent most of the bayos I own.

There's an ELGS this weekend, so I'll see if there is any interest.

I'm thinking 1x an equivalent period bayonet or 2x a WW2 bayonet.

I've had my eye out for a M1896 Swiss Neuhausen bayonet for my G11, but haven't seen one yet. If I get lucky and see one, I'll try to trade 1 for 1.

I'm always looking for M1 Carbine bayonets. I'll see if I can get 2 or 3 carbine bayonets for the P1888.

Other things I'm always looking for are pre-64 Winchester Model 70 parts.

Look in your junk drawer. I'm open to suggestions!
None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free.” Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
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Combat Controller
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Re: British P1888 Bayonet

Post by Combat Controller »

Still have it?
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D5CAV
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Re: British P1888 Bayonet

Post by D5CAV »

CombatController wrote:Still have it?
yes
None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free.” Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
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