Sword and Socket Bayonets

Sword and Socket Bayonets - bayonet sword In 1871 the British adopted the Martini-Henry rifle. The Martini-Henry was issued to The Royal Canadian Regiment but was not a general issue to the Militia. The Queen’s Own Rifles and the Royal Grenadiers—the main Toronto-based militia units mobilized for the conflict with Riel Rebellion (Resistance) in Rupert’s Land.

The Mark IV Martini–Henry rifle was made from (1871-1889), replaced by the Lee–Metford, 1890’s but it remained in service throughout the British Empire until the end of the First World War.

Both the Sword and Socket bayonet were used on the Martini-Henry rifle and Lee–Metford, When Martini Henry rifles were adopted for general issue, the absence of an approved sword bayonet meant that existing bayonets for the Enfield rifle had to be adapted to fit. This involved the re-working of the bayonet.

On the right British Pattern socket bayonet a triangular bayonet.

On the left a sword bayonet

Sword Bayonet is any long, knife-bladed bayonet designed for mounting on a musket or rifle. The advantages of sword bayonets over spike bayonets are evident. Where a spike bayonet turns the rifle into a spear, a sword bayonet turns it into a glaive (The glaive was used both for slashing and stabbing).

Five years following its introduction into service (Martini-Henry rifle), a bayonet was specifically designed for it. Until then existing supplies of older pattern bayonets were modified and altered to fit the rifle. The first bayonet adopted exclusively for the rifle was the Pattern 1876, a socket bayonet with triangular form blade.

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