There were a wide variety of bayonets
used with Martini-Henry, Enfield and Metford rifles. Many
were converted or adapted from previously issued bayonets in
the interest of saving time and money. We'll only cover the
most common patterns, as the history of Martini Bayonets is
a topic worthy of its own web site. The Pattern
1853 Socket Bayonet
was sometimes referred to as the "Common Socket Bayonet", as
nearly every infantryman used it. It was originally issued
for use with the Pattern 1853 Muzzleloading Rifle. Notice
that its blade is slightly curved away from the muzzle of
the rifle. This design feature was integrated so the soldier
could load the muzzle-loading Pattern 1853 rifle without
spiking himself on the point of the bayonet. Since vast
quantities of these were available as surplus, a bushing was
brazed into them to allow them to be used with the new
Martini-Henry. There were several different scabbards used
with this bayonet. Overall Length: 20.4 inches Blade Length: 16.9 inches The Pattern
1876 Socket Bayonet
is an improved and redesigned Pattern 1853. It was the
opinion of many that the Pattern 1853 was too short to make
an effective fighting weapon when attached to the rifle. As
a result, the Pattern 1876 was lengthened nearly five
inches. The cross sectional shape of the 1876 was made
equiangular, rather than being wider on the top as was the
1853. Also, since this bayonet was only to be used with
breechloading arms, the outward curve was also omitted.
Three scabbards
were used with the 1876,
the MkI, MkII and the MkIII. The MkI scabbard had three
rivets on the front face of the leather body, the MkII had
two, and the very rare MkIII has a single rivet. These
rivets were attached to a long leaf spring which held the
bayonet secure when it was in the scabbard. This bayonet was
also referred to as the "Long Common Socket Bayonet". Many
of these were later converted for use on .303 Caliber
Martinis by cutting down and bushing the socket. The sockets
were bored, reslotted and a new locking ring, stop and screw
installed. After conversion, these bayonets hung below the
rifle, instead of to the side. Converted 1876s are
sometimes referred to as the 1896 Pattern, but the correct
designation is "Bayonet, Martini-Enfield,
Triangular". Overall Length: 25
inches Blade Length: 21.75
inches
Socket Bayonets
Sword Bayonets
The Elcho
Sword Bayonet was
not widely issued for use with the M-H, but I have included
it here because I find it an intriguing bayonet. In 1870,
Lord Elcho (a.k.a. 9th Earl of Wemyss & March, Francis
Wemyss Charteris Douglas) submitted his bayonet for trials
with the Martini-Henry Rifle, which was under acceptance
trials at this time. This initial version of Elcho's Bayonet
was made by the Wilkinson
Sword Company of
Pall Mall, and is referred to as the "1870 Experimental
Elcho Sword Bayonet". Trials of the bayonet found it to be
very well designed and it received praise in general from
those putting it through its paces. It was slightly
modified, and began to be put into service with certain
military units as the Pattern 1871. It featured an
integrated saw on the top of the blade. It was well
balanced, performed very well at cutting and chopping, and
was found to be quite adequate for attack and defense.
Unfortunately, Lord Elcho's bayonet met an untimely death
due to a high cost in manufacturing. It was decided that it
was cheaper to modify existing socket bayonets for use by
the common infantryman, and to adapt existing sword bayonets
for use by Sergeants of infantry battalions. Many felt that
a bayonet should be a defensive weapon, and not a tool to be
used for chopping trees or brush. Others felt it to be too
heavy and ungainly. There is also the widespread belief that
the superintendent of RSAF Enfield had a dislike for this
bayonet, and had something to do with it not being accepted
for widespread service use. This particular example is a
later "Approved Pattern" Elcho Sword Bayonet. Note: when
purchasing Elcho Sword Bayonets, be on the lookout for
fakes. Genuine Elchos were made by Enfield, Wilkinson,
Kirschbaum (a knights head on the spine of the bayonet) and
Gustav Felix (logo marked on ricasso). The most prominent
fakes are those made by Alex Coppel, which bear the maker's
mark of a balance scale and the initials "AC". Another clue
that your Elcho is a fake is the marking "Elcho Bayonet",
which was commonly ground off the bayonet at a later
time. Overall Length: 25.25
inches Blade Length: 20
inches Saw Length: 9
inches The Pattern
1860 Sword Bayonet
is another example of an existing bayonet being modified for
use with the Martini-Henry. At the time of the Martini's
adoption, there were large numbers of these bayonets in
stores, so in the interest of saving money, they were
inexpensively modified to fit the M-H. Their muzzle rings
were bushed to fit the M-H barrel, and the tops of the
pommels were filed down to allow the Pattern '60 to slide
onto the top barrel band tab. This bayonet does not have an
integrated saw like the Elcho, but features a curved blade
known as a "Yataghan" type blade. It is very common to hear
these generically referred to as Yataghan Sword
Bayonets. Overall Length: 28.1
inches Blade Length: 22.7
inches The Pattern
1879 Artillery Bayonet
was also initially a conversion bayonet, made from the
Pattern 1859 Cutlass Bayonet. They were made for use with
the newly adopted Martini Henry Artillery Carbine. They
feature a 9.25 inch, 41 tooth integrated saw on the top of
the blade. The primary use for this saw in the Artillery
realm was for falling small trees to be used in constructing
abaitis. New production Pattern 1879s have the button for
the latch on the right side of the pommel, and the catch
leaf spring on the left. Converted Pattern 1879s have these
parts on the opposite sides. Converted Pattern
1879s: Overall Length: 31.2
inches Blade Length: 25.8
inches New Production Pattern
1879s: Overall Length: 29.8
inches Blade Length: 24.3
inches The Pattern
1887 sword bayonet,
or "Sword Bayonet, Martini-Henry Rifle, Pattern 1887", was
designed specifically for M-H Mark IV Infantry Rifles. Many
Mark IV rifles were converted from Enfield-Martini .402
second pattern rifles, and thus, had no provision for
mounting a socket bayonet. The P1887 was created out of the
need to supply a sword bayonet for the new M-H Mark IV. The
basic design of this bayonet came from the bayonets designed
to fit the defunct Enfield-Martini .402 rifle. There were
four Marks of the Pattern 1887, Marks I-III are described in
its LoC introduction (5604 of 1-1-1889): "Patterns of the
above mentioned sword bayonets and scabbard have been
sealed. Mark I sword bayonet has a fullered blade and flat
bolt spring, and the grip is attached to the tang by four
rivets. Mark II differs from Mark I in having a spiral bolt
spring, instead of a flat one, and in the grip being
attached to the tang by two rivets and four washers. Mark
III differs from Mark II in having an unfullered blade, and
being slightly heavier. The Mark I pattern, as originally
approved, had a projecting guide on the cross piece, and a
foresight on the ring; and orders have been given for all
sword bayonets made to that pattern to be altered to
correspond to that described above. In manufacturing
bayonets of the Mark III pattern, the contractors have a
discretionary power as to the mode of securing the cross
piece of the tang, either by riveting or brazing." The
Pattern 1887 Mark IV was approved in 1891. It was nearly
identical to the Mark I. Overall Length: 23.75
inches Blade Length: 18.375
inches The Pattern 1888
sword bayonet, or "Sword Bayonet, Pattern 1888, Mark I" was adopted on 1 DEC 1899 after the advent of the Lee-Metford Magazine Rifle. This pattern was designed for use primarily with the Lee-Metford Magazine Rifle, but was also used on Martini-Metford and Martini-Enfield Artillery Carbines, as well as other Martinis with the "Rigby" type nosecap. The Mark I, Second Pattern is shown. Its grips are secured via two brass rivets, compared to three rivets in the Mark I, First Pattern. Overall Length: 16.5
inches Blade Length: 12.0
inches
Fixing Your Martini-Enfield Socket
Bayonet
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Last Modified: 06/12/04