bayonets

HOLLiS · 01-12-2006, 10:58

Curious on what the current think on Bayonets is?

From my experience/lack off.. great for crowd control as a intimidation factor, other than that worthless. A fighting knife was much more prefered.

In bayonet training, a guy with the knife in bayonet Vs knife generally won. I doubt if half of the Marines in my company in the bush had bayonets never saw on fixed. A K Bar was a thing to lust after.

**The Reaper** · 01-12-2006, 12:20

In 25 years, all I ever did with bayonets was to count them periodically as part of the Arms Room inventory.

TR

**Pete** · 01-12-2006, 12:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Reaper

In 25 years, all I ever did with bayonets was to count them periodically as part of the Arms Room inventory.

TR

I had to put one on my M16 a time or two for a change of command whop-di-do.

jbour13 · 01-12-2006, 13:16

I watched a PV2 use the bayonet and scabbard to cut concertina wire out from underneath his HMMWV at NTC.

Seems that the OPFOR made good use of it to canalize the young joe into a "minefield". He veered off his path to avoid the tank ditch and took the wire option instead.

All I can say is that his hands looked like hamburger......and the bayonet had little effect on cutting the wire.

Also been privy'd to have one on the rifle for the change of command and inpspecting arms rooms.

**Bill Harsey** · 01-12-2006, 15:03

Of all the military knife projects I've been asked to consider, never once has the bayonet come up, yet.

In the old days of front loading muskets the bayonets were very long and over time the more rounds the firearm could fire, the shorter the bayonets got.

**Roguish Lawyer** · 01-12-2006, 16:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Harsey

Of all the military knife projects I've been asked to consider, never once has the bayonet come up, yet.

Knife collectors, take note! Sounds like there is an opportunity to commission the very first (and possibly last) Harsey bayonet!

NousDefionsDoc · 01-12-2006, 16:48

Quote:

In bayonet training, a guy with the knife in bayonet Vs knife generally won.

I find this interesting and I think it says more about the lack of proper bayonet training than anything else. Of course I could be wrong.

Air.177 · 01-12-2006, 17:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Harsey

Of all the military knife projects I've been asked to consider, never once has the bayonet come up, yet.

In the old days of front loading muskets the bayonets were very long and over time the more rounds the firearm could fire, the shorter the bayonets got.

I vaguely remember discussing the possibility of an A/F Variant with Bayonet hardware with you some time in the last year or so, but I am probably mistaken.

Good times,
blake

NousDefionsDoc · 01-12-2006, 17:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Air.177

I vaguely remember discussing the possibility of an A/F Variant with Bayonet hardware with you some time in the last year or so, but I am probably mistaken.

Good times,
blake

I hope so...

**Pete** · 01-12-2006, 17:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by NousDefionsDoc

I find this interesting and I think it says more about the lack of proper bayonet training than anything else. Of course I could be wrong.

A bayonet mounted on a rifle is a weapons system while a knife is just a knife. Granted the M16/M4 is not as stout as an M1 Garand but a butt stroke to the jaw will still hurt.

But with all things, generally the one with the most experience wins.

**Jack Moroney (RIP)** · 01-12-2006, 20:28

Back when I was but a wee lad and a Mech Inf Company Commander I used to put the boys thru the paces with bayonet drills every week. It was good PT, gave them the ability to use all the tools that they had at their disposal, and integrated with my combatives training program was a good morale builder and reminded them that an Armored Personnel track was just a vehicle and that they still had to close with and kill the little sucker in the other foxhole once they dismounted those shrapnel magnets. Of course, that was when we had a rifle that could withstand a good butt stroke and the slug that came out of them wasn't deflected by branches.

Trip_Wire (RIP) · 01-13-2006, 01:59

I had the opportunity to use the old (WW 1) issue shot gun with the 1917 bayonet mounted on it during riot control duty duty in Japan in 1947. It was an awsome weapon. People did back out of the way of a Platoon size wedge moving towards them in lock step with those nice shiny bayonets and large muzzle holes pointed at their necks. I can't think of a better weapon for riot control.

We were having problems with Japanese Communists at the time.

**Jack Moroney (RIP)** · 01-13-2006, 07:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trip_Wire

I had the opportunity to use the old (WW 1) issue shot gun with the 1917 bayonet

Ahh, yes-not all bayonets are created equally-but then there is FS's fingernails

HOLLiS · 01-14-2006, 11:24

Sir, seeing your troops in Japan on riot control would have been a site to behold. I have always enjoyed reading personal accounts of events.

When I went through riot training, my instructor was very clear on his opinion of bayonets. He felt they were 100% psychological. For some reason the mob will ignore a rife pointed at them, but a bayonet intimidates them. Maybe they think it was unlikely they would be shot, but there was a good possibility of getting poked.

On the passing of the Bradley Bill, that opinion was reinforced for me. One of the rules/insanities to make a rifle safer, was no bayonet lug. I could not think of any drive buy bayoneting let lone a gang fight where a bayonet charge was used. IMHO, the whole purpose of the Bradley bill was anti-gun and to create a psychological myth of the "assault weapon". Some mysterious firearm that if anyone picked it up there would be a overwhelming urge to commit a crime.

**The Reaper** · 01-14-2006, 11:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by HOLLiS

Sir, seeing your troops in Japan on riot control would have been a site to behold. I have always enjoyed reading personal accounts of events.

When I went through riot training, my instructor was very clear on his opinion of bayonets. He felt they were 100% psychological. For some reason the mob will ignore a rife pointed at them, but a bayonet intimidates them. Maybe they think it was unlikely they would be shot, but there was a good possibility of getting poked.

On the passing of the Bradley Bill, that opinion was reinforced for me. One of the rules/insanities to make a rifle safer, was no bayonet lug. I could not think of any drive buy bayoneting let lone a gang fight where a bayonet charge was used. IMHO, the whole purpose of the Bradley bill was anti-gun and to create a psychological myth of the "assault weapon". Some mysterious firearm that if anyone picked it up there would be a overwhelming urge to commit a crime.

I believe that you are referring to the "Brady Bill" or "Assault Weapons Ban", not the "Bradley Bill".

TR