![]() ![]() 69 caliber (17.5 mm.) M1798 flintlock musket.Īlthough the Austrian M1798 musket was closely patterned after the French M1777 Charleville musket, the M1799 bayonet is uniquely Austrian. Ricasso: "E" over "1/75" over "8" over "M" and "7" (sideways) These were most likely purchased by soldiers of the NATO International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in the Afghan bazaars and brought back as souvenirs of their wartime service. Identification as Afghan is speculative, however, evidence appears to point this way. I did not observe the fourth example’s ricasso. Of the other two examples, one had no ricasso markings, but had been heavily polished, so the ricasso markings could have been obliterated. ![]() In any case, the markings are not Russian nor are they British. This example and one other have absolutely identical ricasso markings (same combination of letters/numbers, same placement, same font), suggesting that the marking may be spurious. All bear the Russian serial number on the blade and three of the four bear the Ishevsk trademark. Several examples of this uncommon bayonet have turned up (I know of four), the first in 2009. ![]() This example has an odd shape to the inside of the bridge, as if the rifle's front sight was off-center, while the outside of the bridge is symmetrical (so is not merely damaged or bent). It also has the characteristic screwdriver point. The blade bears the Ishevsk Arsenal bow-and-arrow trademark, indicating that it was manufactured prior to 1928. The cut from severing the M1891 bayonet elbow results in a distinctive shield-like ricasso when the M1891 blade is welded to the new socket. At 18.2 mm., the socket bore is too large for a Berdan II Dragoon rifle. The blade is that of a Russian M1891, mated to a socket that is dimensionally identical to those used with the British Martini-Henry rifle. ![]() Socket bayonet for use with an unknown rifle, most likely Afghan-made “Khyber Pass” Martini-Henry pattern rifles. ![]()
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