what type of bayonet?

[ironbrigade6]

Hey all,
A friend of mine gave this bayonet that he bought used with a mississippi rifle, although he threw out the scabbard some years ago. So while searching for a scabbard I began to doubt if it is infact a Mississippi rifle bayonet but a remington zouave bayonet. So after looking at pictures of both reproductions and originals, im finding reproductions and originals for Mississippi rifles that are this style. So im torn as to what type of bayonet this is. Can anyone identify it for me?

thanks for your help,

[Michael Comer]

Re: what type of bayonet?

It could be a French sword bayonet. I've seen some that look very much like this configuration. Any markings on it?

[ironbrigade6]

Re: what type of bayonet?

No, it doesnt have any markings. Its deffinatly a reproduction bayonet though.

[Jimmayo]

Re: what type of bayonet?

I don't have one to compare it to but it looks a lot like a zouave. These will fit some Mississippi Rifles quite well.

[Rankin]

Re: what type of bayonet?

It appears to be a bayonet that you wont be using on many events listed upon this forum.
Jim Crawford

[AZReenactor]

Re: what type of bayonet?

Jim, Don't you think it premature to reach that conclusion before the bayonet is conclusively identified? All I see so far are speculative responses, or perhaps you've already identified it and haven't shared your analysis with the rest of us.

It appears to be a bayonet that you wont be using on many events listed upon this forum.
Jim Crawford

[Secesh]

Re: what type of bayonet?

Agreed (with Troy)...

[Archie R. Lib]

Re: what type of bayonet?

Guys, I'm no expert, but it looks like a Mississippi Rifle bayonet to me. Jonathan - can you post a couple more pics? That might help a little.

Most original/repop MS bayonets I've seen were about 30 1/2 inches in overall length, with about a 1-inch (just under) muzzle ring. They generally have some markings (a date or maker mark) at the base of the blade parallel to the pommel and/or just to the rear of the muzzle ring on the pommel flat.

The big difference though was that the curve of the MS was generally more pronounced than the "Zouave", which appears to have been more flat. Yours has a pretty pronounced graceful curve to it that looks much more like the Mississippi bayonets that I've seen.

My 2 cents? (for what it's worth).... Looks like a MS to me. Nice bayonet.

Thx.

[sheppjrs]

Re: what type of bayonet?

Looks like a U.S. Plymouth Navy rifle M1861 bayonet to me. See link:

http://www.collectorsfirearms.com/admin/product_details.php?itemID=2056

Richard Sheppard
Night Monkey Mess
1st Arkansas

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: what type of bayonet?

Hallo!

Granted I do not have it in my hands, or have measurements or markings, etc...

It is not an Remington M1863 Contract Rifle (aka "Zouave") bayonet. Pretty much, most all of the sabre bayonets used on the altered M1841's rifles have a certain amount of curve and recurve to teh blade profile.
The "Zouave" bayonet is somewhat unique in that regard at it has a fairly straight blade whose line and point do not rise or fall above the hilt and blade's center line.

The altered M1841's used a number of sabre bayonets starting with the M1855 Rifle bayonet, as well as a few "M1841 Rifle" sabre bayonets and variants that were based on the M1855.
I have read that the Remington bayonet was also used, but at the moment, off the top of my head, I do not recall a documented or provenanced combination intact (and half suspect much might be more from reenacting where we had repro clamp adaptors and only repro "Zouave" bayonets to use. By the time the Remington bayonet was out, many/most M1841's (exceptions so noted) had mostly already been replaced by
M1861/1863's.

Again with out having it in hand, and with no measurements or markngs, the other side of the coin is that it may be European, particularly French... as "we" copied stuff left and right.

Remington M1863 Contract Rifle bayonet:





Curt