Tag Archives: bayonet fencing

Bringing a rifle to a sword fight

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Matt Easton with Scholagladiatoria covers military bayonet/rifle fencing equipment that was common from about the 1850s through the 1930s, with, naturally, an emphasis on British kit.

You had to be a serious Tommy to suit up in one of these outfits back in the day.

British fencing musket as a properly-mustached sergeant looks on

The French also used much the same kit, as seen with this Pouli using his Berthier rifle in a fencing duel against a gendarme

The more slappy and less complicated U.S. M1912 Fencing Bayonet, for use with the M1903 Springfield

Of course, you can’t talk about British Tommies and bayonets without the mandatory mentioning of the venerable Corporal Jones of Dad’s Army fame.

Ouch, tovarish! Russian bayonet fencing rifles

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Going back a half century before the M1805 muskets that Napoleon’s legions faced at Borodino, Russians have been in love with the bayonet. The “white weapon” of elan given special deference in Russian military usage. No less a Russian General than the 18th century tactician Suvorov, even today considered a national hero, once noted “The bullet is a fool, the bayonet is a fine chap.”

The Mosin M91 series rifles were mounted with huge pigstickers, even in their later M44 and M59 folding variants.

Which brings us to this great image of a 1930s Mosin bayonet fencing rifle, used in training with a dull ad very springy light steel blade. The rifle is in the museum collection at Izhevsk.

It still looks like it could put your eye out…

Below is a page from the 1938 Red Army practice manual showing its use.

Vashe zrodovye!