Bayonet is a close-combat or last-resort knife / dagger / spike shaped weapon contrived to fit on or over the muzzle of a rifle cask or similar weapon efficaciously turning the gun into a spear. Mostly used in hand-to-hand combat , bayonet is a steel blade attached at the gag end of a shoulder arm as a rifle. Bayonets were made with a handle that required to be fitted into the bore of the musket after the soldier had fired.

History
In the 13th century , first bayonet was developed that provided a utilitarian addition to the weapon system. In Earlier times , bayonets were of "plug" type having a round handle that slid directly into the musket barrel. Especially in the British army of 1775 , socket bayonets was deemed with sidearm which were triangular in cross-section in order to provide flexing strength in the blade without much increase in weight. During 18th and 19th centuries , bayonets were mainly experimented and used at the time of American Civil War and in United States Navy where bayonet blades were even stuck on to single-shot pistols.

Design
Usually , bayonets are knife shaped with either a socket or handle that are permanently attached to the rifle as with the SKS ( acronym for Samozaryadniy Karabin sistemi Simonova ). They have a fuller that is the visible part on the top half of the blade , which helps in preventing the stiffness and weight reduction of blade. After experimentation , it was resulted that "I" cross-section of an I-Beam of bayonet is more efficient in resisting bending property than an equivalent rectangular cross-section.

Variations
Bayonets are available in a number of variations consisting of :

• Wood grips
• Pommel
• Single-edged blades
• Cross guard

Types of bayonets

• Antique Bayonets
• French Bayonets
• German Bayonets
• Italian Bayonets
• Japanese Bayonets
• Spanish Bayonets

Advance and modernistic use
In modern warfare system , bayonets are still used for close-quarter fighting. Adjacently bayonets are also popular as a utility knife and as an aid to combat morale. In complex cases such as when a soldier is out of ammo or a weapon is jammed , bayonets are used for controlling prisoners and as a "last resort" weapon for close quarters combat. Employed as a weapon in many armies , they show long-range accuracy.

Styles
Some modes of bayonets used in earlier as well as modern times are :

• Sword bayonet : Began in the 18th century , it is a long, knife-bladed bayonet designed for mounting on a musket or rifle.
• Knife bayonets : In the 20th century due to bayonet effectiveness and versatility , knife bayonets were developed which are like a short sword or knife used both for fighting and as a utility knife.
• Cutlass bayonet : At the time of Queen Victoria's Royal Navy , cutlasses bayonets are used as they are the favorable weapon for the navies at that time.