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
- Antique Bayonets
- French Bayonets
- German Bayonets
- Italian Bayonets
- Japanese Bayonets
- Spanish Bayonets
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.
