Original Item. Only One Available. This is a rough but fine example of a 1768 British Brown Bess Bayonet that has been modified at some point to fit another rifle. The Brown Bess is one of the most iconic firearms of the 18th Century. This is a standard socket bayonet used by His Majesty’s forces in North America and across the Empire and throughout the Napoleonic Wars. Almost all were melted down or lost over the past 200 years, so these are rare in any condition.
This is a heavily worn 1768 socket bayonet for a British Brown Bess musket. The end of the bayonet catch has been modified, likely so it would fit a different firearm. It has a clear maker’s mark to Hadley, a Birmingham weapons maker for the Crown. There is a cypher above this mark, with 24 under the cypher. The bayonet is very rough overall with some paint remaining in some spots.
It has a blade length of 13 ½“ and an overall length of 16 ½“.