Baker Rifle Sword Bayonets query.
 

As a fan of the 'Sharpe' series, I've read about Baker rifle sword bayonets.

It appears there are three sources:

A) Original GB Military issue.
B) Later Batch made for Indian Issue Baker rifle service.
C) A small batch custom made for the UK 95th Rifles re-enactment group.

I seem to have acquired either a B) or C). Any guidance on telling them apart, i gather the B&C's were unmarked.

Any guidance on differentiating them will be appreciated, i'm fairly sure it's NOT an original broad arrow marked one...bit too clean for an A).

Seems to be little online info & few pics, none i could find here on the forum, so these ( and hopefully other poster's) will serve for future reference.

Look HERE

Hi Wayne,
You appear to have the 2nd pattern from 1801, whether it is an original or not I have no idea. This site seems to have pictures of all the variants http://www.95th-rifles.co.uk/equipment/sword-bayonet/

My Regards,
Norman.

Hello

The saber-bayonet was also produced by private gunsmiths, for the volunteers. Here some variants

Affectionately. Fernando K

Do you have any pictures of markings on your Baker bayonet ? The back edge of the blade near the ricasso is a typical place for makers mark or on the brass languets for unit marks. Can you also do some pics of the stitching of the scabbard seam scabbard . Thanks.

Picked it up from vendor today. pics as below. Can't find any markings blade has a lot of black oxide staining, no pitting. edge like a butter knife, but very sharp point. brass is oxidised a bit, some verdegris under the languet. Stitching of scabbard is two lines of dirty white thread 1/4in. stitches that cross under the central seam, on the edge side of the scabbard. Blade is 23 in. long, 3 1/2 in. false edge, 5/16 thick at ricasso, 1/4 in. at the false edge. 1 1/8 in. wide at ricasso, a hair over 1 in. at the end of the false edge. grip is 4.5 in., inc. the guard. 4 longitudinal grooves, 26 circumfrential ones. Blade clicks into place in scabbard over the last 1/2 in. or so. Steel spring and button assembly in place, retained by a slotted dome headed screw.

this almost certainly is an Indian made Baker ... some authorities describe them as 'Indian State Forces' Bakers. In the 1980s World Wide Arms imported a lot of them from India , there is some debate as to whether they had gained access to a State Armoury or were having them made in India . However later on they began to sell ones with British manufacturers names on them , this batch was definitely made to order . The presence of a scabbard is usually a good indicator of relatively recent manufacture as Baker scabbards are far far rarer than the bayonets themselves.

:) Bit unusual then...

Was just reading about a 95th Rifleman who shot a french general at 600 yds. with his baker, when he was chided for it being a lucky shot, he reloaded and shot the general's aide who was helping the general.

I agree that it is a modern copy.

Here is an original scabbard ... repros generally have the stitching along one edge rather than up the centre of the back ..

Certainly a version of this true episode with an exaggerated flavor. The one that mentions Irish Thomas Plunket laying in a supine position and hitting the General at 100 yards sounds more appropriate. In any case Bakers were infinitely more accurate than erratic Brown Besses. At reading the introduction of "The Recollections of Rifleman Harris", this tome a Scot, Bakers were reputed with a 300 yards accuracy.
We can also read in Peninsular War chronicles that the Brits dispensed a couple hundred of those rifles to Portuguese sharp shooters, while Spaniards were not so contemplated.

.

Hello everyone

The 95th regiment was in the English Invason in 1807, in the city of Buenos Aires (Argentina), It was sheltered in the church of Santo Domingo, and fired from the bell tower. However, I end up surrendering to the criollos. The armament of the English, including the Baker was returned to the invaders, by one of the conditions of surrender, which included the abandonment of Montevideo (Uruguay)

Fernando K