Bayonet

By kind permission of the Royal Sussex Regimental Association Trust

This triangular socket bayonet is an original from the 18^th century used with muskets such as the ‘Brown Bess’ Land Pattern musket. The earlier plug bayonets had prevented muskets being fired, so in the early 1700s were replaced by the socket type, seen here. Another innovation was the replacement of single or double-edged blades with a triangular shape, also seen on this example. Not only was this stronger than the earlier types but inflicted wounds which did more damage and were particularly hard to treat.