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No.5 Jungle Bayonets +

4K views 39 replies 19 participants last post by  alarmingman 
#1 · (Edited)
With RTI finding and then selling off a bunch of No.5 bayonets it sparked my hunt for a few missing pieces in my collection. Unfortunately, RTI's bayonets all seem to be of WSC manufacture which is sad for the collector as they are the most prevalent. Hopefully, though it will spark some new interest in finding the rarer examples for other collectors. I have seen a few single screw WSC examples in my many years but with their cost and possible questionable originality, I have passed on all.

In review the published numbers:

Wilkerson, WSC or S294 188,000
Radcliffe, N187 75,000
Viners Ltd, VNS or N79 42,000
Elkington, M78 11,000
Poole, P (in circle) unk
Sterling unk
Ishapore, RFI unk


Skennerton and Richardson state that Radcliffe's numbers might just be parts from subcontractors. I doubt the 75,000 as complete bayonets as they are not that common.

Only Poole and RFI are dated. Poole used different size font during their manufacture. My large font P1946 has been thinned down to be used as a knife with the pommel latch removed, my small font P1947 is still in standard condition.

Real RFI examples are hard to find as 99% of those out there are cheap fakes. A close look at the grips and markings will help those looking. I have seen 1977 and 1978 dated examples, (I lack a '78)

Sterling is not a No.5 bayonet but as it is technically identical and standard No. 5 bayonets were issued with Sterling SMG's I have included them: they are also fun to find! As seen some have clearing holes, some do not. Grips vary from wood, plastic and steel. Pommels are either void of markings or not. One of mine have "BSA" over "C" and another has "H" over "C". Some have been noted with "STERLING" engraved in the blood groove, only one of mine does.


Hope this inspires..
 

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#3 ·
Very nice collection of some very scarce bayonets! :thumbsup:
 
#25 ·
Outstanding collection and congrats, I am sure lots of time and hunting was expended.

Viewing these bayonets, I had to go check mine and its a WSC mfg. Nothing exotic but in over 50 yrs of hunting...always finding these bayonets outrageously expensive, the one I have today came with the last No.5 that I bought at $500. I am just happy to have a decent No.5 bayonet. Cost always high and the longer I walked away from those few encountered, the scarcer they became & price moved to near $275.

As to the RTI offerings, when first came out, it was the least expensive sale of these hard to find bayonets that I've ever seen. Any No.5 bayonet in 1970 was pushing $200 so at the RTI price recently, it was a good deal. A buddy of mine bought 2 of them immediately when RTI advertised them and they came in NRA Good condition , I told him he can double his money in a year easily.

Condition is everything (well.. unless you are into relic condition) and when you see a Enfield or proper British / Aussie bayonet in great condition, the time to buy is then. If priced reasonably, walking away thinking price will fall or you can easily find another cheaper may be flawed reasoning.

7 yrs ago, I was sniveling that I paid $500 for a No.4MkII mint condition rifle, nowadays I don't see them for sale and RTI grade rifles selling at $550 and higher. However 7 yrs ago, buy it now or regret not doing so drove me to plonk down the money.
 
#6 ·
The modified example, mine a '46 Poole, the standard a '47 Poole. Per the internet, modified to be used as a combat knife. Blade thinned down to minimal thickness and blackened. I cannot find any documentation on it so please don't quote me on this one. If interested examples for sale can be found on Gunbroker still and sometimes Ebay...
 

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#18 ·
I have been around for a long time and have seen importers lower pricing to move items but NEVER raise prices twice in less than a month!

RTI started out at $99.99.....then $129.99 and now $149.99....

Read ALL the reviews and then decide if you want to roll the dice...

The only thing that remained constant was the rip off shipping charge.....
 
#30 ·




Very nice collection.

I've had one of the BSA versions for about 20 years. it appears unissued and I assumed it was for the Sterling but wasn't sure.
Can you tell me what you know about them?
Mine was missing the scabbard when I got it, what would I look for when looking for the correct one.

My Bayonet knowledge is practically non existent.

Thanks in advance,
B
 
#38 ·
View attachment 3680245
View attachment 3680247
View attachment 3680269

Very nice collection.

I've had one of the BSA versions for about 20 years. it appears unissued and I assumed it was for the Sterling but wasn't sure.
Can you tell me what you know about them?
Mine was missing the scabbard when I got it, what would I look for when looking for the correct one.

My Bayonet knowledge is practically non existent.

Thanks in advance,
B
This bayonet was made by Hopkinson/Sheffield in 1975 for the Sterling SMG. BSA only produced some parts for the No. 5-bayonet in/after WWII. And some of this parts were later used for Sterling-bayonets.
 
#31 ·
Not up to snuff as some others might be on Sterling bayonets but I'm inclined to believe yours is a Serling/commercial version. Nothing to be ashamed of as they aren't often seen.

The scabbard you want is the No5. Either variation will fit but they too aren't often seen on the loose. The No5 scabbard was used on bayonets 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and some of the L1 series blades. Because most scabbards were already in the system they were often refurbed/reissued as other blades were removed from service.
 
#32 ·
#33 ·
Prices aren't exactly coming down. Are they?

I used to think IMA's scabbards were just a little pricey at half that cost in years past. One of those rare times when investing at retail price would have probably paid off double in the long run....in spite of inflation.

Briar, I noticed your bayonet is almost identical to one Lance posted. A quick reference to B&CB shows a single example of a BSA and that one has the later riveted metal grips.
I should probably pay more attention to the Sterling blades?
 
#34 ·
JB White;10350439 I'm inclined to believe yours is a Serling/commercial version. Nothing to be ashamed of as they aren't often seen. .[/QUOTE said:
I just ran off the road....there were commercial No.5 bayonets made ? Why would that be? Would not all No.5 bayonets be made for MOD contracts like Poole, WSC bayonets ? You lost me this commercial bayonet comment. Thank you in advance for any information on this.
 
#36 ·
Think outside the MoD. Countries around the world were using British or British type arms. BSA as a private business could make just about anything a foreign client needed.
Look back at the prime contractor list for UK government contract No5 bayonets. No BSA listed. Doesn't mean they were unable to ;)

Note. Commercial doesn't necessarily mean 'civilian retail'.
But it could.....
 
#39 ·
Wilkerson, WSC or S294 188,000
You learn something new every day ........

I was always under the impression it was WILKINSON (not Wilkerson) and WSC was Wilkinson Sword Company.


Henry Nock began trading as a gunlock smith out of Mount Pleasant in London in 1772. In 1775, he formed Nock, Jover & Co. with William Jover and John Green.[3] The American Revolutionary War led to strong sales for the new company. In 1776, the Board of Ordnance granted Nock, Jover & Co. an advance of £200 to start producing bayonets and in 1779 the company won a contract to produce 500 seven-barreled volley guns for the Royal Navy. Although designed by James Wilson, these would become known as Nock volley guns or Nock guns.

When Henry Nock died in 1804, he left the company to his foreman and adopted son-in-law, James Wilkinson. When James's son Henry Wilkinson joined the company it was renamed James Wilkinson & Son (also known as simply Wilkinson & Son). It became the Wilkinson Sword Company in 1891.

Wilkinson Sword produced some of the earliest motorcycles in 1903. These were two-cylinder machines with Belgian engines made by Antoine, which were marketed by a garage in Chelsea, London – one of the first motorcycle dealerships in the UK. The venture was not a success. Wilkinson developed and manufactured the Wilkinson TMC, a luxury touring motorcycle between 1911 and 1916, when production was stopped by World War I. The first 'Wilkinsons' were designed for military reconnaissance by P G Tacchi. Demonstrated to the British military in the summer of 1908, the Wilkinson motorcycle failed to impress the authorities, despite optional accessories including a sidecar complete with Maxim machine gun – and a steering wheel instead of handlebars.The company continued development and exhibited a new version a year later at the Stanley Clyde Motorcycle Show at the Agricultural Hall, Islington, London in 1909. Only about 250 Wilkinsons were produced before World War I. Restrictions brought the line to its end in spring 1916, and Wilkinson then produced thousands of bayonets for the war effort. After the war, they continued to develop the in-line four engine – but in a new car called the Deemster. They never resumed motorcycle production.

 
#40 ·
I thought I would show what an RTI example can look like. I got this one from them a couple years ago when they were $129. After dissasembley, long Kroil soak, scrubbing and cursing it looks like this, with a very dented sheath. But I finally have one and didnt spend as much as the rifle.
Wood Knife Tool Blade Hardwood

Wood Knife Hunting knife Blade Dagger
 
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