FAL Bayonet??

[Paladin]

Looking for some confirmation on this one. I have marked this bayonet as for a FAL. Truth is, I have no clue as to what type of rifle that might be.
Are there knowledgeable bayonet collectors here? I know next to nothing about them and would appreciate any info that can be shared about this one.
Also, it has this little removable cap on the handle end. Any idea as to what that is for?

Ray

EDIT: I failed to include that the blade length is 6 inches and the OAL is about 12 inches, not including the cap.

[coffeecup]

I don't think this is for an FAL; it looks to me like one of the German bayonets for the G3. The sheath at least looks like the first one (if I remember right, the later ones had a wire hanger like the US used).

But it has been a lot of years since I looked at one.

[Paladin]

Thanks, Coffeecup. I believe you are correct.
After I posted I found a site that listed and showed photos of bayonets from most all countries. The G3 seems to fit, tho I have no clue as to which country it came from.
On that site that seemed very comprehensive, there was nothing about the little 'cap' doodad on the top. Any ideas on that??

Ray

[knife7knut]

Not sure what it's for(I'm kind of "military challenged";at least on new stuff)but FAL is a type of rifle made by Fabrique Nationale or FN.

[Miller Bro's]

http://worldbayonets.com/Bayonet_Identi ... tml#g3ger2

[Paladin]

Dimitri,
I am satisfied that it is correctly a G3. I went thru the site you sent the link to but I saw nothing about the little 'cap'.
Do you have any ideas about it? Check it out in the next to last photo.

Ray

[coffeecup]

Just a guess, Ray, but the early G3 bayonets required some kind of adapter to be fit to the rifle--it may be something like that. I never got an in-hands look at one, though. Otherwise, it looks very much like what I recall of the German Bundeswehr bayonets--the sheath in particular.

It looks nothing like the other G3 bayonets that I have had hands on (Turkey, and Norway I think it was).

Jim

[jerryd6818]

http://www.jeffreyhayes.com/books/ebook/G3.pdf

Read pages 4 & 5. It explains that

Bayonet Adaptors for Small Lug (10 mm) Bayonets.
The bayonet mounting system used by Heckler & Koch is highly
unusual. For a rifle to accept a bayonet in most instances, the cocking
tube cap must be replaced by a bayonet adaptor (Plates 4 & 5). The
adaptor is secured in position in the forward end of the rifle's cocking
tube by a screw-bolt in the same lower-left orientation as was described
above. The screw-bolt can be tightened in a small threaded hole drilled
in the adaptor (Plate 6).
To fix the bayonet, a projecting circular-sectioned lug (10 mm in
diameter) on the rear surface of the bayonet pommel must be pushed
against pressure from a spring-loaded plunger housed in the adaptor
until a hooked catch mounted on the bayonet catches in a further larger
unthreaded hole drilled through one side of the adaptor. When the catch
on the bayonet is released, the spring-loaded plunger within the adaptor
spring actually throws the bayonet out of its fixed position, a unique
arrangement as compared to other bayonet fixing systems.

[Paladin]

That nails it, Jerry. Adaptor! I'd love to say that's what I thought all along, but I didn't have a clue.
Appreciate the help guys.

Ray

[coffeecup]

Neat: you've got an early model of the Bundeswehr G3 bayonet! If you list it on the 'bay, be sure to mention the belt loop (no wire) and describe the appearance of the plastic in the sheath, as well as the adapter. It could be an educational auction to watch, as I have no idea of the demand or collectors' market for something like this.

Jim