Original "issue" bayonets and the Swiss Rifle.

[Latigo]

Matching Bayonets.
The chances of an existing, original issue bayonet to the original rifle is slim to none. As proven by the approximate 2,000 Bayonets that I assisted Graf's having imported, Bayonets were stocked by Bern and later, a number of Armouries, all without serial numbers.

When an issue bayonet was damaged or lost, a new bayonet was issued to that "in-service" soldier's rifle with that rifle's serial number. The chances of it having remained with the original rifle are both remote and absolutely unprovable. As it was entirely impractical and unneccessary and those issued bayonets were not logged in a permanent register in Bern............. However..........

Sad to say that a number of importers bringing in those same bayonets released by Bern and three other Armouries in 2016, factually re-numbered some (or a lot) of them to match in-stock k31s and/or G11s.......... and, no..... I'm not going to disclose my sources. They'd most likely never communicate with me again.
It is what it is, Gents.

[BrokerB]

Micthells lives!!!

[Latigo]

Is that one of them?? I actually don't recognize that one.

P

[81turbota]

Is that one of them?? I actually don't recognize that one.

P

The famous fakers of force matched K98 Mausers and advertised them as "original"

[Jimja]

What about the rifles with matching numbered bayonets that Simpsons sold for a while? I bought a K11 with a matching bayo from them a few years ago (no longer have the rifle)

[Latigo]

I know Bob Simpson personally, and I know that neither he nor his people would ever do anything like that. Bob personally goes to Switzerland and Germany and hand selects ALL of his rifles and accessories.

P

[Jimja]

Matching Bayonets.
The chances of an existing, original issue bayonet to the original rifle is slim to none.

So how do you explain Simpsons having sold quite a few rifles with matching bayonets? I personally bought 2, a couple of my friends bought a few, and quite a few more sold that I know

It had to have been at lease several dozen that I've seen for sale (not just on Simpsons site), were all those messed with?

Would they have been stamped to match the rifle in Switzerland? Here in the US by the importer?

What do you mean by "slim to none"? Would that roughly be 1 in a million? 1 in 10,000? 1 in 1,000?

You have a unique insight into these and I'm really curious what you think

[Syntax Error]

Has anyone compared the stampings of a recent bayonet and matched gun versus a period issued and correct bayonet to see if they look the same? We only have allegations here, no actual proof as of yet.

[Latigo]

I've already answered you. Bob Simpson personally seeks out and hand selects his inventories.
As for the rest of it, I've already said what I know. Am I going to give you sources because you're curious? Absolutely not.
The information is what I've been given.

You may believe what you wish, or research the subject for yourself, but first ask yourself how rifles that old and in Armouries for that long could be expected to be accompanied by the original issue bayonets.

Nothing further to say on this subject unless I'm asked to delete the post.

And I'm NOT Latigo. I'm his father, Pierre St.Marie.

[Latigo]

In retrospect, I probably should at least give you the location of my source.
A long time friend of mine at RUAG in Bern, Switzerland.

[Jimja]

I wanted to make it clear that I'm not accusing anybody of faking anything. I'm just trying to reconcile two things:

#1 is the statement about matching bayonets:
"Matching Bayonets. The chances of an existing, original issue bayonet to the original rifle is slim to none"

#2 is the fact that at least dozens of them have been sold within the last few years (that I've personally seen for sale) that had matching bayonets

In my mind there is a disconnect between "slim to none" vs dozens sold. If the ones sold are legit, than maybe it's "slim to none" to find them matching in 2016, because they've been bought up years earlier?

[Latigo]

Jimja, I wasn't given particulars or numbers. Because I'd seen this question a number of times before on Swiss rifle forums here, in Germany and in Switzerland, I asked about it. "Slim to none" was his term, not mine.

I have no idea about numbers, but "dozens" doesn't seem to be a lot compared to total imports. I do have those figures from "Guisan", but it was three years ago, before his death, and it's somewhere within many hundreds of emails between us. My short term memory is rather bad now, but I'll see if I can find that email with the G11 and k31 imports as of that time. As I said, that was about 3 years ago, so the numbers have increased for sure.

I'll see what I can find.

P

[capt14k]

I have a matching bayonet Swiss K11 purchased directly from Switzerland via Germany. It unusual but not unheard of. I believe the P64 designates this one was sold out of inventory to the soldier.

[Latigo]

Beautiful!! A truly great find.

P

[capt14k]

Beautiful!! A truly great find.

P

Thank you. The price was right too. My friend in Germany found it and I got lucky on the bid. Even with the extra cost of importing I think I'm still in it for below market value.

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