Brown Bess bayonet

[trent/OH]

I own a Japanese-made Brown Bess, and it is lonely. She really wants a bayonet to keep her company. I found a Bess bayonet, but don't know if it will fit the musket properly.
As best I can tell, the bayonet is .060" larger than the muzzle, and the bayonet is .020" larger than the barrel and bayonet stud. Is this enough information, and enough clearance, to take a chance on buying the bayonet sight-unseen (I have seen photos on the computer)???

 

[Swampman]

Most of these cheap bayonets have to be fit to the musket. You take a round file to the inside until it fits. It's very easy to knock the bayonet lug off so I don't use a bayonet anymore. They are cheap on eBay.

 

[Grenadier1758]

At one time James Townsend stocked bayonets for the Japanese built Bess and the Pedersoli. These weren't in the catalog, and you had to call in the order. I still had to fit the Italian bayonet to my Pedersoli Bess.

Fitting was relatively easy, but time consuming. I used a 3/4" drum sander and my trusty electric drill. I opened the hole up large enough for the the bayonet to clear the muzzle and the bayonet lug. A little loose is better than a little tight.

I would think that if the largest diameter of your barrel from the muzzle to 4" back is smaller than the smallest diameter of the hole in the bayonet, you should be good to go. You may still have to file down the height of the bayonet lug, but it should still fit. Wax the parts good and it shouldn't lock itself in place.

 

[patriot]

If you want a bayonet for your musket, Italian or Japanese, go to G Gedney Godwin (The Sutler of Mount Misery)try[url] www.gggodwin.com[/url] and order you up one. They have em.

Patriot