Fitting brown bess bayonet

[Brasilikilt]

Hello everyone

I just recieved my $30 brown bess bayonet from Track of the wolf.

It seems to be a decent piece, perfectly fine for what I'm into, but it has a very loose fit.

The slot for the lug is much too wide and rattles from side to side
the Inside diameter also has plenty of slack.

I was thinking that an inner sleeve of brass might work to tighten up the socket, but what can be done about the wide slot?

Would replacing the lug with a wider one be too much hassle?

I was thinking that a machinist type would be able to accomplish this without too much difficulty.

If not, where would one find a bayonet to fit nicely on a late 70's/early 80's Pedersoli Bess?

Thanks in advance

Iain

 

[Carteret Kid]

Try putting a small piece of leather inside as a gasket .

 

[Rebel]

Weld the hole some and then file?

 

[Wes/Tex]

The problem, as you've noticed, is opening diameter. The bayonets Track sells were designed to fit their Bess barrels which are .775" bore diameter like the originals, but the replicas from commercial sources and some custom makers are usually .750" bore diameter. Would think the leather sleeve mentioned might help and certainly would be less work than fitting metal sleeves. If the leather sleeve had a small cut-out for the bayonet lug, it might make things stationary enough for shooting and re-enacting. Good luck.

 

[mckutzy]

sounds like a bayonette for a longland, i have had that problem with some that i work with, altho i havent seen one for a india' before. a brass shim might do as u sugested.