British 1903 Pattern Bayonet. Wilkinson. #2410018

Shop » Bayonets And Knives » British 1903 Pattern Bayonet. Wilkinson. #2410018
British 1903 Pattern Bayonet. Wilkinson. #2410018 #1 British 1903 Pattern Bayonet. Wilkinson. #2410018 #2 British 1903 Pattern Bayonet. Wilkinson. #2410018 #3 British 1903 Pattern Bayonet. Wilkinson. #2410018 #4 British 1903 Pattern Bayonet. Wilkinson. #2410018 #5 British 1903 Pattern Bayonet. Wilkinson. #2410018 #6 British 1903 Pattern Bayonet. Wilkinson. #2410018 #7 British 1903 Pattern Bayonet. Wilkinson. #2410018 #8 British 1903 Pattern Bayonet. Wilkinson. #2410018 #9
Scarce British P1903 bayonet for the Mk1 Short Magazine Lee Enfield (SMLE) rifle.

The P1903 design combined the P1888 blade and crosspiece with a new pommel design.

The P1903 had a short service life as the blade wasn’t thought to be long enough, having less reach than most European bayonets when combined with the shorter Mk1 rifle. The P1903 was produced for British use from 1903–1907, at which time the P1907 was adopted.

The 303mm double-edged blade is bright and clean with its factory edge. The blade has a flattened diamond cross-section with a raised medial ridge and terminates in a spear point. The ricasso is stamped with a Wilkinson inspection stamp above the maker’s details, Wilkinson, London.

The obverse ricasso is blank. The absence of War Department and government inspection stamps suggests that this bayonet was made for private sale or export.

 The spine of the ricasso bears a faint Wilkinson factory inspection mark.

The steel crosspiece and pommel retain their original polished finish with minimal age-related marks. The press-stud locking mechanism works perfectly. The wooden grip scales are in good condition with age and use related marks.

The black leather scabbard is in good condition. The steel furniture retains its original blued finish with age-related wear. The stitching is intact and in good condition and the bayonet sheathes and draws smoothly and is held firmly within the scabbard.

This is an excellent example of an increasingly hard to find British P1903 bayonet.

SOLD