The “Indian Land Pattern” socket bayonet was so called because it was made for use by the land armies (as opposed to navy) of the East India Company. These bayonets were produced in England on contract for the East India Company (EIC) for use with their .75 calibre India pattern Brown Bess muskets.
When Napoleon began invading and conquering the countries of Europe, Britain ramped up their own preparations for war and in so doing, adopted the EIC’s India Pattern Muskets as they were simpler, faster and cheaper to produce. They were also available in large numbers and stock of India pattern bayonets and muskets were commandeered by the Board of Ordnance. EIC contracts with private sector manufacturers were also taken over with all arms production being diverted for the war effort.
Land pattern Brown Bess bayonets bearing a Tower inspection mark are most likely to have been produced in the very late 18th and early 19th Centuries once the Board of ordnance had taken over the EIC’s production contracts. The maker of this bayonet, James Makin, is known to have been producing this pattern from 1795 until 1814.
The bayonet has a total length of 520mm comprising a 100mm long socket with an internal diameter of 25.5mm at the back and 23mm at the front joined by a steel elbow to the 392mm triangular blade. The bayonet is in good condition despite missing the thin bridge over the mortice slot on the mouth of the socket. This happened a long time ago and it may have been intentionally removed as there are no rough edges and the patina and wear match that of the rest of the socket. The blade is stamped on the forte with the partly worn maker’s name, “MAKIN” and a Tower inspection stamp, a crown over the number 8.
This is a good example of a socket bayonet for the famous Napoleonic Wars Brown Bess musket.
