North+West African ram rods

kahnjar1 · 27th August 2015, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim Simmons

Somehow the visual information ie my fingers and the attaching holes, is not getting through. Could this fit on tribal guns/flintlocks ram rods?

Hi Tim,
OK a straight answer to your question. Yes it COULD fit, BUT as Richard says it seems to me to be rather impractical for the reasons already mentioned, and for that matter it could fit ANYTHING of the right diameter. If a tribal person had one of these, IMHO, it would be much more useful to use it as a hand held weapon.
Stu

Ibrahiim al Balooshi · 27th August 2015, 09:09 PM

Or a mine prod...?

Tim Simmons · 28th November 2017, 09:45 AM

This bayonet is no longer mine. If you are a regular you may have noticed it on the swap forum. I was really pleased to receive these photos from the recipient in the swap, showing how the bayonet fitted this long Dane Gun. I am informed that this example of gun is long and that many of the West African made guns where a lot shorter making the bayonet a more practical weapon. It is a little awkward but I think no less useful than a plug bayonet when the time came to using it. Even attached to the ram rod I think you could stick someone with it. I just feel the pictures are worth a viewing and the gun with bayonet is a very cool addition to any gun collection. He did well?

thinreadline · 28th November 2017, 12:07 PM

This is extremely interesting , there is very little precedent for bayonets being used in Africa outside of native troops in Colonial service , but I do agree it does look as though it could have attached to a ramrod or other projection from a musket . Although it looks style on the lebel and perhaps copied in N Africa from French troops bayonets , it seems strange that an actual lebel 'blade' was not used as the region must have been slewing with them ! When I first saw your 'bayonet' I immediately thought this was a piece of trench art from WW1 designed to slot on to something and act as a short flag pole or somesuch.
Very nice , I wish I had spotted it when it was for sale I would have loved to have this !

28th November 2017, 09:45 AM	#3
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,842	This bayonet is no longer mine. If you are a regular you may have noticed it on the swap forum. I was really pleased to receive these photos from the recipient in the swap, showing how the bayonet fitted this long Dane Gun. I am informed that this example of gun is long and that many of the West African made guns where a lot shorter making the bayonet a more practical weapon. It is a little awkward but I think no less useful than a plug bayonet when the time came to using it. Even attached to the ram rod I think you could stick someone with it. I just feel the pictures are worth a viewing and the gun with bayonet is a very cool addition to any gun collection. He did well? Attached Images

27th August 2015, 09:09 PM	#2
Ibrahiim al Balooshi Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Buraimi Oman, on the border with the UAE Posts: 4,408	Or a mine prod...?

28th November 2017, 12:07 PM	#4
thinreadline Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Wirral Posts: 1,204	This is extremely interesting , there is very little precedent for bayonets being used in Africa outside of native troops in Colonial service , but I do agree it does look as though it could have attached to a ramrod or other projection from a musket . Although it looks style on the lebel and perhaps copied in N Africa from French troops bayonets , it seems strange that an actual lebel 'blade' was not used as the region must have been slewing with them ! When I first saw your 'bayonet' I immediately thought this was a piece of trench art from WW1 designed to slot on to something and act as a short flag pole or somesuch. Very nice , I wish I had spotted it when it was for sale I would have loved to have this !