Whitney bayonets for Remington rifles

[ehull]

Who else has a sample of this bayonet (lower example in the photo)? This is a Whitney under barrel bayonet, made beginning on about 1882; it was later modified to fit Remington rolling block and Keene rifles by enlarging the stud slot to the larger Remington size. Many thousands were remanufactured, yet they seem very scarce today.

[gmkmd]

I do believe I have an example of the top bayonet.
I guess the cleaning rod would have to be shorter than usual to clear the bayonet in that position.
I wonder why they chose to change the traditional position of the bayonet?

[ehull]

These were Whitney surplus, so they were obtained very cheaply. All it took was widening the slot and making the cleaning rod 3/4 inch shorter to use them. This was in the late 1890s into the early 1900s, when the military rolling block was no longer popular, so reducing the cost was important.

[gmkmd]

But I wonder what caused Whitney to make underbarrel socket bayonets rather than the traditional right-sided ones. A few countries had changed to under-barrel bayonets, but the majority (including US) never did. Perhaps it was at the request of a specific contract? Or just viewed as an improvement?

[ehull]

Whitney had started using under barrel bayonets by 1878, and I suspect it was just a way to differentiate his product from Remington. European countries had adopted this style by then.

Also, Whitney was using blades from old, surplus US bayonets, and just adding a new socket. Perhaps Whitney wanted to make itt obvious that these were not just old bayonets put on new rifles.

[ehull]

John McAulay’s new book on Navy Rifles, 1866-1917, documents that the Navy bought their 256 Keene Rifles WITHOUT bayonets. Thus, there is no such thing as an unique “Keene rifle bayonet.” Hartley & Graham had to add altered Whitney bayonets when they resold the surpluses rifles.

[aardq]

Ed, Thanks for that info. I'm not normally interested in rifle bayonets, but do have the book on Rem bayonets, and I tried looking up these bayonets, but found nothing. As an aside, I was told a long time ago, that the side mounted bayonets made it easier to stack arms and to reload muzzle loaders. Neither of which has a source that I can site.
Dan

[ehull]

Dan, Side mounted bayonets were necessary when ramrods were used for loading, and only slowly became out of favor.