Bayonets with Model 1841 Style Blades

The original saber bayonets made at the Harpers Ferrry Arsenal for the Model 1841 Rifle from 1855 to 1857 have a very distinctive heavy yataghan blade with a stopped fuller at the ricasso. Contractors such as Ames Manufacturing and H.E. Leman also adopted this blade style and used it for several other bayonets produced from 1855 to 1860.

To date, there are ten bayonet variations with this blade style recorded within this work.

Known Variations

Reference #107

Model 1841 - Type 1 - S Guard

Muzzle Ring Diameter ---- 22.9 millimeters

Muzzle Ring Finial ------- Yes

Ricasso Length ------------- 8.1 millimeters

Guide Slot Length --------- None

Blade Length --------------- 566 millimeters

Reference #108

Model 1841 - Type 1 - C Guard

Muzzle Ring Diameter ---- 22.8 millimeters

Muzzle Ring Finial ------- Yes

Ricasso Length ------------- 8.1 millimeters

Guide Slot Length --------- None

Blade Length --------------- 571 millimeters

Reference #109

Model 1841 - Type 2 - Harpers Ferry

Muzzle Ring Diameter ---- 22.7 millimeters

Muzzle Ring Finial ------- Yes

Ricasso Length ------------- 5.5 millimeters

Guide Slot Length --------- 25.3 millimeters

Blade Length --------------- 570 millimeters

Reference #110

Model 1841 - Type 2 - Ames Mfg

Muzzle Ring Diameter ---- 22.7 millimeters

Muzzle Ring Finial ------- Yes

Ricasso Length ------------- 10.5 millimeters

Guide Slot Length --------- 26.3 millimeters

Blade Length --------------- 570 millimeters

Reference #116

H. E. Leman Musket

Muzzle Ring Diameter ---- 21.0 millimeters

Muzzle Ring Finial ------- Yes

Ricasso Length ------------- Short

Guide Slot Length --------- Unknown

Blade Length --------------- 572 millimeters

Reference #114

Colt Model 1855 Revolving Rifle - Type 1

Muzzle Ring Diameter ---- 22.3 millimeters

Muzzle Ring Finial ------- No

Ricasso Length ------------- 13.4 millimeters

Guide Slot Length --------- 72.5 millimeters

Blade Length --------------- 574 millimeters

Reference #130

Unknown Ames Bayonet #7

Muzzle Ring Diameter ---- 22.8 millimeters

Muzzle Ring Finial ------- Yes

Ricasso Length ------------- 12.6 millimeters

Guide Slot Length --------- 25.8 millimeters

Blade Length --------------- 570 millimeters

Reference #119

Whitney Model 1841 Derivative Rifle - Type1B

Muzzle Ring Diameter ---- 22.7 millimeters

Muzzle Ring Finial ------- No

Ricasso Length ------------- 12.8 millimeters

Guide Slot Length --------- 25.2 millimeters

Blade Length --------------- 565 millimeters

Reference #129

Whitney Model 1841 Derivative Rifle - Type 1A

Muzzle Ring Diameter ---- 22.7 millimeters

Muzzle Ring Finial ------- No

Ricasso Length ------------- 8.2 millimeters

Guide Slot Length --------- 25.6 millimeters

Blade Length --------------- 566 millimeters

Reference #122

Whitney Short Enfield Derivative Rifle - Type 1

Muzzle Ring Diameter ---- 20.8 millimeters

Muzzle Ring Finial ------- No

Ricasso Length ------------- 8.4 millimeters

Guide Slot Length --------- None

Blade Length --------------- 565 millimeters

Muzzle Ring Finial

The original Model 1841 bayonets made by the Harpers Ferry Arsenal had a large disk/barrel shaped finial on top of the muzzle ring. It was a substantial addition to the weight of the already heavy bayonet and it appears to be purely decorative. This muzzle ring finial was mostly eliminated for commercial production but both Ames (Reference # 130) and Leman (Reference # 116) produced commercial examples with this finial.

Ricasso Lengths

All of these bayonets have stopped fullers but sometimes the length of the ricassos and the markings found on these ricassos are quite different.

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The ricassos found on the Harpers Ferry made bayonets (Reference #s 107, 108, and 109) are short at approximately 8.5 millimeters in length. Their edges are crisply finished and the flats are usually unmarked but some examples are stamped with an inspectors' initials (Phillip Burkhart).

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The ricassos found on the Ames Manufacturing bayonets made for a government contract (Reference # 110) are longer at approximately 10.5 millimeters in length. These bayonets are usually marked on both sides of the ricasso and frequently dated 1855. It is possible that the increase in length of the ricasso was done to allow more room to add Ames' logo?

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Ames Manufacturing produced several commercial variations with ricasso lengths in the 13 millimeter range (Reference #s 114, 119 and 130). Some are marked by Ames and dated whereas others are unmarked. The dated examples are in the 1859 to 1860 range.

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Ames Manufacturing also produced a couple of commercial bayonets with ricasso lengths in the 8.5 millimeter range (Reference #s 122 and 129). All recorded examples have been unmarked. Could these be surplus blades from Harpers Ferry or were they produced by Ames? H.E. Leman also produced a bayonet (Reference # 116) with a similar short ricasso.

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US Brass Hilted Sword Bayonets

Bayonets with Model 1841 Style Blades

Known Variations

Muzzle Ring Finial

Ricasso Lengths