.69 Caliber Enfield?

[ContinentalMorganGuard]

I recently purchased an original Enfield bayonet on Ebay. It was what I thought totally mislabeled as a WWII .69 caliber Navy Enfield. All the measurements seemed to match up with a .577, and I thought I might get a deal. When it arrived i went to put it on my musekt it fit, but it was way too loose, it apparently is for a .69 caliber. I did a quick search online and the only reference I could find was to a dug .69 caliber Enfield bullett, does anyone have any information on this? It's a nice looking bayonet with the broad head arrow, WD E2 and crown. Thanks for any help I get!

[rogue]

Covered, my statement was in error.
S. Sullivan

[Curt-Heinrich Schmidt]

Hallo!

I suspect what you found was one of the bayonets for the P1858 or P1859 smoothbore musket for native infantry regiments in India. The musket bore was .656.
As a companion arm, there was also the smoothbore P1858 Sergeants Fusil in .656 for arming the sergeants of native regiments.

Ideally, at the time, it was official policy not to "accentuate" differences in armament between British and native infantry regiments.

Curt

[ContinentalMorganGuard]

Thanks for information, now to learn more about it!

[Erik]

Robert,
To learn more you should seek out "The British Soldier's Firearm, 1850-1864", Chapter IV, page 111 by C. H. Roads.
Obviously this an India pattern bayonet for the post Mutiny arm of .656 cal.
I would like to talk about an exchange of an original .557 for this bayonet.

Erik Simundson

[LeftCoastYank]

Wow! I am always impressed by the width knowledge possessed by people here that extends past the Civil War!

Maybe this is a stupid question - although I have theory already - but, why would the British issue obviously obsolete weapons to native troops?

Dave Shcwartz

[BobbyHughes]

Mr Ambrose,

WOW, wish I could get my hands on that bayonet.... just for display with my '59 India Pattern. Course, I also need a lock, lock plate washers, and screws. :wink_smil

As to why the British armed native troops with Smoothbores, it was too put the Native Indian troops on lesser footing then Regular British troops, and to put a less effective weapon in the hands of troops that had just recently mutinied.