British Pattern 1842 Lovell’s Catch Socket Bayonet and Scabbard. BAYO 432. Bayonets

Although not adopted until late in 1844, the bayonet is referred to as the Pattern 1842 in most references and saw use with nearly all of the Pattern 1842 muskets produced, as well with many of the earlier Pattern 1839 muskets that were upgraded to the Lovell Catch system. Originally, the Pattern 1839 British Musket has used the Hanoverian bayonet catch, a carryover from the short lived Pattern 1838 Musket. The Pattern 1838 was designed by the new small arms inspector George Lovell and was the first general issue percussion musket in British infantry service. The new musket utilised a back action lock mechanism inspired by the French. For a number of reasons, the Pattern 1838 musket was almost immediately replaced by the Pattern 1839 percussion musket, which utilised a conventional lock and allowed existing stocks of older flintlock parts on hand (particularly barrels, stocks, furniture, etc.) to be used up. Both muskets used the Hanoverian spring catch system under the barrel of the musket, forward of the nose cap, to secure their socket bayonets. This was a major improvement over the friction fit system that had been used for British musket bayonets through the entire flintlock era. In 1844, Lovell introduced the improvement of the Lovell’s Catch to the new Pattern 1842 musket. It was an improved spring loaded catch, located in the same location as the old Hanoverian catch, which secured the bayonet and required positive pressure from the soldier in order to release the bayonet. Over the next few years, thousands of P1842 Lovell’s catch bayonets would be produced for the new P1842 Muskets, and thousand more older P1839 bayonets would be altered to the new Lovell system. The Lovell spring catch would remain in use on the Pattern 1851 Minié Rifle as well and would eventually be replaced with a French style rotating locking ring with the adoption of the small bore Pattern 1853 Enfield Rifle Musket. The sockets were mortised for top stud and had a simple 3-step “zigzag” mortise cut. These dimensions were essentially the same as the earlier Pattern 1839 Bayonet that had been used with the Hanoverian catch system. The Hanoverian version had a reinforcement ring with a rounded notch at the rear of the socket, which the Hanoverian spring catch would engage when the bayonet was secured to the musket. The later Lovell’s catch required a larger, eccentric ring at the rear of the socket that was rotated into the locking position with the catch on the musket and required the catch to be released with thumb pressure to free the bayonet. The blade measuring; 42 ½ cm overall and in good condition with no apparent markings. The brown leather scabbard is in good condition with stitching and metalwork and frog stud in good order. The price includes UK delivery. BAYO 432.