Name/Title
South Africa—M1 (Type A) Bayonet with Plastic Grip Scales - pre1969Entry/Object ID
M.ARM2Description
FN's initial bayonet design was what we know today as the FAL Type A bayonet. It was an innovative design that confronted the adverse effects that a bayonet has on the accuracy of a self-loading rifle with new technology. It's designers introduced the "free-recoil" concept, where a spring plunger hidden inside the hilt allowed the bayonet to float during rapid semi-auto and full-automatic fire, decreasing the bayonet's adverse effect on accuracy. This ingenious approach was later adopted by the Dutch firm, Artillerie Inrichtingen, when designing a bayonet for another groundbreaking assault rifle, the Armalite AR–10.
The most distinctive feature of the Type A bayonet are the flash-hider "prongs" integral with the muzzle-ring. These served as an ersatz flash-hider on early FALs that had no muzzle device.Acquisition
Acquisition Method
Donated to MMMAcquired From
Errol Brits