"So you think bayonet fighting is important?"

Bayonet fighting is history and was obsoleted at last in WW1.

Rather knife, E-tool or field axe instead of bayonet.

Not obsolete as of WWI. It was still used several times in WWII and the US used it as recently as Korea. You can check my post dated December 25th in this thread here for the actual incident:

http://www.military-quotes.com/forum...pic.php?t=2295

I trained with the bayonet, btw, in Basic Training all those years ago. It was considered a very important skill to master then. And as SFC already pointed out, pugal sticks are much the same kind of training.

Originally Posted by Charge_7

Not obsolete as of WWI. It was still used several times in WWII and the US used it as recently as Korea. You can check my post dated December 25th in this thread here for the actual incident:

http://www.military-quotes.com/forum...pic.php?t=2295

I trained with the bayonet, btw, in Basic Training all those years ago. It was considered a very important skill to master then. And as SFC already pointed out, pugal sticks are much the same kind of training.

I know bayonets are still used in many armies around the world and i have trained some bayonet techniques myself too in training, but our hand-to-hand combat was concentrated more on using knife, E-tool, field axe and assault rifle itself without bayonet fixed.

In last wars knives and axes proved to be better way to deal with enemy using bayonets in melee since knife and light field axe are more flexible, easier and faster to use at close ranges in forest and in narrow trenches. Those experiments caused bayonets become almost abandoned. The primary goal is not to run out of ammo in melee and not to seek into hand-to-hand combat situations, if possible.

Bad thing in bayonet is it uses to raise hitpoint when shooting.

most armies dug their bayonets in feces, dirt or anything containing backetria, then they do their charges

it is devesting if u got hit, if u survived u certaintly wont survive the infections

Originally Posted by Charge_7

Not obsolete as of WWI. It was still used several times in WWII and the US used it as recently as Korea. You can check my post dated December 25th in this thread here for the actual incident:

You can find some more recent use of the Bayonet here...
http://www.military-quotes.com/forum...pic.php?t=1976

The first link in that thread doesn't work, but this one does..
http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com...m?id=559592004

SCOTTISH troops fixed bayonets and fought hand to hand with a Shi’ite militia in southern Iraq in one of their fiercest clashes since the war was declared more than a year ago, it was reported last night.

Soldiers from the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders mounted what were described as "classic infantry assaults" on firing and mortar positions held by more than 100 fighters loyal to the outlawed cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, according to military sources.

At least 20 men from al-Sadr’s army were believed killed in more than three hours of fighting - the highest toll reported in any single incident involving British forces in the past 12 months.

Nine fighters were captured and three British soldiers injured, none seriously.

"It was very bloody and it was difficult to count all their dead," one source was quoted as saying. "There were bodies floating in the river."

[quote="Kirruth"]The British were reported to have "fixed bayonets" in May, down in Basra, [url]The use of bayonets in the Falklands conflict was also well documented, including the storming of Mount Longdon, where the fighting was hand to hand and in the dark: a classic "bayonet charge". It's worth pointing out, though, that the British at that time used self loading rifles, rather than the assault-type weapon they have now.
quote]

Well the L1's were assault rifles, just with out the automatic grouping . More to the point, I believe in the Falklands Islands war there's also reports of a British soldier killing 8 Argentinians with his shovel; so yes close combat does happen. Frankly I'm very pro bayonnet training; if for not other reason then that it's loads of fun to do

When I went through basic in 1962, we were training with M1 Garands and the rifle and long bayonet gave you a little more confidence that if your last clip popped out, you didn't have to give up. I think that if your rifle team unexpectedly closed with an enemy, fixed bayonets would be better than hammer down with a full auto burst. The enemy wouldn't be the only ones you were apt to hit.
I think a bayonet should evolve into a more practical but just as deadly tool. Quick to detach from the rifle for hand-to-hand fighting. I guess a "Rambo" style survival knife adaptable as a bayonet would be ideal. I also like a "skull crusher" on the end of the handle and a small hand guard/knuckle duster for hand-to-hand.

The WWI US Army trench knife was good for that. About 10" to 12" of blade with a brass knuckle grip and knobbed diamond shaped hilt for smashing down.

Well, soldiers should not only know how to fight with their rifles (shooting bullets) but at the same time, soldiers are only soldiers if they know how to fight with their rifles with bayonets fixed on.. sharp, cutting and pointed like a spear.

Soldiers who have their rifles fixed with bayonets during fighting can really boost their courage and invoke the primitive fighting spirit of soldiers...

"Well, soldiers should not only know how to fight with their rifles (shooting bullets) but at the same time, soldiers are only soldiers if they know how to fight with their rifles with bayonets fixed on.. sharp, cutting and pointed like a spear."

Soldiers should fight with everything ever available and with he ever wants to use. If enemy is easier to eliminate by axe, it is ok. It is invidual soldier's personal choice.

I found a picture of Hukari by google:



Combination of knife and axe, developed by finnish and swedish few hundreds years ago for melee, still used by swedish marines and sold in finnish military. A real finger killer wich chops woods and opens skulls. Awesome outdoors tool anyway. One hit to head or face will make a man ok.

weight 0.5kg
lenght 35cm
thickness of blade 0.5cm
cost about 15e