# Is the age of the bayonet over?



## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

This is for you VoorTrekker!

http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2016/09/08/age-bayonet-case-study-among-11-marines/



> The Marine Corps Times (not affiliated with the USMC) released an article detailing the activities of Marine Infantrymen from Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines while undergoing training in the Cultana Training Area of South Australia. Post OIF/OEF, infantry battalions traveling to Australia as part of Marine Rotational Force Darwin, UDPs (Universal Deployment Program) to Okinawa, or the usual MEU (Marine Expeditionary Unit) has become the new routine for the Victor units of the Fleet (active duty infantry battalions). However, with this particular exercise in Australia, I noticed something interesting about the units live fire attack.
> 
> Bayonets. Why is that off? Isn't this supposed to be the bread and butter of any infantry community? Yes, and really no. From a real world vantage unit, of myself serving with 1st Battalion 9th Marines from 2010-2014 as an 0311, the bayonet had completely, literally, and absolutely no tactical/intrinsic or practical value among anything my battalion participated in, whether it was training in the United States or on deployment to Helmand Province. Zero. In fact, guess what happened on deployment? As we drew our weapons at the armory, so too did we draw our bayonets. At the end of the armory line, one of our squad leaders stood with an open seabag (duffel bag), and everyone in the platoon put their bayonets into the bag, a combination lock was locked onto it, and the bag was not opened until we returned to the United States. The only two times I ever affixed a Ontario Knife Company bayonet to my service rifle was once in Boot Camp at Parris Island for bayonet qualification, and then once in the Fleet for some martial arts training that was more the result of a bored Staff NCO giving us something to do than any real world requirement.
> 
> ...


----------



## Caribou (Aug 18, 2012)

Bayonet usage will always be rare and only used when there is no other option. There was a time when it was determined that jet fighters didn't need a gun because all their fighting would be at extended distances. After all, who would let their enemy get so close when they had missiles on board. We saw how long that lasted.


----------



## CrackbottomLouis (May 20, 2012)

I don't remember being issued one past basic training. Certainly didn't have one overseas.


----------



## readytogo (Apr 6, 2013)

My old issue M7 is clean and readytogo on my AR; this is a killing weapon not an apple peeler but will open many c-ration cans or livers.


----------



## VoorTrekker (Oct 7, 2012)

Didn't they use bayonets in Storm Troopers? 

The bayonet is no longer a du jour weapon, but it is a weapon and will have a future use during close combat when all of the worlds resources have been stifled. 

Keep faith, brethren, we will some day see the "rise of the bayonets." (Hey, that's a great movie title)


----------



## Magus (Dec 1, 2008)

I think it will evolve into a fixable cattle prod.


----------



## BillS (May 30, 2011)

It reminds of when the Air Force got a fighter plane that didn't have machine guns. Once they had missiles they supposedly didn't need guns anymore. The next plane they got had them. 

Warfare really hasn't changed much in the 70 years since World War II. You'll still have building to building fighting and hand to hand combat. I think the use of the bayonet will come back.


----------



## VoorTrekker (Oct 7, 2012)

Magus said:


> I think it will evolve into a fixable cattle prod.


Ohhh, you got me soooo stoked!


----------



## Kodeman (Jul 25, 2013)

"Bayonets forward"


----------



## Magus (Dec 1, 2008)

VoorTrekker said:


> Ohhh, you got me soooo stoked!


Might be just the thing since most of the bayonet craft I've read is geared toward crowd/prisoner control.hell. in most of the crowd control pics they leave the sheath on! gimmie a zapper.


----------



## hellrazor762 (May 20, 2012)

The original purpose of the bayonet was to provide a means of defense between reloading. In modern times it serves as a last resort if completely out of ammo. But since aircraft exist it's not likely modern soldiers would be without ammo for more than an hour or so. Therefore much easier to fall back to a secure location and resupply. As far as using bayonets for crowd control, that has to be the dumbest thing I've ever heard of. If you can stab a rioter why couldn't you shoot them?


----------



## Caribou (Aug 18, 2012)

hellrazor762 said:


> If you can stab a rioter why couldn't you shoot them?


A line of bayonets is very intimidating. If you can accomplish your goals through intimidation then you avoid the political fallout of opening fire on a crowd. You might try water cannon, teargas, or other control measures before bayonets and live fire being saved for last.


----------



## fteter (May 23, 2014)

Funny...the bayonets on my rifles don't look any less effective today...


----------



## CrackbottomLouis (May 20, 2012)

You know the crap has hit the fan if you ever hear the fix bayonets order. Things about to get ugly.


----------



## VoorTrekker (Oct 7, 2012)

CrackbottomLouis said:


> You know the crap has hit the fan if you ever hear the fix bayonets order. Things about to get ugly.


It would go like this:

Commander: "Company!"

Company: "Yeah!"

Commander: "Company. Draw bayonets!"

Infantry company drawing bayonets.

Commander: "Ready!"

Infantry company attaching bayonets to lugs.

Commander: "Fix bayonets!"

Infantry company fixing bayonets, "...oh shit!"

And they advance at the ready at a quick march...closing with the enemy. :surrender:


----------



## Magus (Dec 1, 2008)

hellrazor762 said:


> The original purpose of the bayonet was to provide a means of defense between reloading. In modern times it serves as a last resort if completely out of ammo. But since aircraft exist it's not likely modern soldiers would be without ammo for more than an hour or so. Therefore much easier to fall back to a secure location and resupply. As far as using bayonets for crowd control, that has to be the dumbest thing I've ever heard of. If you can stab a rioter why couldn't you shoot them?


 Are you the same hellrazor that used to hang out with Asmodeus and 911?


----------



## hellrazor762 (May 20, 2012)

I've never hung out with anyone from this forum.


----------



## tmttactical (Nov 23, 2015)

The bayonet will be viable as long as there are sheeple to herd. Survey says " Most people would rather be shot than stabbed". I don't remember who did the survey. :scratch


----------



## tc556guy (Apr 28, 2011)

The bayonet creates stand-off distance. When all you have is a carbine, it doesn't create much stand-off. if you're within stabbing distance on a carbine, they're close. It made sense when you had a long barrel between you and the bayonet.
The bayonet was created so that every Soldier with their long gun and bayonet was a stand-in for the old pikeman, which an actual position back in the militaries of yore.


----------



## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

I am pretty sure this is VoorTrekker's EDC.


----------



## VoorTrekker (Oct 7, 2012)

Only a fool brings a gun to a bayonet fight! 

But I do like Glocks. Glocks with baby bayonets are a plus ++

As for the company bayonet charge post, it should have read:

Company of Infantry fixing bayonets and _proudly exclaiming _: "...ohh shit!"


----------

