1891 Argentine Bayonet Doesn't Fit

8

'88Scrat

New member
Wasn't sure where to post this but figured this would be close. Title pretty well sums it up, I bought a beautiful 1891 "Army" contract (aluminum grips) bayonet to go with my 1891 Argentine Mauser because why not?

However, I can't get the bayonet on the rifle. It's like the barrel is about 1 or 2mm too large to fit through the barrel ring on the bayonet. It fits perfect near the T-latch groove. I feel that if I really mashed it down I could probably force it but I'm not willing to try that. To much bluing?

What am I missing here?

Thanks!
 
I don't think you can, nor you should try to, force fit a difference of 1mm or 2. The bayonet doesn't fit your rifle.

It happened to me. Bought a bayonet off a forum for my gew 88. The seller swore it would fit. $80 later it didn't. The seller was nowhere to be found.

-TL

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk
 
So far as I can tell its genuine. I'm by no means an expert but it has all the correct proof Mark's and the the Crest has been scrubbed. Seems like if it was a knockoff then whoever did it would have left the Crest intact.
 
Get a micrometer and find out which part is out of spec. Bayonet might be fine but the barrel might be local replacement. Those things were in use for a long time.
 
I wasn't thinking US, the 1891 were modified several times in Argentine. Check if the barrel still shows the serial number matching the receiver, if not the barrel got changed at some point.
 
Tomorrow when I get a chance to get out the mics I'll see what the dimensions are. Currently traveling for work. And yes it is chambered in 7.65x53, it's a great gun! Took me a little while to get used to the sights but now I can ring steel with it at 300 yes pretty consistently.
 
I busted out the micrometer yesterday and did some measuring. The measurements varied by a few thousandths of an inch here or there but the average came to:

Barrel = 0.614

Bayonet = 0.607

As you can see the barrel ring in the bayonet seems to be just a hair smaller than the barrel.

Thoughts on what (if anything) to be done about this?
 
The barrel is 0.007" larger than the ring. You need to enlarge the ID of the ring more than that. I would suggest at least 0.017", which is more than 0.5mm. That's quite a bit of work on steel.

I wouldn't want to alter the barrel.

The ring can be enlarged by removing metal, assuming there is enough metal left. There are different ways to do that. The other option is to remove the ring altogether. It is easier to do, but probably not as desirable.

-TL

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk
 
I'll figure something out. Just wish I knew why it was an issue to begin with.
Click to expand...

1 or 2 millimeters; the up side? You now have it down to where you can handle it if there is .040" (+/- a few) in a millimeter.

F. Guffey
 
Plan A: Ream the bayonet til it fits the barrel. A 5/8" .625" might do for cheap.
Plan B: Sell the bayonet.

Do NOT mess with the barrel.
 
Just wish I knew why it was an issue to begin with.
Click to expand...

The most likely reason is that the bayonet is slightly out of spec. If the bayonet came from stocks that had never been issued (put on a rifle) the problem slipping past initial QC would go undetected.

If its a reproduction, essentially the same thing, except we know it wasn't issued to the troops.

Early Moisin-Nagant bayonets were deliberately made to be a very tight fit. Virtually a hammer on/off tight fit. The bayonets were meant to be fixed at all times, not meant to be removed and reattached often. Russians were big on bayonets..;)

I don't think Argentina followed that school of thought, I think what you have is simple production error that no one discovered, until you did.

If you want to attach it, hone it until it fits, and call it a day. Don't modify the rifle, do all needed work on the bayonet.
Good Luck!
 
I remember reading somewhere (more than once) that during the 1800s, bayonets frequently had to be modified by the armorer to fit a rifle.

Something about less precise quality control back then, so bayonet rings were made slightly tighter than barrel specs to allow the rings to be reamed to fit.
 
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