British B.S.A. Pattern 1876 Martini-Henry Socket Bayonet

This is a pattern 1876 socket bayonet made for the Martini-Henry, also known as the common long 1876. This bayonet is in very good condition with a socket that has browned to a nice patina and a blade that has some age soiling and a mottled pattern on the surface with a good deal of the blade left in the white. It is marked B.S.A. with an over-all length of 25 1/4" with a 21 5/8" blade, .71" socket. According to Skennertons book, British & Commonwealth Bayonets, of the approximately 500k 1876's that were made, about 10k made by B.S.A were rejected for "water reins" a minor flaw. Later some of these rejects were sold to the colonial governments and the rest scrapped. That being known this bayonet is mark as a B.S.A., year 1877 manufactured bayonet but has no proofs or British military acceptance marks and the only other mark is a 2 on the rifle side of the socket.