Bayonet

A Bayonet is a knife or dagger-shaped weapon designed to fit on or over the muzzle of a rifle or similar weapon. It is a close combat weapon.

The bayonet originally replaced the spear and halberd. Early muskets were slow in firing rate and unreliable, and bayonets provided a useful additional weapon. A foot long bayonet on a 6 foot tall musket achieved a reach similar to a spear. Early bayonets were of the plug type, where the bayonet had a round handle that fit directly into the musket barrel. This prevented the gun from being fired, though, and later socket bayonets had a offset bayonet and attached over the outside of the barrel with a socket. Many socket bayonets were triangular to inflict more devastating wounds. This design of bayonet did not include a handle to use the blade apart from the gun.

18th and 19th century military tactics included various massed bayonet charges and defenses. The British Army was particulary known for their bayonet use.

In modern warfare, bayonets are rarely useful as weapons because most combat occurs at a distance. However a bayonet is still extremely useful as a utility knife for cutting, and most recent bayonets have been designed with this use in mind. Modern bayonets are often knife shaped with handles or permanently attached to the rifle. The push-twist motion of fastening the modern bayonet has given name to several connectors and contacts including BNC (Bayonet Nut Connect).