FAL Bayonets

Unidentified Type C

This unidentified Type C is another early example. It has the same type of stamped serial number as the South African R1 pictured above, but bears no South African military marking. The bayonet is parkerized, with black paint over the parkerizing only on the socket. The scabbard is made of a shiny black plastic, with a steel frog stud. The throatpiece is positioned so the socket faces inward when placed in a belt frog.

Unidentified Type C

This unidentified Type C has a parkerized finish. The scabbard has a plastic body, with a flattened round steel frog stud, The throatpiece is positioned so the socket faces outward when placed in a belt frog.

Germany Type C—A. Eickhorn, Solingen

This Type C example was commercially made by A. Eickhorn of Solingen, a follow-on to the famous Carl Eickhorn family business that went bankrupt in 1976. This example has temporary export markings "Solingen Germany", suggesting that it was produced following German reunification in 1989.

Eickhorn constructed the socket by welding. All other FAL Type C bayonets have drawn sockets. The rough finish and weld line are evident. The socket and blade are parkerized, while the spring catch is blued. The plum-colored bluing is characteristic of 1990s Eickhorn bayonet bluing. The scabbard body is plastic, with an integral web belt hanger. The hilt strap's stippled dome fastener is also characteristic of 1990s Eickhorn products.

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	South Africa R1(Type C) This South African R1 bayonet is one whose origin is evident by the Union of South Africa Military, "M" inside "U", property mark. South Africa produced the FAL under license, designating it the R1. Rifles and Type C bayonets were made by Armaments Corporation of South Africa (ARMSCOR), Lyttelton Engineering Works, in Pretoria. ARMSCOR is the State-owned arms manufacturer in South Africa. This is an early Type C bayonet, with serrations on the spring catch, providing a grip surface. The finish is black paint. A serial number is stamped into the socket, in small numerals. The scabbard is made of plastic, with a plastic teardrop frog stud. The throatpiece is steel, positioned so the socket faced inward when placed in a belt frog. This is the later 3rd type scabbard, with the throatpiece shaped to accept either the R1 or South African No. 9 bayonet.



































































































Rhodesia Type C This Type C example was used in the Rhodesian Bush War of 1964-1979. It bears only the electro pencil serial number "RA 0594". The electro pencil "RA" serial number prefix was used by the Rhodesian Army. The Rhodesian Army was equipped with the British L1A1 FAL variant. When Rhodesia declared its independence from Britain in 1965, an arms embargo stopped further arms shipments from Britain. South Africa began supplying the Rhodesian Army with the R1 FAL variant, which used the Type C bayonet. This example was found in a scabbard identical to the South African scabbard pictured below and the scabbard was in a British No. 5, Pattern 1937 Belt Frog, dated 1956. This blending of South African and British equipment is consistent with the Rhodesian Army during the time of the Rhodesian Bush War.