Britain adopted their own variant of the FAL in 1954 to replace the venerable Lee-Enfield bolt-action rifle. Still very much in love with the clip-point blade introduced on the No. 5 Mk. I bayonet, Britain proceeded to design a knife bayonet around their beloved blade. The rifle was designated the L1A1 Self Loading Rifle (SLR), and the bayonet shared that designation. The L1A1 blade was so closely patterned after those used with the No. 5, No. 7, and No. 9 bayonets, that the No. 5 Mk. I scabbard developed during World War II continued in use with the L1 series bayonets until the FAL was phased out of British service in 1987.

The L1 series consists of five variants, three produced in Britain (L1A1, L1A3, & L1A4), one produced in Australia (L1A2) and Canada (C1), and one produced in India (1A). The British, Australian, and Canadian bayonets are very similar, differing in minor respects. The Indian bayonet is still closely patterned on the British design, but departs from the L1 pattern in having wooden grips and longer blade.

The L1A1 and L1A2 bayonets are very similar, both featuring a protruding press stud. The L1A1 has a square fuller, while the L1A2 can have either a square (pictured above) or rounded fuller (pictured below).

The L1A1 was used by Britain and has identifying markings on the ricasso and grip. The L1A2 bayonet was used by Australia and Canada (where it was designated C1). The Australian bayonet is devoid of markings.

The L1A2 was produced at the Small Arms Factory, Lithgow, from 1958–1984. The earliest L1A2 bayonets, such as this one, had the squared fuller like their British and Canadian counterparts. Australia changed to the unique rounded fuller in 1960. I had long thought the bayonet pictured above to be a Canadian C1, due to the square fuller. However, L1A1 Collector and Researcher, Kevin Adams, pointed out how the L1A2's assembly slot in the pommel is straight (see 4th image at left) and the Canadian version is T-shaped.

The L1A2 bayonet and scabbard pictured below were still packed in cosmoline when I received them. The Australian scabbard is somewhat more pointed than the British No. 5 Mk. I pictured along with the L1A4 bayonet.

The L1A3 bayonet was introduced into British service during the late 1950s to eliminate the protruding press stud used on the L1A1 and L1A2 designs. It was felt that the protruding press stud made the bayonet too easily dislodged, so the press stud was made flush with the pommel. This example was made at the Royal Small Arms Factory, Enfield in 1959. It had been reconditioned and was still in the government packaging when I received it. I carefully removed it from the packaging in order to photograph it, but never unwrapped the point.

The L1A4 bayonet was approved in the late 1950s, however, was not produced until the 1970s. Most of the differences are in its internal construction. The L1A4 used the simplified crosspiece, introduced on late L1A3 bayonets, but returned to the long fuller. The L1A4 bayonets were made by Hopkinson Ltd., a Sheffield firm. This example was made in 1973. Note how much more rounded the British No. 5 Mk. I scabbard is than the Australian scabbard pictured above.

The Indian variant of the FAL was designated the 1A Self Loading Rifle (SLR). It was a reverse-engineered copy of the FAL that incorporated a mixture of inch-pattern and metric FAL features. The Indian 1A bayonet has wooden grip scales. This was probably a better choice than sheet steel for the tropical Asian climate. The 10-inch blade makes the 1A the longest of all FAL bayonets. This example was made in 1967 at Rifle Factory Ishapore. The scabbard is a crude longer version of the British No. 5 Mk. I.