While bayonets were sporadically issued to special troops, like fusiliers, dragoons, and grenadiers, the infantry remained dependent on pikemen. Many military engineers recognized that it would be far preferable to arm all soldiers with muskets and do away with the pike. However, there was considerable reluctance to do away with the pike. The debate over the pike continued for many years.  The ratio of pikemen to musketeers slowly declined.  However, into the last decade of the 17th Century, pikemen still continued to make up 20 to 25 percent of infantry formations. 

The bayonet evolved during the 1680s, taking on many of the the proportions and characteristics that it retains to the present day.  The grip became shorter and its taper more pronounced.  The metal crosspiece and pommel became the norm.  The 17th Century bayonets from my collection pictured below illustrate this evolution.  The upper example has a longer grip, but not very tapered.  An embryonic crosspiece is present, but no pommel.  The lower example has the more pronounced grip taper, a robust crosspiece, and a brass pommel (the blade on this piece was likely a couple of inches longer once, but has suffered some losses). 

The plug bayonet’s rendering the musket inoperable was a major drawback.  Once inserted into the muzzle, plug bayonets could be difficult to remove.  Because early muskets were only effective at short range, the enemy could sometimes rush the musketeers as soon as they fired and be upon them before they could fix bayonets.  Engineers sought ways to enable loading and firing the musket while the bayonet was mounted.  One approach was the ring-bayonet, described by British Major General Hugh Mac Kay, writing of his experiences in the Scottish War of 1689:

"All our officers and souldiers were strangers to the Highlanders way of fighting and embattailling, which mainly occasioned the consternation many of them were in; which, to remedy for the ensuing year, having taken notice on this occasion that the Highlanders are of such a quick motion, that if a battalion keep up his fire till they be near to make sure of them, they are upon·it before our men can come to their second defence, which is the bayonet in the musle of the musket. I say, the General having observed this method of the ennemy, he invented the way to fasten the bayonet so to the musle without, by two rings, that the soldiers may safely keep their fire till they pour it into their breasts, and then have no other motion to make but to push as with a pick [pike]." [View an image of this passage from Mac Kay's book.]

Muskets have also been observed with a tube brazed to the barrel, to accept the plug bayonet.  Neither approach was very satisfactory.  The ring bayonet fit loosely and was prone to dismount.  Both the ring and tube mounting methods positioned the bayonet very close to the bore, where the bayonet could be struck by a fired ball.