German, c.1975, FN FAL Type C Socket Bayonet, with Original Scabbard & integral Web Belt Hanger, By AES Solingen

*German, c.1975, FN FAL Type C Socket Bayonet, with Original Scabbard & integral Web Belt Hanger, By AES Solingen*

16.5cm blade, 28.6cm overall.

This socket bayonet was designed for FN–FAL selective-fire rifles featuring the 22 mm NATO-spec flash hider. The Fabrique Nationale de Herstal - Fusil Automatique Leger (Light Automatic Rifle), or FN-FAL, was a 7.62 mm NATO caliber rifle produced by FN starting in 1953, created by the Belgian small arms designer, Dieudonné Saive.

This particular Type C example was commercially sold by AES, Annette Eickhorn Solingen, established in 1975 shortly before the bankruptcy of her husband's company, Carl Eickhorn Waffenfabrik. (Post the reunification of Germany in 1989, their blades were often stamped for export "Solingen, Germany", suggesting that this was made 1975-1989).  AES employed a casting method to construct the socket, the only other company to utilize this manufacturing technique outside of Belgium. The rough finish and sprue line are visibly evident, with the socket and blade exhibiting a parkerized finish, while the spring catch is blued.

The scabbard body, made of plastic, features an integrated web belt hanger, a steel throat piece, and a round, flat steel frog stud. The throat piece is strategically oriented to ensure the socket faces outward when carried, a characteristic commonly observed in FAL Type C scabbards. The stippled glove fastener on the hilt strap is a distinctive feature of AES products.

*Condition*
This bayonet is in excellent condition. Please see photographs as part of the condition report.

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