A very good condition example of the scarce and short-lived British No.7 Mk I/L bayonet, complete with its original scabbard. The ricasso is crisply stamped “No7 Mk1/L”, with multiple War Department broad-arrow inspection marks struck into the blade and crossguard. The pommel is stamped “M47B”, the dispersal code for Birmingham Small Arms Ltd. Only around 250,000 BSA-made examples were produced, compared with 100,000 from Newport, making this a sought-after variant. Grips are the correct Paxolin resin composite with finger grooves, showing their distinctive laminated grain. The bayonet measures 30.9 cm overall, with a 19.5 cm clip-point blade patterned after the No.5 “Jungle Carbine” bayonet. The original scabbard retains its deep black finish and is clearly stamped with a War Department broad arrow on the front throat piece.
Historical Note: First trialled by Wilkinson Sword in 1944 (1,000 examples only), the No.7 Mk I/L entered mass production from 1945–48. In total, 176,000 were produced by four contractors: BSA (25,000), Elkington, ROF Poole (c.30,000), and ROF Newport (c.100,000). Conceived as a hybrid bayonet and fighting knife, its swivelling pommel allowed it to mount both the No.4 Lee-Enfield rifle and the Sten Mk V submachine gun. The “L” denotes Land Service. Although technically compatible with the No.4 rifle, its design obstructed the cartridge path, preventing combat use on that weapon. It therefore remained ceremonial in that role, with operational service confined to the Sten Mk V. Despite its ingenuity, the design proved expensive and unnecessarily complex, resulting in its short production run. Today, the No.7 is prized as one of the most distinctive and unusual British bayonet patterns.
*Condition* This example is in very good condition. The blade retains a bright finish with minimal age marks and sharp fullers, clearly struck ricasso markings, and multiple crisp broad-arrow stamps. The Paxolin grips are tight and undamaged, with only light service wear. The swivelling pommel functions smoothly, with the “M47B” dispersal code sharply defined. The original scabbard is present, showing a crisp War Department broad arrow to the front throat, with only light scuffs and storage wear. A well-marked, highly collectible example of a scarce BSA-produced No.7 Mk I/L bayonet. Please see photographs as part of the condition report.
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