British, dated 1959, SLR L1A3 Bayonet made by BSA Birmingham Small Arms, Complete with the Original Scabbard

The British L1A3 bayonet was one of three primary bayonets used with the 7.62mm L1A1 rifle. When this rifle pattern was adopted, its original bayonet was replaced with a British-designed version, adhering to the mid-1940s convention of using a short, bowie-tipped knife blade. The L1A3 improved upon the initial L1A1 design by incorporating a recessed catch-stud, reducing the likelihood of accidental release. First adopted on December 31, 1958, the L1A3 was manufactured by Enfield (ED) and Birmingham Small Arms (B). This particular bayonet, which looks like it is dated 1959 , is made by BSA and features a transitional “waisted” crossguard, supporting that it is an early L1A3 variant. It has the MOD / Nato coding and broad arrow acceptance stamps. In the mid-1960s, the blade fuller of the L1A3 was shortened, resulting in a very long ricasso.