French M1874 Gras Bayonet

The M1874 was a conversion of the M1866 Chassepot design, that enabled use of the 11.15 x 59 mm. centerfire cartridge. The M1874 rifle is referred to as the Gras, after the French Army officer who developed the conversion, Colonel Basile Gras. M1874 bayonets were produced at the French state arms plants: —Chatellerault —St. Etienne —Tulle Also by French government contractors: —L. Deny, Paris —Oudry, Paris —Oesterreichsche Waffenfabrik Gesellschaft, Steyr Government bayonets are marked on the blade spine with the factory, month, and year of production. Commercial producers include: —Alexander Coppel & Cie., Solingen —Francois Louis Henry, Chatellerault —Oesterreichsche Waffenfabrik Gesellschaft, Steyr —S.L., Saint Étienne (Sutterlin Lippmann & Cie.) This example was made in Austria, by Steyr, in 1879. Steyr produced approximately 200,000 M1874 bayonets for France, marking them in French 'Usine de Steyr' (Machines of Steyr)