You raise an interesting question.
Bayonets are perhaps one of the most recent inventions in edge weapons. The first appeared in Europe (probably Spain) as a hunting backup/finishing weapon some 300 years ago. Since then they have gone through an extensive evolution that recaped virtually the entire history of edge weapons. Just about every edge weapon type ever made has been reinvented and tested on a rifle as a bayonet. Examples range from daggers, and dirks, to cutlasses and leaf shaped swords, to bolos, bowies, kukries, and shovels. Some bayonets can fold while others rare ones have included folding knives as built in components.
They represent a graphic and interesting history of the age of empire. From the popular yatagan patterns barrowed by the Western powers from the middle east, to the Japanese sword-like bayonets the Commonwealth adopted during the early 20th century. You can almost tell where the geo-political center of interest was by looking at the shape of their bayonets.
Technical innovations influenced and were captured in bayonet design. The contemporary bayonet is much smaller than its 19th century conterpart. The 19th century bayonet was intended for use against horses not infantry. The biggest threat was that the calvary would attack the men as they reloaded their muskets. Hence the rifle and bayonet were used to create a pike, to keep the calvary at bay. Of course, when the modern machine gun cut down the horse, the bayonets were themselves cut down by some 10 inches; often literally, since the commencement of WWII saw many earlier bayonets taken from armory stocks and modified into smaller more modern patterns.
But the bayonet has always been an integral part of a system. First, as a musket or rifle components, and then as a rifleman's tool in combination with the rest of his unit. Its effectiveness should be measured in terms of the effectiveness of the entire system. What other criteria can we use to determine which is best? If it's a question of design, materials, or decoration then there are many elaborate 18th and 19th century contenders.
Enjoy.
N2S
