Wow, so you're not only knowledgeable in all things that go shooty, but you also know quite a few things that go stabby. That Leatherman kit looks pretty handy. I suddenly remembered that my dad has a Kalashnikov bayonet somewhere here at home that he bought while on holiday.
I'm 110% sure its not a legit bayonet from the USSR, but it's sharp enough that I could feasibly use it in the event of a zombie apocalypse. It's quite a long one, too!
Bayonets are pretty wicked looking things and have been used to great effect in wars for a long time. They are interesting as they are often weighted and balanced both for use in the hand and on the end of a rifle. The more modern versions were more of a knife than a long bayonet though.
Yeah, I think I've see some of the later bayonets that one would attach to a modern rifle, if that's even something that's done anymore. They do look more like combat knives stuck on the barrel, though I guess with how battles are fought these days, one might never use something stabby for that much.
Rifle-mounted bayonets are a bit redundant these days as combat tends to happen from greater distance. Knives are a thing though, and with particular branches of the military get well-used in certain circumstances. There was a time though when bayonets were an integral element of combat.
If I remembered correctly, the last proper bayonet charge was during the Falklands War. The Brits (specifically the Highlander regiments, I believe) charged straight at the Argentinians with the FALs and bayonets. Staring down modern semi-automatic rifles while running across a field must've been a petrifying experience.
One of my mates was a British Royal Marine and fought in the Falklands war. He fell out of a helicopter just prior to being inserted onto the battlefield. Had to fight off the enemy alone, stepped on a land mine and lost his leg...Kept fighting. He's a tough fucker.
The rest of the unit fast-roped down and joined the fight. Saved his life.
He's struggling now, after all these years, with the leg issue - Just having a new prosthetic made now. Good bloke though, fun to hang out with.
A bayonet charge isn't my idea of fun, I'll tell you that much.
Sounds like quite a tale, and a tough bastard. War is hell, no way to get around that, and I doubt anyone ever comes back home from war feeling normal. At least your mate did make it back, and hopefully gradually getting better.
Coming back from war feeling normal isn't really a thing although it can depend on what one goes through when deployed. My mate has a very small tolerance for fools, noisy people, kids, people who talk to much...Most people really. But he's a good mate and we have a laugh when we're hanging out; Loads of good stories get lied about.