This military bayonet is a very fine condition original socket bayonet that the E. Remington Sons firm of Herkimer and Ilion, New York under an 1854 government contract delivered to the Ordnance Dept along with the 20,000 muskets they altered to the Maynard tape priming system.  This new bayonet was intended for use with those muskets alone. Bayonet is similar to the regulation M1842 but with an 18” blade, a 3” long socket and an overall length of 21¼”. The blade wears a bright finish that appears to have been lightly cleaned at one time. Flat of shank is stamped “U.S.” No other markings visible. One of the thousands of Remington-Maynard bayonets made to accommodate the muskets altered with flint to Maynard tape priming systems.