New Parker Hale - Volunteer?

[Heatseeker64]

G'day all ... this rifle just found me here in Australia.

It was sold to me as a Parker Hale 2-band Enfield in .45 calibre, but I believe that with the extra chequering, tang peep and windage adjustable front sight it is in fact a Volunteer .451 target rifle.

The rifle's in excellent used condition and it came with 130 projectiles, powder measure, nipple wrench, two moulds, caps, spare front sight and even a kilogram of powder.

It cost $690 Aussie dollars, which, when you take out the target sight and accessories, makes for one good value rifle!

I had started out with a basic Zoli .58 Mississippi rifle, which was great to learn with, but did need at least the sights upgraded.

As it turns out, a mate who wanted to tinker with black powder has taken it off my hands for what I paid for it, which is a good deposit on the Parker Hale.

Needless to say, I'm pretty happy with the pickup ... apparently these rifles were from the golden era of repro muzzle loaders and as such are eagerly sought after.

 

[Idaho Ron]

outstanding rifle. Show us some targets when you get her out to shoot. Ron

 

[Wes/Tex]

There are, or were, two different versions of the rifle. One with two bands (like yours) and another with three bands like the Enfield 3-band musket. They are really nice rifles and are proofed for 120 grains of powder behind the projectiles. Accuracy will be at it's peak below that though. Congrats! :hatsoff:

 

[ResearchPress]

There are, or were, two different versions of the rifle.

There is another variant. The first made P-H Volunteers had Rigby rifling. This was later replaced with Henry rifling.

David

 

[faw3]

Ya got a good one , mine is just about the same but not made by P-H. And you have a different front sight. Since my eyes have gone out I use a scope on anything after 600 yards ( Ive got a 1000 yard set up out back)(scope was a easy set up like the south used in CW I use 2 longer lock screws and a L shape metal plateon left side to mount 18" brass scope but can put any kind on) I'll see if I can find that story in Muzzle Blast in 2002 or 03 on the South African that sent all the boys with those load from the wrong end home,names like Sharps and Remington. :rotf: and put it up ,along with witch doctors he had to paper patch his bullets to get them to really hit right at 1000.( COME ON< WHO CAN SEE THAT FAR? ) If ya think about power ya can load it up (kind of) to 45/120, a lot of GOOO! :rotf: and :youcrazy: if you use a 550 or 600 gr bullet. Its a real wimp on power only 1700 foot pounds at 100 yards, I know a man that shoots off his front porch on the side of a gtood size hill and nails deer on the other side of the valley about 350 yds away up in N.W. ARK. FRED :hatsoff: (you need to get one of those lead balls flat on one side with a small chain that hooks to trigger guard the ball is a good nipple saver.)

 

[arquebus]

I think you got a pretty good deal there. AUS$690 is about US$550 which is about what you'd pay for the rifle alone. That tang sight (looks like a Uberti) is not original to the rifle, but will be a real bonus at the range. What moulds did you get with it? Most likely one will be the Lyman 457121PH which throws a 475gn bullet. If so (or similar bullet) try 65gns of 2Fg with a felt wad under the bullet. My .451 loves that combination! Where in Australia are you? Are you planning on using it for compeition or hunting, or both?

 

[max]

Check out the "Managing the Enfield" website by W.S. Curtis. He held the world record for many years using Enfields and will give you all the information you need and more re history, variations, loads etc. Good luck.

 

[Heatseeker64]

Thanks for all the feedback - awaiting the permit, but I will let you all know how she shoots. The previous owner, who's had it about 20 years, said he regularly shot it out to 800 yards with good results. Plan to use it for a bit of hunting and a bit of target. I daresay it will shoot a bit better than me!

 

[max]

Can't wait to hear how you make out. I hear these guns are exceptional!

 

[BillinOregon]

Heatseeker: If the bore is in great shape, you got a heck of a deal at that price. Keep in mind that you may want to invest in a platinum-lined nipple if you plan to shoot at long range, as the back pressure from serious long-range target loads will eat up a normal nipple and introduce great variations in pressure and velocity. Ask David Minshall about this. He is an expert!

 

[Heatseeker64]

Well it's arrived ... I'm astounded about just how well this rifle's made - it's as if it's been turned out by a military arsenal, and now I find the modern replicas "tinny" by comparision.

The hammer's a hefty sucker which really needs some effort to pull back.

It came with a lovely custom stainess steel range rod, 1kg of Swiss 3F powder, 130 projectiles, a .451 Pedersoli mould and a .457 Lee mould (which apparently causes blow back, so the previous owner said not to use it).

There are no markings I can see on the tang sight, but I plan to get it inletted in to place by a cabinet maker, and those philips head tech screws have to go! The front sight's also a replacement, and the original is among the bits that came with it.

Being the owner of some current Lee Enfields, I can see their ancestry in this rifle.

I did have a Zoli 1841 Mississipi, which was a fun gun, but the coarse fixed sights were starting to bug me, and this rifle's in a whole different league when it somes to fit and finish.

Anyway, here's serial number 1385 close up:

 

[Idaho Ron]

Once again, this is a outstanding firearm.
BillinOregon, where does a guy get the platinum nippels? Thanks Ron

 

[Rafsob]

What a beautful piece. Where in hell do you guys find these beauties??? Here in Virginia, we see nothing like this at the gun shows.

Are there any sites to visit that offer them for sale?

 

[Rebel]

They come up some times on the auction sites like gunbroker, auctionarms, and gunsamerica.

 

[ResearchPress]

where does a guy get the platinum nippels?

Contact Joe Hepsworth at www.jcunard.com

David