Parker Hale Musketoon Quality?

[Smokey Plainsman]

i just bought an early “all English” made Parker Hale Enfield musketoon. Gun looks to be in excellent condition.

What is the consensus on the quality of these guns? I’ve read the barrels have the authentic progressive rifling of the originals? And that these guns were made with original 19th century Enfield tooling?

Just looking for opinions. My usage will be recreational target shooting and maybe hunting in the future. Thanks!

-Smokey

 

[Rat]

I think most opinions will be "best quality". Wish I had one.

 

[Stantheman86]

The Cadillac of military style muzzleloaders. I hesitate to call mine "reproductions" more like "improvements".

 

[bisleyjohn]

Parker Hale borrowed the original Enfield tooling and copied it. (The Royal Armouries had a tough time getting them returned) The PH guns do have progressive rifling, mine is tighter at the muzzle. This article will tell you how to get started with your lovely gun < http://www.researchpress.co.uk/inde...ilitary-longarms/enfield/managing-the-enfield >

And I have received some good advice here <https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/getting-the-best-from-my-parker-hale.117086/>

For me, the best I think, is yet to come. Let us know how you get on.

 

[Badgerfarm]

The quality is second to none on the English made Parker Hales. They prefer certain loads over others to get optimal accuracy and the minie ball sizing is critical.

 

[TFoley]

The complete set of gauges and jigs and pattern parts of the original Pattern 53 rifled muskets, property of the Ministry of Defence Pattern Room, were loaned to Parker-Hale in the 70's to enable them to make what amounted to a continuation series of British military long arms. It took a LOT of cajoling and letter-writing to get them back when P-H, as a gun production business, went ****-up in the 90's. I've mentioned it before on numerous occasions that I was actually right there in the Pattern room offices when they were returned, and helped the curator, Herbie Woodend, to check the contents of the chest.

The progressive rifling refers to the depth, not the degree of twist. The rifling is deeper cut at the breech end than it is at the muzzle, where it is very shallow.

@OP - I'm interested to learn the serial number of your musketoon for David Minshall's records on the production history. Genuine P-H production, ALL made TOTALLY in Birmingham, England, ran to ca. 9000. After selling off the gun production business to Eurarms, there were sufficient ready-proofed barrels [ALL Birmingham-proofed and stamped accordingly] to bring the production up to ca.14,000, although most of them will have had Italian-sourced wood. After that, there is nothing of P-H in the content of any of Euroarms production. IMO a certain element of production-creep may have snuck in between 9000 and 14000, but nothing too serious in terms of fit - after that...............

 

[Heelerau]

Best quality, progressive depth rifling like the originals. Get onto David Minshalls' Research Press and managing the enfield, that will pretty much sort you out. PH is my first choice for the Enfield reproductions.

 

[ResearchPress]

i just bought an early “all English” made Parker Hale Enfield musketoon.... I’ve read .... that these guns were made with original 19th century Enfield tooling?

Another internet myth... Having declined to loan Parker-Hale an original Pattern 1853 Rifle Musket, the loan of a chest of inspectors gauges from the Enfield Pattern Room was agreed upon. These gauges were the reference for set of drawings to be prepared to enable tooling and production on modern machinery.

David

 

[TFoley]

Another internet myth... Having declined to loan Parker-Hale an original Pattern 1853 Rifle Musket, the loan of a chest of inspectors gauges from the Enfield Pattern Room was agreed upon. These gauges were the reference for set of drawings to be prepared to enable tooling and production on modern machinery.
David

As indeed I have mentioned numerous times in the last few months. David, I'm unashamedly quoting your words here from another site, with reference to the progressive depth of the rifling - Excepting the earliest Patterns, Enfield rifles had progressive depth rifling, the P.53 for example being 0.015 deep at the breech and 0.005 at the muzzle. Parker-Hale used progressive depth rifling on their reproductions. So, on firing, the bullet expands to fill the deeper rifling, and is then swaged a little as it travels down the bore.

 

[Stantheman86]

The main thing that interested me in the Parker-Hale was:
Progressive Depth Rifling
Excellent steel quality for barrel
High quality lock
Enfield made in England , not Italy

 

[Britsmoothy]

The only issue is the stock inletting under the breach.

 

[RAEDWALD]

The only issue is the stock inletting under the breach.

Being as 1970's stockers didn't work for 1850's wages. Simply putting some thin card under the breech until one can slip a piece of paper freely between the lock plate and bolster is a a quick and easy solution. Also in the tang groove.

 

[Britsmoothy]

Being as 1970's stockers didn't work for 1850's wages. Simply putting some thin card under the breech until one can slip a piece of paper freely between the lock plate and bolster is a a quick and easy solution. Also in the tang groove.

Correct. Wood veneers are better though.
I found card gives to much.

 

[RAEDWALD]

Correct. Wood veneers are better though.
I found card gives to much.

I agree, over time, but card is a quick fix to see if the bedding will make a difference. Stayed stable for over a year for me but then I didn't take it out into the rain.

 

[Stantheman86]

I never worried about it, I'm also not an extreme accuracy nut. If it shoots like it was supposed to in the Victorian era then it's good enough for me.

 

[Rudyard]

Of the three PH Enfield offerings the two band was the best . We as a Branch of MLAGB ( Sheffield) thought . I just had an old Vollunteers Enfield but mostly shot flint. Certain it is that the Parker Hales provided a good set of rifle options and with the bedding attended are fine rifles, pity they didn't make the Baker rifle .How the rivals compared I've little idea I didn't shoot much Enfield . Some swear by the Remington Zouave replica ,Some swore At them . I've only seen one original it was most impressive . Regards Rudyard

 

[Britsmoothy]

I never worried about it, I'm also not an extreme accuracy nut. If it shoots like it was supposed to in the Victorian era then it's good enough for me.

They don't shoot like the Victorian ones, they were inletted correctly and thus out shoot a PH model (generally).
It really is not difficult to fix and improve.
Victorians would not accept how the modern ones shoot!

 

[bisleyjohn]

May I suggest again that you read

:- http://www.researchpress.co.uk/inde...ilitary-longarms/enfield/managing-the-enfield

It’s all there, written by a man who knows. The Old Accoutrementarians, there’s a blast from my past

 

[dave951]

They don't shoot like the Victorian ones, they were inletted correctly and thus out shoot a PH model (generally).
It really is not difficult to fix and improve.
Victorians would not accept how the modern ones shoot!

Uhmmm....
Ok........
Sure.......
About that.........

My 2 band PH

 

[bisleyjohn]

All at 100? Off-hand or supported?

Either way, I have a way to go yet.