Picked up another Parker Hale rifle today

[Teddydog]

At the gun show today, I picked up a second Parker Hale rifle. The metal work is in very nice shape while the stock shows quite a bit of finish wear, likely from being carried a lot. I bought it from a man who said he received it as a Christmas present in the 1960's.

The front sight has been replaced with a taller blade and there used to be a "tang" sight installed in the wood behind the actual tang.

Does anyone know if that was a common thing to do for target shooting? The new front sight is so tall it probably cannot be useful with the main low setting on the rear sight (would shoot really low. Any idea what kind of rear sight might have been used?

And it came with some nice accessories, which really sealed the deal for me. Included is a Parker-Hale bullet mold, Lyman Minie bullet mold with handles, a flask and quite a few cast bullets, including 65 of the Parker-Hale bullets, 35 of a target-style Minie and 10 commercial Minies.

The Parker-Hale mold and bullets

Any thoughts or comments? Suggestions regarding the sights?

Rob

 

[Tom Compton]

I have the same gun from the same period. Leave the sight for now, it’s probabl ok and actually doesn’t look too high.

I pre lube bullets using a 50/50 mix of bees wax and synthetic motor oil. Melt the lube, hold the bullet near the top groove with large surgical tweezers or needle nose pliers and dip base first up to the top groove, set aside and repeat.

Start w 30 grains of FF black powder. The skirt of the bullet pictured looks kind of thin so too much powder may deform or “blow it out”. Thick skirt bullets need more powder to expand and seal the bore.

A charge of 60 gr FFg w a 550 gr minie has a respectable recoil and above that starts to be uncomfortable.

 

[snubnose57]

I have one also, with original front sight, shoots at least 2 feet high at 50 yards. Probably why your front sight was made taller.

 

[Stantheman86]

Looks like someone simply screwed a Lyman-style Creedmore sight with 1 1/2" spacing right into the wood.

If it were me I'd measure the spacing, see how deep the holes are and pick up a Pedersoli or Lyman and put one back on there.

 

[Zonie]

I think the tall front sight was put on it so the rear, peep sight could be used.

The front sight needed to be higher than the old sight so that the guns existing rear sight would be lower, down below the new line of sight thru the peep sight.

I would leave it alone until I had made a few shots with the gun.
Chances are, the rear sight can be raised enough to line up with the new front sight.

 

[F.G. Ford]

Hi,
You are very lucky to find a Parker Hale new/old original is such good condition with all the goodies.
The stock is not destroyed, and no idiot scope holes in the barrel. ( get nasty when I see guns like this drilled for a scope, especially with screw holes right above the powder chamber.
If you size your bullets to .001" undersize to your barrel, and lube with 70%/30% bees wax and olive oil, you will be amazed how accurate your rifle is. (Ps. I do not recommend any petroleum products in you barrel. They tar up your barrel and reduce accuracy )
A two bander like yours is a delight to carry and shoot ( with the right load ) Thank you for sharing the pictures.
Fred

 

[Rifleman1776]

I have one also, with original front sight, shoots at least 2 feet high at 50 yards. Probably why your front sight was made taller.

As I have been told by dedicated CW reenactors, the front sight was low to put point of aim/impact right on at 100 yards. In battle the soldier was instructed to aim about at the throat. Impact a bit high or low would still take a man out of action even if he was not killed instantly. Putting a higher front sight on brings you (or should) on point about 50 yards and can be more practical for non battle use.

 

[Heelerau]

I have two of these rifles, one since the age of 15, the other was given to my by a mate just before he died. both rifles will chew out the 9/10 ring off the bench at 50 yards with 68 grains of FFg and a heavy skirted Trevor Bug Roberts ( minnie') bullet. They also love the enfield paper cartridge using the same charge and the pritchett bullet. I just aim off and always have done with great success. these rifles will hold 9 ring at 100 yards off the bench. Both have had the barrels bedded under the breach and under each band, one has had a fly fitted and the stock chequered. They are the best of the reproduction enfield rifles. Research Press had good instruction in their management. You have done ver well.

Cheers

 

[Heelerau]

Your bullet will do well with 55 grains of FFg.