Parker Hale unveiled

[Big Banger]

Nice rifle! If you go to page 2 of this thread Brithunter describes how to find the date code.
Mat

[ms96tears]

Thanks Guys

[sakorick]

Hello MS96. Your rifle is a Super Safari made about 1968. I would need the SN....my guess it has 4 or 5 digits. These were made for export to the US and are probably among the nicest PH's ever made. You have a beauty and should have that safety fixed....it's probably something very simple....I wauld start by soaking it in breakfree. As a side bar, I would say that is a rare rifle as most of these came in 30'06, 270 and 7Mag. Yours is the first 25'06 I have ever seen. Regards, Rick.

[ms96tears]

Rick, ( sakorick )  Thanks for that info. I'll try soaking it.  I have been reading all the posts here and it seems that no one else has mentioned a 25-06 cal. I understand that it's not an uncommon caliber over seas. Anyway, I enjoy the rifle and I don't let it sit in the safe. Thanks again........Mike

[Brithunter]

Hi All,

The rifle appears to be a 1200 Super and as SakoRick suggested to date it you need to look at the Private view mark which is part of the proof marks from Birmingham. All the photos of Super Safaris that I have seen the rifle has the mode engraved into the left side wall of the action. For soem reason the 1200 Supers do not have this but one thing they do have is the Gold Plated Triggers.


Also I have never noticed many if any 25-06's but then again I have never really looked for them. I will keep an eye and ear open for them as well as asking about. It's not a very popular cartridge here in the UK.
 

The trigger unit is a P-H one the TM is for trade mark. Who designed the unit I do not know it looks a lot like the Timmney one but who produced them first I have no idea. Does anyone know how long Tmmney have been making them?

 

[Paul Hoskins]

Congrat's. Rick, really pretty outfit and a shooter to boot. Nice find. I never have that kind of luck. Wondering what the scope is? Reminds me of the BSA on my air rifle. ...........Paul H

[sakorick]

Hello PH. The scope is a 4-14-50 Nikon since switched to nothing as I retired the rifle....doomed as a safe Queen. Scope was very heavy....long gone. This thread must be over 2 years old now but people still seem to find it. Parker Hales like Sakos are tough to research. Regards, Rick.

[Big Banger]

Hi Guys,
I thought I would share a few pictures of a couple Parker Hale .303 rifles that I recently purchased. The first one (without a scope) is a converted Lee Enfield No. 1 Mk. III with a 5 round clip. The date code is VB = 1970. The second is a converted No. 4 Mk. 1 that was originally made at the Long Branch factory in Ontario, Canada. This rifle has the Parker Hale A.29 scope mount and RAHS.3 scope rings. The date code is UB = 1969. I believe this rifle should have had a 5 round clip as well but I got it with a 10 round clip. Both rifles have had little use since being converted and are in very nice condition. My dad bought a Parker Hale .303 either a No. 1 or No. 4 (I will probably never know) new in the late sixties or early seventies. It was the only hunting rifle he owned, he sold it in 1980.
Mat

[sakorick]

Hello BB'r. I had no idea PH made sporters out of MILSURP Enfields. They are beautiful. I sure would like to get my hands on one....where did you find them?? Regards, Rick.

[Big Banger]

Hi Rick,
I found the No. 1 on a Canadian website Gunnutz and I found the No. 4 at a huge gunshow in Kamloops, B.C. yesterday. I am very happy to have them. I did find one recently on a USA website, I will try to find it again and I will let you know.  
Regards,
Mat
 

Hello BB'r. I had no idea PH made sporters out of MILSURP Enfields. They are beautiful. I sure would like to get my hands on one....where did you find them?? Regards, Rick.

[Paul Hoskins]

Matt, I never cared for Enfields but those are really nice. I wouldn't mind having one of those sitting in the corner of the gun room............Paul H

[Big Banger]

Hi Paul,
Parker Hale did a very nice job converting these old rifles, I am very happy to have them.
Regards,
Mat

[Big Banger]

I recently found an article called "The Ultimate Lee Enfield" With only changing the barrel and making a custom clip these old .303's can be converted into a 45/70 and the Enfield action is strong enough to handle Full Loads.
Interesting?
Mat

[Brithunter]

Hi All,

    Parker-Hale did a lot of these conversions using both the earlier Smle No1 and the later No4's. Their conversions were available is sevaeral grades with the top being the Custom then there was the Supreme then the Deluxe and then the std. Parker-Hale did these conversions for about 30 years or so and were still doing them well into the 1970's and possibly even later.

    There were another couple of firms in the UK also doing similar work. Collins Bros and London Armoury co were alos active in this field. At least Parker-Hale marked theirs unlike the other firms. The ones I have had shot rather well although the jury is still out on the No4 conversion that I have at present I guess I will have to scope it to really check it out properly.

    Nice rifles :smiley: .

[Big Banger]

Hi Guys,
I bought another Parker Hale rifle last week, this one is a Safari African Magnum .458 Win Mag. Date code ZB = 1974. It is in very nice condition and has had little use. The action is designed to handle .375 H&H length rounds and with a little reaming this could easily shoot .458 Lott. There is a rubber block in the front of the magazine to take up the space not needed for the .458 Win Mag.
 
Remember Rick started all this!
Regards,
Mat