Rare Parker Hale WW1 Sniper Scope

[Gil Boyd]

Thanks guys interesting analysis of the the PH rings used.
Most of the time, the answer as Roger has stated, is they have taken the easy option rather than any complicated testing or comparisons trialled specifically to fit the scope

[muffett.2008]

Alfred Gray Parker was indeed the founder of the Company, born 1842 died 1915, his son A.G. Parker ran the company until his death in 1939.
A.T.C Hale was A.G Jnrs nephew who joined the company in 1900, was mainly involved in the Administration of the company......the money man and steered the business into becoming a limited liability company in 1904. H became a co director and subsequently managing director at the death of Alfred Gray Parker.
He was instrumental in developing the Parker rifleing system after working with the morris tube system.
A.G Jnr.'s son, A.J. Parker was the one mainly involved in sight design, Arthur Edward Parker was the Works Manager and with A.G.P and A.J.P and the assistance of A.TC. Hale, ran a very successful business.
As the Hales infiltrated the company management positions, A.J found it hard to come to terms with his designs being registered to A.T.C as managing director, being still unable to return to the company until the end of the war, A.T.C managed to ensure all patents were in his name from 1917.
By 1928, young Alfred had had enough, with the influx of three more Hales,and a violent disagreement with his father and A.T.C Hale over his No. 5 sight, he left the company and commenced his own business, flooding the market with a rash of sights from the Twin Zero Folder to the TZ range of sights. The patents dispute waged by Alfred jnr. ensured that A.G Parker and ParkerHale from 1936,were unable to list his sight designs until several years later, when the dispute was finally settled.
A.C.Hale tookover the sight design role and both he and A.J.Parker went *** for tat until A.J won more large contracts, forcing a reconciliation,after 1945 both Companies catalogues covered the sights and components of each other.

A.J. Parkers daughter, Edna, does not air the families dirty laundry in her book, but the old girl could turn a pretty phrase when talking about the Hales, no love lost there.

[Beerhunter]

In his 1977 book, Operation Sealion, Richard Cox arms his Auxilliary that kills the Deputy Reich Protector with a rifle in .22 Hornet.

Cox's novel was well researched and was in fact based on a War Game played in 1974 between RMA Sandhurst and the Staff College Camberley. Observers at the game were of the calibre of Adolf Galland. (Obviously he was there to deal with aspects of the Luftwaffe at the time.) So I am inclined to get along with .22 Hornet as the calibre of at least one Auxiliary's sniper rifle.

BTW, the book is recommended as a good read too.

BTW2 - we won!

[Gil Boyd]

Muffet thanks for that. Yet another spin on the family story. I didn't want to get into the fineries of the Hales v the Parkers, so am not concentrating too much on it, but dates and the time lines and who sold what to who, and who now has the rights over the name, make my head spin.
So much good stuff though still kicking around tried and tested and crying out for the whole brand to be resurrected.

[Beerhunter]

So much good stuff though still kicking around tried and tested and crying out for the whole brand to be resurrected.

No need. The brand still exists. It was bought by John Rothery. John Rothery Wholesale

[Gil Boyd]

I have been told by ex employees he only bought the name and can only supply the oils and ancillaries, is that not correct either?

[Alan de Enfield]

Parker Hale started to decline with the introduction of the pistol ban in the mid 90s, people were being made redundant or just left.
In 1998 the firm was bought by a bit of a 'know all' named david cockayne who traded as Bremmer Arms/Modular Industries who made springfield rifles (new rifles made from spares) ,he started trading under Bremmer arms at the game fairs but no one had heard of Bremmer Arms, so they started to remake the cadet rifle the L81A2,and also started to develop new machine pistols and sniper rifles, he spent huge amounts on research and developement but wouldn,t listen to 'expert advice' from his highly skilled workforce , he did it his way and no one elses.
In 2000 the official receiver was bought in, with just 6 people left to wind it down.

A firm called ROTHERYS own the rights to manufacture PARKER HALE accessories such as cleaning rod ,oils swabs ,jags and brushes.

Although the firm was bought by gibbs rifles it was actually by its owner Val Forgett who trades under the name of NAVY ARMS, they tried to introduce the midland rifle back over here that was manufactured in the USA , out of 70 of the first batch, 60 of the rifles FAILED OUR STRINGENT PROOF REGULATIONS

[Beerhunter]

I have been told by ex employees he only bought the name

Forgive but that is what I said.

[Peter Laidler]

Big sigh...................... The No42 and 53 weren't even in the throes - or even nearly in the throes - of being manufactured when the Aux Units and their .22" rifles were being formed up in the early 40';s! And how would they zero them?And at what range? And what happens to a juicy target (such as a guard dog or dopey dog handler JUST outside th zeroed-in range? Too many questions. I suspect yet ANOTHER urban myth perpetuated by those wishing to sell them after '......my grandad told me.....' or '....I read it in a book....' As a matter of interest, the IWM accept this now following discussions at W/minster re this and other Sten related matters

Once again, just my 'bleedin obvious' take on things

[Roger Payne]

Peter, the timeline is something that had also occurred to me; but I must admit I don't know the precise date of the appearance of the No42; ie how long after the No32 Mk1 it arrived. I had just presumed up till now that they had been allocated to the auxiliaries circa late 1941 or '42 when we were still concerned about the possibility of invasion, but in reality the chances of it occurring had largely passed. When did the No42 go into production (the No53 must have been way too late, of course)?

ATB