Need advice, PH scope base/rings?

[rgg_7]

The roll mark of the Importer and caliber are in the same font and on the same line. This is not a Parker Hale characteristic. The "BNP" proof mark is on the receiver and barrel and that's a good indication that the rifle was proofed in the UK. The confirming evidence is below the stock line. If you remove the barreled action there with be a proof pressure and dimension stamped on the barrel along with a set of crossed swords. There will be a letter to the right and number on the left., also a number in the sector where the swords cross. This will tell year of assemble and the inspector. See if you can get this info. It will answer all your questions on origin and caliber. It's a 1200TX without question. Ron (Canada)

[OldSalty]

This has all been an interesting experience and thanks for your patience with my ignorance. I really love this rifle. One because of the sentimental value, but shes rather beautiful as well.

So taking off the barrell and receiver, i see the 30/06 mark, the 2 swords and some other stuff i cant quite make out.

See the attached.

[OldSalty]

Ok took some more pictures, these are easy to read...couldnt find a magnifying glass around here.

Can you help decipher this?

Thanks again.

[rgg_7]

Can you measure the barrel length? (Should be 26") Approx diameter at muzzle? (Should be .900") Is the barrel marked "Parker Hale Ltd Birmingham England"?

The rifle has an original 30-06 chambered barrel..it was BNP proofed for 30-06 at 18 tons per square inch for a case length of 2.494". This was done in 1970 (confirmed by the "V" on the left side of the crossed sword) and is correct for the period "B" (1950 - 1974) and done by Inspector "4".

First one I've seen....not many of these around. Hang on to this one!

Ron (Canada)

PS Go with the Ken Farrell rail - you won't regret it!

[OldSalty]

Yes the barrell is 26in and it appears to be 0.9 in diameter at the muzzle best I can measure with what I have available. The top of the barrell is stamped "Parker Hale Ltd Birmingham England"

See the attached.

The rifle has a lot of personal value to me, dont see me ever parting with it. My father said it only has about 200 rounds through it. I want to get it scoped then take it out then put it up and only bring it out from time to time.

I have other rifles for more volume target shooting.

[Gil Boyd]

Ron,
That is interesting to find it in a 30-06, which hailed from the SAFARI series of PH rifles manufactured in 1965 to 1966, stunning rifles too for that time.

Geoff,
Agreed, but thats what is recorded in the PH register, and was more a name attributed to the snake in sub saharan Africa, who I have come across on several occasions, who is a highly intelligent snake and never want to see again. It follows you if you sweat heavily, and waits for you to rest and get down to his height and then strikes.....in my book probably the worst snake to upset, as they "run" faster than man when peed off.

[Gil Boyd]

Lee Enfield,

The whole serial number is unnecessary:
roughly speaking:

Early (c.1964?-70??) 1200TX have no letter prefix.
from c.1970-1980 they gained an "R" prefix (R was definitely used between 1973-76)
"P" was also used sometime around this date (not sure whether it was before or after "R").
around 1980-90 they became a "Z" prefix


As said earlier I have spent many happy hours debating this with ex PH engineers. There was no rhyme nor reason for what occurred on lettering and prefixes before or after a weapon was stamped with a number in the PH factory, UNLESS , it was part of an ongoing series like the M85.......C3A1 contracts understandably.
Before that, as I say, I have numbers that throw all logic to the four winds, as the lads will all say "We did what we were told".......it was a mess

Probably RUGER and AI and others, learnt from these errors of judgement and therefore you can trace and date their weapons more readily

[Lee Enfield]

Ron,
That is interesting to find it in a 30-06, which hailed from the SAFARI series of PH rifles manufactured in 1965 to 1966, stunning rifles too for that time.

...snip....

Gil,
I've seen several .30-06 PH "1200TX" type rifles for sale in the UK over the last few years.

Some of them have been mounted with recoiling Unertl type forward mounted scope blocks.

Lee Enfield,

The whole serial number is unnecessary:
roughly speaking:

Early (c.1964?-70??) 1200TX have no letter prefix.
from c.1970-1980 they gained an "R" prefix (R was definitely used between 1973-76)
"P" was also used sometime around this date (not sure whether it was before or after "R").
around 1980-90 they became a "Z" prefix


As said earlier I have spent many happy hours debating this with ex PH engineers. There was no rhyme nor reason for what occurred on lettering and prefixes before or after a weapon was stamped with a number in the PH factory, UNLESS , it was part of an ongoing series like the M85.......C3A1 contracts understandably.
Before that, as I say, I have numbers that throw all logic to the four winds, as the lads will all say "We did what we were told".......it was a mess

Probably RUGER and AI and others, learnt from these errors of judgement and therefore you can trace and date their weapons more readily

If RGG's interpretation of the proof code is accurate it loos like:
no prefix c.1964-69
P '69-73
R '73-80
S ?
Z '80-90

what about (Q, , T, U, V, W, X, Y ???)

As near as I can tell from looking at existing examples, PH built 1200TX/M82 rifles on already serial numbered actions... ie) they took regular actions and assembled them into whatever configuration they needed to fill orders.

this explains why C3 /M82/1200TX rifles are in the same serial range (approx. R30000 - R36000) as a c.1973-'78 commercial .270 sporting rifles...


BUT, don't forget that PH used:
recycled military K.98 actions, FN commercial 98 actions, Santa Barbara commercial 98 Actions, Midland 1903/98 cross breed & Yeovil Castings actions...

Especially in the Yeovil "M" series actions (screw on "midland type" bolt stops), serial numbers seem to have been based on action model.

In my opinion, once the Yeovil castings actions began to be used, I doubt that they "manufactured" "TX" rifles, though they seem to have refurbished and re-sold them.

Are there Yeovil type heavy barrel varmint rifles?

Regarding "Ruger and Others", starting in 1969 US firearms manufacturers were forced to use serial numbers with codes showing year of manufacture by the Gun Control Act of 1968 (commonly known as GCA-68).

[OldSalty]

So I took the rifle to my local gunsmith this morning and he said no problem with getting this worked out. So I ordered the Ferrell 0 MOA (since the furthest I generally shoot is 400yrd - its all the room we have on 60 acres).

PARKER HALE-0-G43

Very excited to get this put together and take it out for a spin. Thanks to all for the very helpful information. I will post the results after the mount and some target results as well.

Cheers.

[Gil Boyd]

I would "categorically" say that there are NO charts or any form of prefix dating for any of the rifles that currently have a prefix or suffix letter.

What I would say is that rifles with a suffix letter, were probably actions MADE by Parker Hale (These actions also had the bolt stop like the one on the M85, where you pushed it into release the bolt rather than pulling it out like the Santa Barba and the Mauser Type).

As for the prefix lettered ones, they were Santa Barba actions and these were used quite "randomly" when there were few rifles in the system, with the exception of maybe the Australian C3 etc where they tried to keep a run on the prefix letters.

Christ that was hard but factual hope it helps! I often wonder why commonsense never prevailed in PH's systems, but hey ho who am I to criticise?? Old Salty, thanks for bringing this up, as it needs to surface from time to time to keep us all sane, and figure out the mess that "they" the heirachy at PH left us with !!!!!