Parker Hale......C3 prototype?????

[bros]

I picked this up years ago at a gun show in Toronto. I was told by the owner that it was a factory proto-type for the C3. It's of coarse in 7.62mm and single shot, there is no mag-well at all. I made the bases and just put on a cheap Springfield Armoury scope...it shoots like a laser beam.
Your thoughts on this and exactly what it is.....are always appreciated.

browningautorifle was so kind to post a few pictures for me...thanks Jim

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[browningautorifle]

Here's his pics for all to see...

[Lee Enfield]

Your rifle is an M.84 which was a dedicated single shot target rifle.

While it isn't a prototype "C3", it does belong to the M84/M86/M87/C3A1family.

Someone has removed the safety lever from the trigger.

Interesting that the J is a prefix, and that the top rail of the receiver is NOT marked with Parker Hale M84.

Your rifle may be a Pre Production or prototype M84, "Gil Boyd" might be able to tell us if he had the full serial number.

Attachment 87296Attachment 87297
here is an add for the M87 (the 'doner' C3A1 action) & M84 and a pic of my M84, built into a magazine fed rifle by our own RWSGunsmithing


As a side note:
The M85 action, while fitting into the model sequence (and definitely related) is more of a parallel development.

[CINDERS]

They certainly built them solid I thought my commercial 1200 22/250 Parker Hale's action/bolt set up was over the top for the size of the cartridge but looking at that one crikey its like a tank......thanks for the share

[bros]

Your rifle is an M.84 which was a dedicated single shot target rifle.

While it isn't a prototype "C3", it does belong to the M84/M86/M87/C3A1family.

Someone has removed the safety lever from the trigger.

Interesting that the J is a prefix, and that the top rail of the receiver is NOT marked with Parker Hale M84.

Your rifle may be a Pre Production or prototype M84, "Gil Boyd" might be able to tell us if he had the full serial number.

Attachment 87296Attachment 87297
here is an add for the M87 (the 'doner' C3A1 action) & M84 and a pic of my M84, built into a magazine fed rifle by our own RWSGunsmithing


As a side note:
The M85 action, while fitting into the model sequence (and definitely related) is more of a parallel development.

Lee Enfield....I could supply that info to Gil if he comes on board!! Don't know how many were produced but it's not a real low serial # assuming they started with 0001.
Anyhow I like that conversion... you're kinda making me think but for now though I'm going to leave it as is. It is what it is!! I've got others that need powder and primer before I start altering this one. Somebody did a really nice bedding job to this rifle and it will shoot sub-moa consistently with good ammo...... when I'm having a good day at the range. It's a bit of a heavy weight to haul around though, certainly would not entertain the thought of taking it sheep hunting. LOL.

[CINDERS]

What we found with my 1200 is a standard Mauser K-98 F/P can be turned down to suit the P H bolt body with no other mods as we did mine not long after I received the rifle as we were stumped trying to locate an original Parker Hale F/P.....

[Gil Boyd]

You have a plain cast M84 rifle there nothing more nothing less I'm afraid. They are a brilliant rifle as they are.

There was only one C3A1 prototype ever recorded and someone on this site has it with a corresponding lowest ****G number attributed to it.
I can confirm it was made up by Eddie Taff/Bill Smallwood PH main engineers from an M85/86 and was multishot.

Sorry to burst the salesmans bubble, but its a good tale. Hope you didn't pay a C3 price for it

[bros]

No Gil I did not pay more than I should have.....I didn't buy the story, I bought the rifle (not to say a story has never persuaded me). I'll never forget that old proverb by one of the more notable members on this forum.
Back to the rifle....I remember it being on the table at the gun show, I inspected the bore and it was beautiful, I figured it would be a real tack driver...that was good enough for me.
It always amazes me people bring guns to a gun show, you'd think a good clean bore would maybe be a selling feature.......I don't know how many rifles I've picked up over the years off of gun show tables and you can barely see any rifling at all, there is so much crud, gun case fluff and who knows what all down there.....unless if it's something real special I put it down and go on to the next table.

[Gil Boyd]

The J prefix of the 10 was a good indicator that she wasn't what she appeared. Not sure why they left those three and ripped through the remainder of the number like that in blocks. Almost as if they didn't want any forensic analysis later to pull up the real number beaten into the metal
"Nothing as ***** as folk"

[Lee Enfield]

The J prefix of the 10 was a good indicator that she wasn't what she appeared. Not sure why they left those three and ripped through the remainder of the number like that in blocks. Almost as if they didn't want any forensic analysis later to pull up the real number beaten into the metal
"Nothing as ***** as folk"

Hi Gil, I think the complete serial number is electronically smudged.