Parker Hale M85 Serial Number Checks & Provenance on Manufacture (Records)

[m4carbine]

Thank you Gil!

Information

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[Plymagrad]

Gil

Could you please help me identify this Parker Hale M82 Model Rifle -

Ser# R-22548

Just purchased this one, looking forward to shooting it . Would love to know any history on the rifle.

[Gil Boyd]

Sadly nothing recorded or held on that, but I'll keep searching and if I find anything I'll get back to you.

[Plymagrad]

Sadly nothing recorded or held on that, but I'll keep searching and if I find anything I'll get back to you.

Thanks Gil appreciate the help.

[EduRup]

Hi to all, but my question goes to Gil

Please can you find any Info about M85 with Serial Number 00211F ?
It is mine since many years but not in best shape... Hope it will be again

Best regards from Croatia

[Rwsgunsmithing]

Thank you Gil!

Marty, we expect a detailed pictures and a range report after you receive her!

[m4carbine]

Range report??? Like I have time to shoot!

If I'm lucky, I'll get 30 min of quality couch time with it

I will see what I can do.

[Gil Boyd]

Eduard,
Welcome to the Milsurps site here is your question and the reply you seek:

Please can you find any Info about M85 with Serial Number 00211F.

It is mine since many years but not in best shape, and before we became member of EU it was almost impossible to buy any parts for it... It came during the war ('91 or '92) as one of only four in Croatia (Zadar region). During the war and the embargo it was easier for Croatia to buy Steyr SSG69 (P1, P2 and some P4) from Austria...

After the war ('95) some creative guy wanted to make a hunting rifle out of it... So the original stock is missing, barrel is shortened and the diameter reduced, magazine is also shortened (now fits only 5 rounds), the whole rifle was sanded and got simmple gun blue finish..., I still have the original mount (25,4mm) but no original scope... The guy who owned the rifle before me did not know what rare gun he had, so he almost destroyed it... Good is it still has a fantastic trigger, so I hope to restore it somehow and get it ready for a Sniper competition (100m-300m) in my hometown (Osijek) in September. Need just to find new barrel, magazine, scope and a stock
Thanks in advance for the Info.

Best regards from Croatia,

REPLY:

Eduard,

M85 Rifle serial No 00211F is shown in the official records as produced on the 09/12/87, and finished in desert camo stock.
It was shooting a 10 shot group of 9.1mm at 100 yards.
When it left PH, there was no end user name attributed to it, however, in pencil against the entry it says "De-act for military show" and dated 26/05/88?
The pencil writing is in Eddie Taff the Chief Engineer's hand, this entry I think show's the batch of rifle's going off the shop floor and into the store's, this may account for it.
Can't explain why yours has a cut down barrel or even a changed calibre and ended up in Croatia, unless it found its way there during the Serbian unrest period............an interesting one, and a rifle that clearly has a chequered past once it left the UK with lots of changes from its DEAC start in life!!!!!!!

[EduRup]

Eduard,
Welcome to the Milsurps site here is your question and the reply you seek:

Please can you find any Info about M85 with Serial Number 00211F.

It is mine since many years but not in best shape, and before we became member of EU it was almost impossible to buy any parts for it... It came during the war ('91 or '92) as one of only four in Croatia (Zadar region). During the war and the embargo it was easier for Croatia to buy Steyr SSG69 (P1, P2 and some P4) from Austria...

After the war ('95) some creative guy wanted to make a hunting rifle out of it... So the original stock is missing, barrel is shortened and the diameter reduced, magazine is also shortened (now fits only 5 rounds), the whole rifle was sanded and got simmple gun blue finish..., I still have the original mount (25,4mm) but no original scope... The guy who owned the rifle before me did not know what rare gun he had, so he almost destroyed it... Good is it still has a fantastic trigger, so I hope to restore it somehow and get it ready for a Sniper competition (100m-300m) in my hometown (Osijek) in September. Need just to find new barrel, magazine, scope and a stock
Thanks in advance for the Info.

Best regards from Croatia,

REPLY:

Eduard,

M85 Rifle serial No 00211F is shown in the official records as produced on the 09/12/87, and finished in desert camo stock.
It was shooting a 10 shot group of 9.1mm at 100 yards.
When it left PH, there was no end user name attributed to it, however, in pencil against the entry it says "De-act for military show" and dated 26/05/88?
The pencil writing is in Eddie Taff the Chief Engineer's hand, this entry I think show's the batch of rifle's going off the shop floor and into the store's, this may account for it.
Can't explain why yours has a cut down barrel or even a changed calibre and ended up in Croatia, unless it found its way there during the Serbian unrest period............an interesting one, and a rifle that clearly has a chequered past once it left the UK with lots of changes from its DEAC start in life!!!!!!!

Gil,

many thanks you for the detailed information. If you ever visit Croatia Beer is on me

Whatever journey gun gone, I'm glad that it is now with me. A 10 shot group of 9.1mm at 100 yards really sound great!!!

"Cut down" barrel would sound to radical - no, it is shortened, but still 600mm long... Cut was probably only the threaded part and the one where the front sight was... The bigger problem is the unprofessional diameter decrease that was not performed fluently and smoothly.. On the top of the barrel the diameter is just 20mm...

I have one new question - is it true that the M14 10round magazine fits the M85?

Tanks again

E

Here are some pictures (the first thing that will be replaced is the "fancy hunting" stock ):

Attachment 61227Attachment 61226Attachment 61225Attachment 61224

[Gil Boyd]

Eduard,

Yes the M14 magazine fits perfectly onto your M85, so get one of those if you find one.
It looks as if the old girl has been fairly well tended over the years and should'nt be too hard to get her back to her old days. The action is correct and also the markings shown.
Norman Clark is the company you need to contact for your M85 spares and they will help no end to get the bits you have missing: http://www.normanclarkgunsmith.com/
They will assist you greatly in your quest to get the rifle back to where it should be.
Good Luck
Gil