Parker Hale PH5 Pre-A questions

[ralfus]

I bought a very fine No 1 MkIII this weekend with an excellent looking PH5 (pre A) target sight. How rare is the original PH5 and what were its shortcomings to result in the A improvements so soon?

I saw that one recently fetched US$400+ on ebay in February. Is that normal?

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[Mk VII]

I've got one here. The windage screw thread is vulnerable to damage, and this one wants chasing over, if only I could get someone who had the die.

[muffett.2008]

Relatively rare, the 5 series commenced in 1924/5 and gained instant success, the 5 was superseded by the 5a which featured a larger duel zero plate.
It was over this sight and the design patents that the falling out of young Alfred J. from his Father Alfred G. Parker and his cousins the Hales, started.
A.J. Parker was the main designer in the company, when he left in 1927/28 and commenced his own business, the patents dispute continued until the reconciliation brought about by his sister, but by then the company had become Parker Hale, so young Alfred maintained his distance, but the patents were shared between companies.