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

[Gil Boyd]

Kev,
I have gone through the files and I have absolutely nothing on these two rifles recorded.
R-31350 is a Santa Barba action from the early 80's.
Apologies as some records never made it out of the destruction and fire that followed the collapse of PH

[desperatedan]

Gil,
Thanks for looking, your efforts much appreciated. Kev

[bravo2zero]

Hi, I have what I believe to be a C3A1 serial number R-22548 and wondered if you had any info on this, it has weaver mounts which I am not sure if this is correct or if these are a replacement for the Parker Hale ones. Would appreciate your thoughts on this, thanks, Steve

[Gil Boyd]

Hi Steve,
By the serial number it looks more likely to be a C3 on a Santa Barba action. As for the weaver bases some owners fitted these when they changed to a scope with a bigger tube diameter, (ie 30mm) they should be numbered 45 & 44 or 46 / 47, if thats the case they are definately C3's.
Some M82's from Canada which would be known as C3's which were then knocked out as the 1200 TX, a good clue is that the rear scope mount holes which would be large 2BA in size, and the mount would have to be modified to take that 2BA.

[Reecy]

Gil,

Would you please check out for details of my own M85-serial 00209F-NATO Green stock

I bought it used in 1993, it came fitted with a Swarovski ZFM 84 26mm x 42mm sniper scope mounted in a single piece mount which I stupidly sold in 1999 in a trade for a Leupold M3 3.5-10 Mil spec scope ( the Leupold is a good scope but I should have kept the Swarovski)

i have used the weapon in many Practical Rifle competitions in the UK with good results- I also take it out hunting deer and it always hits the mark, I would comment that it has the best trigger on any rifle I have ever owned or fired- I love it to bits

My father also bought an M85 on the same day- his was also NATO Green and had the same scope set up, sadly I sold the rifle when my dad died in '99- A chap called Phil Swire bought it , he went on to use it regularly in Practical Rifle competitions, I have lost contact with Phil but they are both great rifles

All the best and thanks in advance for any information that you can provide

Reecy

[Gil Boyd]

Reecy,

Your M85 Serial Number: 00209F left Parker Hale Birmingham on the 15th March 1988.
It was ordered and shipped to Avon & Somerset Police Firearms Unit
NATO Green stock
Fitted with a Swarovski 2 FM 6X42 scope Serial Number: A5726006
The rifle shot a group of 15.7mm 10 shots at a 100 yards

Hope this helps
Gil

[Reecy]

Gil,

Thanks for the information, much appreciated

Reecy

[Gil Boyd]

M85 Serial No 00208F
Left PH 23/01/1987
Green stock
Shooting a ten shot group @ 100yds of 19.3mm
No end user shown in the records.

[Gil Boyd]

I have finally got the paperwork and full records on most of the rifles for Parker Hale by kind permission of Bill Smallwood one of their engineers.
This entry is in respect of ALL the 500 x C3A1 (M82) rifles that were sent back to PH for refurbishment and then on completion sent back to Canada under contract W8466-7-EHB17/01-BL dated 26/11/1987, which survived the fire bin when PH was sold in 2000, and they lost the vast majority of their family history.
The contract is specific in its wording:
REQUIREMENT:
The refurbishment of 500 rifles NSN 1005-21-871-2429 - C3 Sniper Rifles to be reworked to NSN 1005-21-903-8263 C3A1 Sniper, including the replacemnet of the telescopes as soon as possible. All work connected with this contract will be completed by December 31, 1989.
The weapons will be refurbished to "as new" condition and the following parts will be replaced:
C3 Action Body: The C3 action body will be replaced with the M87 action. The action body will exhibit the weapon serial number.
Barrels: 1 in 14 twist barrels
Telescope Mounts: The exisiting telescope mounts will be replaced with a single place mount for the UNERTL 10X Sniper scope. The single piece mount will have the same serial number as the weapon.
Telescope: The exisiting KHALES telescope will be replaced with a UNERTL 10 inch telescope to be provided by DND.

If anyone would like to check with me whether their rifle number appears on that list please let me know.

I have a request, if anybody has any drawings of the SNIPER CHEEKPIECE for the M85 please let me know, and if you are an M85 user like me, I may have a piece of historical rocking horse poo that you would like for the rifle!! Answers on a postcard!
Gil

[blurrededge]

Well I'm very interested in the M85 horsey poo info you have Gill