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

[Gil Boyd]

Lovely when the archive can be searched and you get a result.

It is recorded as being despatched to a Mr E. AYLING in February 1989 as a 7.62 Model 1200 rifle.
He also had J1050 both written down as TEST ACTION what ever that may mean your end. Highly probably used to sample his particular shooting prowess at the time.
Is he still alive? and is it still 7.62?
Interesting, because I too would have said it was an M84, because others were produced in August 1990 with the J suffix too and marked down PH M84 BISLEY.
Hope that helps in someway.

Entry 858 PARKER HALE ARCHIVE
Gil

[bcd8238]

Hi Gil, Thank you very much for the information. Yes, the rifle is still chambered in 7.62 NATO and Geoff Ayling is still very much alive. I could not find any reference to an E Ayling though. Perhaps the E was a badly written G? Anyway, Mr Ayling is now 79 is is still regarded as being in the top echelon of Australian shooters with some superb scores and achievements. I have attached some information from the Tasmanian Government Department of Premier and Cabinet :

Geoffrey Mervyn Ayling AM

Member 2000

b. 9 November 1939

Following the First World War, returned Australian servicemen helped establish local shooting clubs around the country where military issue .303 Lee Enfield Rifles were used until well into the 1960s. These were gradually replaced from that time by purpose built target rifles.

Shooting, in Commonwealth countries in particular, became a very popular and successful sport. Tasmania played a significant role in the development of this pastime, producing many outstanding full bore shooters. Geoff Ayling was one of these first class sportsmen. His shooting record is unparalleled in Tasmania - in fact, he ranks in the top echelon of the all-time great Australian shooters.

Geoff started his career in 1953 as a 14-year-old and is still shooting today, having competed around the world both as an individual and as an Australian team member. His record of performances is quite amazing even when viewed as cold, hard statistics. On the local Tasmanian scene - at club championships and one day aggregates - he amassed a staggering 350 plus wins, including six Tasmania Queen's Prizes.

A Queen's Prize event is an annual competition conducted in every state and territory and is awarded only to the winner of that event. It is staged over 3 days with 10 targets at each of 10 distances ranging from 300 yards to 1,000 yards. It is a trial of both stamina and skill and requiring intense concentration.

At the Australian level, Geoff won four other Queen's Prizes and a National Queen's as well. Internationally, his successes include a 1980 Queen's in Barbados, a 1981 World Championship Gold medal at the 'home' of shooting at Bisley in England and in that same year, he won the coveted Queen's Prize at Bisley, where 1700 competitors vied for that honour.

He added a further Queen's to that already imposing list when he was successful in the Kenya event in 1990. In addition to these wonderful individual results he represented his country with distinction at two Commonwealth Games. He was selected for the Edmonton Games in 1978 and finished just out of medal contention. But in Brisbane in 1982 he shot superbly and won the Gold medal in the pairs with his NSW team mate, Stan Golinski.

His great shooting career was capped early when, in 1979, he became a Member of the Order of Australia which was awarded in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the sport of full bore target shooting.

My intention is to simply clean up the rifle and use it as it was intended. I have no desire to change or modify this rifle in respect to the great man.

[Gil Boyd]

Yes you may be right the E is really a G and thats down to me.
I converted it from all the manual weapon records onto the PC which took nearly a year, and yes it is possible a quickly scribbled G looked like an E.

[GunnerOne]

Gil hello,

Your work on the archive of information on Parker Hale rifles is really appreciated, before finding this forum I didn't really expect to find any meaningful information on these rifles.

My own rifle is serial number 00178F, it has an olive green stock and it came to me without a scope, although I have acquired a contemporary Swarovski Optik ZFM 6x42 scope - its the moving reticle one (ZFM 84?). I also have the original test target and some of the same ammunition used for the test - Norma 308 Win Match 168grain.

One of the other guys at our club has serial number 00340F, it has a black finished stock and again the rifle was purchased without a scope fitted.

Neither of us are the original owners. During the course of ownership we have both acquired the PH transit cases.

Any information that you have concerning the rifles would be gratefully received :-)

I can forward some photographs if they would be of use/interest.

Many thanks and best regards, Austen

[Lee Enfield]

Hi Gents, I acquired this one several years ago and have no idea which model it is. It looked good and spoke to me so I parted with $450 AUD for it. I've searched the web and found many variants, of which, none appear the same. I hope you can see enough detail in the pictures, if not, I can take some more. The rifle is a single shot and is chambered in 7.62 NATO, proofed to 20 tons, as is the bolt. The serial number is J1130 and 130 is electropencilled on the underside on the bolt shroud. The LHS lug on the bolt is very much longer than a standard Mauser. The receiver top had nothing stamped in it and has had a skim taken off to level it out. The drillings for the base mount are not evenly spaced with the front holes being further apart. The holes are tapped for 6 x 48 screws. I have the original rear peep sight for it. The barrel has been replaced at some time and has the markings "The G M Ayling Target Rifle" Mr Geoff Ayling was a Tasmanian Shooter of some repute, shooting in Commonwealth Games and the winner of the Royal Kalternberg Cup in 1980. The stock has had the bedding removed to be replaced and you can see the outline of the cutout for the magazine well. There is a stamping in the barrel channel "EFS" Any ideas on this? I would really appreciate any information on this rifle.

I think you got a good deal on your rifle.

The stock marking is actually "SILE", the stock manufacturer.

Is the bottom of the receiver solid?

You have an M.84 single shot action, with what appears to be the original stock.

[bcd8238]

Hi Lee Enfield, yes the receiver is a solid base affair. I agree, I reckon I got a great deal on this rifle, especially seeing as how great they shoot. I had a small idea that it was probably a good target rifle, but reading the posts from Gil, stating how well they do shoot, has made me very happy. I think you may be right about the barrel channel marking, it is a bit hard to read as it is covered in black sealing paint.

I really appreciate the responses to my post and thank you all for the information supplied. Up until now, it had been a safe queen, one of those project rifles that you get to someday. It has now been promoted to first place for a clean up and rebedding. The original bedding was not a snug fit to the action and allowed some forward backward movement when the action screws were loosened. When time permits, it will be off to the range for a good work out to see what it can really do. I am quite confident that it will perform well outside my skill set.

I do have a picatinny rail that will fir the screw positions and have a Schmidt and Bender 3 - 12 x 50 PM11 scope that I would like to fit to it. I already have a set of Arms Co 34mm QD rings for it. I would like to know if anyone has found or fitted a cheek piece to the butt what doesn't require drilling or screwing. As I said previously, I do not want to modify the rifle away from original in any way that cannot be undone.

[GunnerOne]

Gil hello,

Your work on the archive of information on Parker Hale rifles is really appreciated, before finding this forum I didn't really expect to find any meaningful information on these rifles.

My own rifle is serial number 00178F, it has an olive green stock and it came to me without a scope, although I have acquired a contemporary Swarovski Optik ZFM 6x42 scope - its the moving reticle one (ZFM 84?). I also have the original test target and some of the same ammunition used for the test - Norma 308 Win Match 168grain.

One of the other guys at our club has serial number 00340F, it has a black finished stock and again the rifle was purchased without a scope fitted.

Neither of us are the original owners. During the course of ownership we have both acquired the PH transit cases.

Any information that you have concerning the rifles would be gratefully received :-)

I can forward some photographs if they would be of use/interest.

Many thanks and best regards, Austen

[Gil Boyd]

Hi Austen,
I can tell you that your rifle 00178F was produced on the 27th August 1987 by Bill Smallwood. It shot a 15.2mm group @100 yards with 10 rounds.
It was fitted with a Green NATO STOCK and was sold to Home Sales UK with no scope fitted.

The rifle 00340F was produced on the 17th January 1990 by Bill Smallwood again. It shot a 18.0mm group @100 yards with 10 rounds.
It was fitted at that time with a Green NATO STOCK and was sold to a H.Krank with no scope fitted, clearly had a stock change to black in its history.
Hope this helps

[GunnerOne]

Gil hello,

Magic - many thanks for the information. I'll add it to the documents that I'm holding for my rifle.

It may get an outing at Bisley tomorrow if the snow holds off.

Cheers, Austen

[Sinned]

Hello Gil,
I was wandering if you could tell me what i have, it's #02153c, BMP mark on the barrel and handle, magazine numbered to receiver. It is complete c3a1 configuration, McMillan stock, ph bipod, and the correct cadex rail and mount.
Thank you in advance.