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

[Lee Enfield]

Sadly, not recorded in the files I have.
Just waiting for Bill to get back to me who might have that answer, but its a long time ago now, and their memory would probably have been in most of the records being burnt in 2000!

The first M87 recorded in the files I hold having just checked is Rifle number 02100C on the 2nd December 1988 with rifle number 01811C produced on the same day so you can see what a numeric mess it was back then.
The first M84 recorded in the files I hold is rifle number 01726J on the 11th June 1986 with rifle number 01716J produced the same day!!
The first M86 recorded in the files I hold is rifle number 01785C on the 13th June 1986 with rifle number 01777C produced on the 16th December 1986 Only 3 rifles recorded as being finished in 1986 the rest in 1987 - 1989.

In the records you hold, are there any m84/86/87 actions with the same numbers?

I'm wondering if this series of rifles are all numbered consecutively, with only the letter designator to indicate if an action is a single shot or magazine fed?

Marlin did this during the 19th century - m.1889, 1891, 1893, 1894 and 1895 actions are all numbered together within the same serial group.
whereas Winchester ran each action as their own serial sequence.

probably the main purpose for use of this system is to inflate production numbers by giving the appearance of much higher production for each individual model.

[Gil Boyd]

Sadly none.

[Lee Enfield]

Sadly none.

Well, that certainly implies that the m84/86/87 actions are all numbered together - and also implies a much lower production total than expected.

[Gil Boyd]

I think you could allude to that, and not be far off the truth. I am continually amazed at the way the company was run...........and so may I add, do the people that worked there to, it was all over the place!!!

The only rational piece of judgement seems to have come from the renumbering and re modelling on the C3A1 order from Canada!!!

[Lee Enfield]

I think you could allude to that, and not be far off the truth. I am continually amazed at the way the company was run...........and so may I add, do the people that worked there to, it was all over the place!!!

The only rational piece of judgement seems to have come from the renumbering and re modelling on the C3A1 order from Canada!!!

Gil,
what is the lowest M84, m85, m86, m87 action by serial number?
what are the highest?

the documents you hold, is there a specific period of time which they cover?

Thanks
D

[Gil Boyd]

I will give you what I can see under what groups of models I have. For completeness I copied them accurately from the actual records presented to me by Bill/Eddie and others as PH had finished trading. These were their records of rifles they handled and worked on, so not as complete, but pretty close to reality looking closely at EXCEL sheets, which does your eyes in...........how accountants can do this all day I'll never know lol

M84 - S/N 01596J - 02036J
M85 - S/N 00101F - 00458F
M86 - S/N 01762C - 02260C
M87 - S/N 01763C - 02115C ONLY 30 RECORDED

The time each developed stretched all over the place and the last entry above shows just how out of numerical sequencing the whole process was, except for the M85 and the C3A1 rifles where a numerical sequence was followed to a point.............the company needed a good ex RSM to run the numbering process.

That was hard work and took a few hours so please don't ask for the world on your next traunch of questions!!!

[Promo]

Gil, as you had requested to be posted in public: any records on TX1200 / M82 Serial Z-59235? If not, any records for the same serial with F or R prefix? Thank you!

[Gil Boyd]

Promo,

Sadly nothing listed at all under any of the prefixes on that number. Without the previous numbers of the C3A1 project it could of course have been one of those destined for the upgrade!

Reason we decided on the open policy on search of Parker Hale records was, several potential buyers/sellers in the past, some who clearly only came onto Milsurps the one time and then dissapeared were asking the same questions as our members trying to beat each other bidder/seller to the post.
Begging the question who was selling the original rifle, so we ask for a more transparent approach in future.
Gil

[Nigel]

M85 - S/N 00101F - 00458F

Gill
Thanks for doing all that hard work. Hopefully I've got this right but for the M85 does this mean a total production of 357 ?
Nigel

[Lee Enfield]

Gil, as you had requested to be posted in public: any records on TX1200 / M82 Serial Z-59235? If not, any records for the same serial with F or R prefix? Thank you!

Hello Promo,
I recently ran across a Parker Hale 1200 rifle stated to be marked as Canadian Centennial "1867-1967"

serial numbers for these guns so far:
Z-28507 "100 Years Canada 1867-1967" (I've got pics of the marking)
Z-273-- "Canadian Centennial "1867-1967"
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