Volunteer for sale

[Nobade]

Somebody please buy this:
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=471507458

so that I don't have to. I have wanted one of these for years, but the money's just not there now. Looks like a good one!

-Nobade

[Wayne Smith]

Sorry, no can do. I don't have the money either!

[SSGOldfart]

She is sweet looking gal just can't swing it this month

[bob208]

enjoy your new rifle.

[fouronesix]

Nobade, that's cruel and unusual punishment!

I assume it's an early, completely PH made rifle- before the Italian outsourcing. The seller gives that impression anyway. With the correct bullet and load- those have a reputation for fine long range accuracy.

[Hardcast416taylor]

Just got the bill from my last hospital stay for my heart problems,.....pictures are always nice to look at you know?Robert

[idahoron]

That made my heart race a bit.

[Beagle333]

Pretty!!!! Not in the cards for me tho..... almost got the $ for my No. 1

[Tatume]

You guys are missing out on a sweet rifle! I have a Parker-Hale Volunteer, and it is everything folks claim for it. Extremely accurate with the Lyman 451114 bullet, and hard hitting. They don't come up for sale very often.

[Nobade]

No kidding. I wish I could make it mine.

-Nobade

[Beagle333]

There's a bid. Is it one of us?

[LIMPINGJ]

Wish it had the accessories with it and he had been more careful with the screw on the bolster.

[fouronesix]

The "accessories" would be the same as for any BP muzzleloader. That clean-out screw is a non-issue. The number one most important thing to check/verify before purchase would be the entire bore condition- muzzle to breech. Getting the most out of it will require the correct mold/bullet along with some experimenting.

[Fly]

Me too, but my wife would shoot me with that same gun!
Fly, (ps) been wanting one of those for years

[OverMax]

Shame on y'll let 'en a period correct rifle like this get-a-way. Can I get by with my excuse?> Its not left handed.

[Tatume]

Mine was a prize rifle awarded to a friend who shoots in international black powder championship matches. He had two, and needed a center fire deer rifle, so I traded him a 308 Winchester Ruger M77 International and Leupold scope. We both came away happy.

The description noting American Civil War use may not be correct ("the sniper rifle of the unpleasantness between the states back in the early 1860s"). The "Volunteer" was the mid-19th century British equivalent of our NRA, and sponsored marksmanship in England through competitions. The Enfield Volunteer rifle was built especially for those competitions, much like our National Match M1 Garand rifles. While it is possible a few made their way into the hands of American soldiers, it is unlikely that England supplied them for that purpose.

[dromia]

That seems pricey for over here in the UK, they usually go for £500-£600 in very good condition and can be found cheaper at the club level. My current example has the Whitworth hexagonal rifling and shoots very well.

This is a link to a typical original PH Volunteer "for sale".

http://www.gunstar.co.uk/parker-hale-451-whitworth-451-rifles-for-sale-in-cambridgesh/rifles/667820

I'm having a M/L year this year and currently have a P58 and two P53s alongside the Volunteer in my battery, all original Parker Hales.

[Tatume]

I'm having a M/L year this year and currently have a P58 and two P53s alongside the Volunteer in my battery, all original Parker Hales.

I really like the sound of that. I tend to think of my Parker-Hale Volunteer as an "original" also (even though the originals were Enfields).

Take care, Tom

[fouronesix]

500-600 British Pound = 750-900 USD. So the GB start bid seems close to comparable, with the caveat that the one up on GB is in top bore condition. Seems reasonable, unless the bidding goes nuts toward the end of the auction- which can happen.

I did notice the seller posted the ser#. A 3 digit number certainly indicates a completely Birmingham gun probably from the 1970's-early 80s. I think the serials were much higher when P-H began the Euroarms Italian connection.

[Silfield]

Lovely rifle to own and shoot, this one was my first firearm and I will hopefully hand it down to one of my sons (eventually!). Mine is an all Birmingham made Parker Hale with a serial # in the high 700's.
133442

The Martini on the next table is mine as well:D

[451whitworth]

I remember when people called me crazy when i bought a new old stock Birmingham PH Volunteer for $500 back in '97. I bought my PH Whitworth used in '89 for $350 from a pawn shop when I was in college.

[Nobade]

Sure wish you could do that now!

I see it went for a bit over $1200, somebody sure wanted it bad. Glad I didn't try! Guess I'll have to keep an eye out, I'll find one some day!

-Nobade

[Nobade]

Holy thread revival! Looking back now, only 6 years later, that $1200 rifle would have been a real deal. Oh well, still don't have one yet.

[Ithaca Gunner]

Holy thread revival! Looking back now, only 6 years later, that $1200 rifle would have been a real deal. Oh well, still don't have one yet.

Just last month there was one on GunBroker in fine shape. It went for just under $1,200.00.

[Nobade]

Just last month there was one on GunBroker in fine shape. It went for just under $1,200.00.

If it was the one I'm thinking of, the seller was a bit less than honest. He advertised it as a Parker Hale, but wouldn't answer my question of if it had British proof marks. Then after a few exchanges he finally admitted it said made in Italy on the trigger guard. I figure if I'm going to get one I at least want a real one.

[Ithaca Gunner]

Did he advertise it as used for a magazine article? I think it may have been a Pedersoli. Real P-H's come up for sale on the N-SSA forum and Lodgewood from time to time, but they go fast.

[Bad Ass Wallace]

https://i.imgur.com/NGxgFnp.jpg

Mine is a 3 digit Serial No and has square form "Rigby" rifling. It is an original P-H and came with a factory bullet mould and sizer serial numbered to the rifle. AS others have said, a very accurate rifle.

After S/N 650 PH changed to rounded Metford rifling and stopped supplying the mould.

[Nobade]

https://i.imgur.com/NGxgFnp.jpg

Mine is a 3 digit Serial No and has square form "Rigby" rifling. It is an original P-H and came with a factory bullet mould and sizer serial numbered to the rifle. AS others have said, a very accurate rifle.

After S/N 650 PH changed to rounded Metford rifling and stopped supplying the mould.

That's the one! Right there. You do have quite the nice gun collection.

[elk hunter]

I may have to visit the Baltimore, Md. gun show next March to see if one of those would follow me home. A local Dr. had a reproduction and I wish I had talked with him about it to see how well it shot. I'm just a little afraid that with that stock design it might be a cheek buster on me. My Snider with what appears to be the same stock design isn't much fun to shoot.

[fgd135]

I really enjoy shooting my two band PH Volunteer, English made, with Henry rifling. The rifle was purchased from Armslist, of all places, for about $400 seven years ago.
I glass bedded the barrel, added a Pedersoli mid range vernier rear sight and a Lyman 20MJT globe front sight. It's very accurate with the Lyman 451114, and the slightly heavier 457112, the Whitworth bullet, both sized to .451", in pure lead. I use Goex Olde Enysford 1-1/2 Fg under a milk carton wad.
Here's a 100 yard group from last fall-- 2 sighters and 8 other shots, disregard the 12 oclock in the 1 ring, that's a keyholed pritchett from a different rm.
288694288843

[Scrounge]

You all make me sick!

with envy....

:)

Bill