P58 Naval Pattern 2 band, 58 cal Enfield

[Buckshot]

............Years ago I picked up one of these from Navy Arms. I believe it was a parts "Put Together" after Parker Hale had gone out of business. Not known to me then, but recently I understand that Navy Arms had bought the moribund Parker Hale company ...................Or something like that. In any event. mine is all marked Parker Hale and P-H on smaller parts.

http://www.fototime.com/A203AE713612238/standard.jpghttp://www.fototime.com/1C7ECABF18D1F4A/standard.jpg

http://www.fototime.com/60C6E7069044CD1/standard.jpghttp://www.fototime.com/96EFF680D8DB6F7/standard.jpg

It has the 5 progressive depth grooves and 48" twist. We were shooting what we called the "Burrito Shoot" some years ago, which was 5 rounds at 50 yards and 5 rounds at 100 yards for score. We'd all kick in a buck and high score would win the pot. A couple of the guys developed gas when we'd shoot MLR's as they didn't like the clean up I suspect.

In any event, in our last match this is what I shot at 50 yards: http://www.fototime.com/BD6E8DB3F5D91DF/standard.jpg

And this was the last 5 at 100 yards: http://www.fototime.com/F36A036076ACA57/standard.jpg

The matches were fired standing offhand. Prior to this they had already ruled my Whitworth as being "Rifle non grata", and this effort sealed the fate that no one was interested in campaigning MLers in the matches anymore :-( In case anyone is interested, the load was a Lee Target Minie' over 40grs of Elephant 3Fg, and the lube was Ox-Yoke & an RWS musket cap.

...............Buckshot

[Mr Peabody]

Outstanding!

[Markopolo]

What a beautiful gun Buckshot. Sheesh... look how her woodgrain follows all the way through the her stock. subtle brass jewelry... very classy lady there... is she married???

[bedbugbilly]

Beautiful rifle! Great shooting . . . especially for one of those dirty old messy crappy front stuffing PITA muzzleloading rifles! :-)

Years ago, I participated in a long range shoot at Camp Grayling (MI) where we had 2 man teams taking turns shooting - shot as many as you could get off in an hour and scored on hits/distances. It was on the 1,000 meter range - 2' X 4' knock down/pop back up targets every 100 meters. At 1,000 meters, they had a full sized man on a horse cut out of plate steel. This was strictly rifled musket/carbine allowed. I had a friend who let me shoot his PH a few times - it was amazing. No one really cared about scores - we were having too much fun seeing how we could do at those distances. One fellow brought his Henry in 44 and it surprised everyone when he hit the horse at 1,000 meters probably 80% of his shots. I remember the PH in particular though as it was an exceptional shooter.

Thanks for sharing - you can be proud of those targets!

[Texas by God]

THAT is a rifle. And you are a good shot, Amigo. I'd love to shoot one of those. I remember the ads back in the day; Parker Hale Mausers were highly regarded around here as well.

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[BPJONES]

I believe Euro Arms bought the Parker Hale rights and remaining inventory of parts. I see your gun has no Parker Hale insignia in the stock. Such guns were usually guns assembled after Euro Arms took over. They were still very nice guns.

[fgd135]

I have an English-made PH 1858--glass bedded and with a Rich Cross rear sight. Marvelous rifles and they're very accurate.
Here's a photo of the rifle with some Pritchett ammunition I made up using the NOE Pritchett .568" molds, and 68gr Goex 3fg--and then results at 100 yards.

[Obi2winky]

I have an English-made PH 1858--glass bedded and with a Rich Cross rear sight. Marvelous rifles and they're very accurate.
Here's a photo of the rifle with some Pritchett ammunition I made up using the NOE Pritchett .568" molds, and 68gr Goex 3fg--and then results at 100 yards.

Could I get a closer look at the front and rear sight arrangement? I also have a PH P58 serial number on the 17xx and am working up a load for it. But the sights are tough to use.


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[fgd135]

Could I get a closer look at the front and rear sight arrangement? I also have a PH P58 serial number on the 17xx and am working up a load for it. But the sights are tough to use.


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That rear sight is simply a well-made machined version of the original Enfield sights. S&S Firearms and Lodgewood both sell them. It has a sharper sight picture than the cast versions on most repro Enfields, and seems to hold range settings. I'm using a taller front sight blade soldered on in place of the original Enfield blade, also available from the same dealers. Some shooters have a dovetailed front sight blade installed for windage adjustments.

[Obi2winky]

That rear sight is simply a well-made machined version of the original Enfield sights. S&S Firearms and Lodgewood both sell them. It has a sharper sight picture than the cast versions on most repro Enfields, and seems to hold range settings. I'm using a taller front sight blade soldered on in place of the original Enfield blade, also available from the same dealers. Some shooters have a dovetailed front sight blade installed for windage adjustments.

I think I found it. Do you have to replace the entire sight base, or can I just replace the leaf?
I'm curious; how come the sight picture is so different? the shape of the notch must be the same right?

[fgd135]

The entire rear sight is replaced; some repro rifles have the rear sight soldered onto the barrel, others just use a screw. If you call or write the vendors and tell them what you have they will know which version to send. Lodgewood also has some gunsmithing services, iirc.
The sight picture is better only because the sight notch is machined instead of the rougher castings on most repro sights. You could always just clean up the existing rear sight notch on your rifle with a small triangular file and achieve similar results,if you take your time and proceed carefully.
A new higher front post really can make a difference as well.
Best of luck!

[Obi2winky]

The entire rear sight is replaced; some repro rifles have the rear sight soldered onto the barrel, others just use a screw. If you call or write the vendors and tell them what you have they will know which version to send. Lodgewood also has some gunsmithing services, iirc.
The sight picture is better only because the sight notch is machined instead of the rougher castings on most repro sights. You could always just clean up the existing rear sight notch on your rifle with a small triangular file and achieve similar results,if you take your time and proceed carefully.
A new higher front post really can make a difference as well.
Best of luck!

Gotcha. Thanks for the advice!


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[Newtire]

I heard that they were being made using the Parker Hale tooling too. Will have to check out and see if mine have Italian proof marks I guess. I have a couple of musketoon marked Parker Hale and assumed they were English made but then heard to the contrary. We're those Lee Target Minies .578"?

[BPJONES]

Do your Parker Hales have English proof marks? Somewhere there is also a serial number list that lists the numbers that were Parker Hale made guns. After a certain number they supposedly are Euro Arms made guns.

[fgd135]

English-made guns will have correct English proofmarks on the barrel underside. Italian built up rifles will have Italian proofs, regardless of the name on the barrel.

[BPJONES]

Yes, proof marks should tell the tale. In my earlier post I mentioned that your gun has no Parker Hale cartouche in the stock which is often a sign of Euro Arms made guns. Then I remembered that I have a 3 band that has no cartouche in the stock yet it has English proofs and the serial number falls within the Parker Hale built range of numbers. I also remembering reading on a forum where another member had one with no Parker Hale cartouche. Not sure why some didn't have the cartouche.