Just had a message to say the gun has arrived at my RFDs place. Going over on Friday is there Any definitive way of
being sure its an English Parker Hale and not an Italian made one. i.e.; serial number ??? Tim.
Just had a message to say the gun has arrived at my RFDs place. Going over on Friday is there Any definitive way of
being sure its an English Parker Hale and not an Italian made one. i.e.; serial number ??? Tim.
1. The words 'PARKER~HALE LIMITED, BIRMINGHAM' stamped in a line, read from the left-hand side, on the barrel immediately in front of the backsight. Note that the hyphen is not '-', but '~'.
2. The serial number is stamped in 2.5mm-high numbers very close to the wood immediately where the breech meets the wood on the left-hand side of the barrel.
3. Underneath the breech [take it out of the wood], Birmingham proof house stamps of crossed sceptres with date letters and numbers, and the designation .577cal - 3.5 DRAMS.
4. ON the knox form, level with the nipple - Crown over BP - read looking up the barrel.
4. The Parker-Hale cartouche to be found stamped into the rear right-hand side of the stock - 3" from the butt-plate - PARKER-HALE LTD - in a circular stamp that looks like the base of a cartridge.
This is a rough guide to serial numbers, until David Minshall answers email -
0 - 9000 total gun is Parker-Hale manufacture.
90001 - 14000 - Parker-Hale barrels only.
Above 14001 - totally Italian and should therefore have Italian proof marks as usual - GVT, PN, date letters BF onward in a little box, Made in Italy, Gardone val Trompia etc.
Please note - VERY important!!!!
MANY original Parker-Hale Musketoons were actually made and sold as wall-hangers - smooth-bored and with the underneath of the barrel drilled through to render them unfireable. There is NOTHING to show this without taking the barrel out of the wood and looking - the hole can be anything between and 1/8th to a 1/4" diameter into the breech from the six-o'clock position.
Needless to say, trying to shoot one of these is a recipe for disaster - PLEASE ensure that yours is NOT one of them.
tac
Last edited by tacfoley; 16-10-2013 at 06:06 PM.
ManyThanks for that tac. I will be going over to my RFD on Friday so will print your reply and take it with me.
The story is the owner bought 2. Shot one and kept this one as a keep sake. My RFD confirms the metal work
looks new but the wood has minor handling marks so guess i need to remove the barrel and have a good look
at it. Deal is if i dont want it he will take it back so i have a little breathing space.
Thanks again, Best Wishes, Tim.
Iv been to have a look at the Musketoon this afternoon and she looks good. Serial number is just under the 4000 mark.
Crown over BP is stamped next to the nipple on top of the cylinder, Parker Hale stamp is as tac posted and the cartouche
is stamped into the stock in the right place. Wasn't able to remove the barrel but put my thumb over the nipple and blew
as hard as i could maintaining a steady pressure and couldn't feel any reduction in said pressure. Will remove the barrel
once i get my ticket sorted and get it home to be sure. Rifling looks shallow but crisp and very very clean.
Condition of metalwork is virtually as new and the wood has a few minor scuffs consistent with handling/storage. Wood fit
is excellent and the triggers not too heavy. Feels good in the shoulder, not as front heavy as the 2 band. Priced at £350
including delivery to my RFD i recon its worth the money. Just need to get the required slot now and away we go. Tim
Ticket finally returned so been over my RFD today and picked the Muskertoon up. Am about ready to give her a
go and week on sat is looking favourable so got a bit of time to tinker. Minnies are made, powder measure is set
up at 55grns of TS2 and have some top hats. Just need to make a new ram rod out of 1/2" dowel and we are done.
The rifle is noticeably lighter than the 2 band and feels really nice to hold so roll on sat. Tim
Finally got to shoot the Musketoon. 55grns of TS2 with a Minnie cast out of pure lead. Crap! Bullets going all over the place
and turning in flight so big long bullet shaped holes in the target. This is the same problem i had with the two band so probably
my mould thats no good. Switched to patched round ball and put 5 straight in the 9 ring and the bull.!!
Expected a big increase in recoil compared with the heavier two band but was pleasantly surprised, sits really nice in the shoulder
with non of the front heavy feeling. Sights are point of aim at 25 yds on the lowest setting and the triggers crisp with no creep
and not as heavy. Mate that bought the two band off me is up for a 50m show down next sat so i may give the bullets another try
with a heavier load, might just need a bit more pressure to expand the base.?? Tim