Thread: Parker Hale 5A SMLE Sight

Been asked to appraise some Lee Enfield stuff for an older gent who is giving up his license.
Of particular interest is a nice display action with a Parker Hale 5A micrometer sight with a Parker Hale 60 adjustable aperture.

Does anyone know much about these and there approximate value?

@gundoc. ?

In nz about 150. Bought them from 75 up.

In the right market (USA, eg ebay) they are paying crazy prices. In the several hundreds. I know of one guy here who was selling PH stuff on ebay for incredible prices rather than sell locally. Just seen a PH16 (fits the BSA 22 Sportsman series) listed by a UKite on ebay in the high 500s. You've got to be joking. I bought a complete BSA Sportsman for 200 just to get the sight.

That doesn't help the OP though so probably agree with 7mm-08. The included PH60 multi aperture puts a bit of a gloss on the turd.

IIR Ted Rogers may have had one listed in a previous auction. Will dig out my old catalogue.

As Kimber 7mm-08 says. That has been the average for a couple of years now.

The adjustable aperture is really useful.

Does anyone know what the left hand 0-80 scale is for? For .22LR?

That’s part of the vernier scale that you use to see how many minutes of elevation you have on. Nobody really used the far right hand scale

@omark is correct, the right hand scale on that sight would have hardly been used, it was a guide only. The important readings would have been taken off the left hand scale which as best as I can tell is reading 31 1/2 minutes elevation. This is the scale that the shooter would have used to record his value against the range shot in his range book, ready to adjust his sight to that value for the next time he shot that particular range. For that sight the right hand scale is set up for MK VII ammunition.

The photos below show left to right, a Parker Hale 5C off an Omark. Its right hand scale is maybe to suite a 7.62 Nato.
The next an Austral (made in Oz), probable off an SMLE. Its left hand scale would be to suite the 303 ammo of the day.
Next is a Central (made in Oz). It has a 7.62 scale but came with a Mark VII scale initially as I used it on my Number 4 before moving to an Omark.
The last is a Central clone an AE Clarke (UK?) with no cartridge scale only the elevation vernier. It has a nice uncluttered scale plate.

I used one of these on my mkIII* SMLE and shot my first deer with it.
The rifle is just so light and easy to carry with those instead of a scope. The cross arm can get bent if you fall on it.
On target the sight was nice to use, specially with the adjustable aperture. For hunting I took out the aperture and just used the ring, with some loss of clarity and accuracy. Although accuracy on the range was good (1.5 moa), a scope is much better under canopy and you can identify your target more safely.

Originally Posted by zimmer

@omark is correct, the right hand scale on that sight would have hardly been used, it was a guide only. The important readings would have been taken off the left hand scale which as best as I can tell is reading 31 1/2 minutes elevation. This is the scale that the shooter would have used to record his value against the range shot in his range book, ready to adjust his sight to that value for the next time he shot that particular range. For that sight the right hand scale is set up for MK VII ammunition.

The photos below show left to right, a Parker Hale 5C off an Omark. Its right hand scale is maybe to suite a 7.62 Nato.
The next an Austral (made in Oz), probable off an SMLE. Its left hand scale would be to suite the 303 ammo of the day.
Next is a Central (made in Oz). It has a 7.62 scale but came with a Mark VII scale initially as I used it on my Number 4 before moving to an Omark.
The last is a Central clone an AE Clarke (UK?) with no cartridge scale only the elevation vernier. It has a nice uncluttered scale plate.
Attachment 166138

That’s a lovely little collection of sights.