Thread: Are Parker Hale's good for anything these days?

Hi,

A lot of the custom rifle builds you see these days are on more modern actions like Rem 700's. But does anyone still use the old parker hales for anything? or are they just to old and heavy? Can you even get decent replacement stocks for them?

I ask as a mate has a parker hale Safari in 7x57 that he dropped down a bank and busted the stock. So he is off to buy a new rifle. The old parker hale is no good to him and doesn't want it. So I was just wondering if there was much point in trying to resurrect it.

Cheers Scott.

Well I'm about to turn a shot out rusty 270 into a shiney 338WM. I've done 3 or 4 308's and my favourite is a 350Remmag. You can get boyds or a number of after market stocks for them plus triggers. Most people use 700's because they are cheap as in the states so now have plenty of 'go fast' bits.

I have a few , and would not be with out them , mine are however a bit SPECIAL .

Have a M85 , it uses a Fibreglass McMillan stock , and although its old school , its a keeper .



And its a LOT lighter than me AW , opps , sorry AI .

Ummm where could I get the bottom metal and mag? Got a very accurate xt1200 in the safe......

I would keep it more or less original ( your 1200TX ) , the M85 is quite a bit different than the std PH action .

the only upgrade I would look at is maybe a nice pitcanny mounting rail , like maybe NEAR , or a McMillan stock , ala A2 .

The Parker Hales are an aquired test , and due to them being out of production for almost 25 yrs , both parts and accessories to fit are hard to find etc , not the easiest of rifles to customise .


I have seen a 1200TX in a McMillan A2 stock , and it looked very nice , had a a colour like the Canadains use , ie 70% OD & 30 % grey molded in camo swirl .

Later Chris

Originally Posted by ChrisF

I have a few , and would not be with out them , mine are however a bit SPECIAL .

Have a M85 , it uses a Fibreglass McMillan stock , and although its old school , its a keeper .



And its a LOT lighter than me AW , opps , sorry AI .

I have handled this rifle and would gladly have this as a number one rifle -still real nice

Whats your Bipod arrangement there Chris? Any chance of pic of front of stock with measurements of clearance etc? Looks like the ype of arrangment I'm considering

Finding a stock is not going to be hard and 7x57 is a great calibre.

I'd give him something for it if he's decided he's going to ditch it, replace the stock and take it hunting again.

The stock is still made by McMillan , they call it the McHale .

RE: Parker Hale , yes most are basically a commerical Mauser 98 ( with out the thumb loading cut in the LH side rail ) , BUT the M85's receiver is quite different , its uses a 98 type bolt , but the receiver is a reinforced squared & enclosed top , and has a longer barrel tunion/thread in to better support a heavy barrel etc .

The bipod is the original PH bipod and mounts onto a metal spigot that sticks out of the front of the stock .

It also uses a excellent special 2 stage trigger made just for the M85 .

here's pics of the stripped action and the 2 stage trigger

That bipod setup looks perfect, It means your sling attaches closer to the stock so your rifle sits closer to your back when slung keeping it better balanced on your sholder and no bipod diggng into your shoulder. I love it!!
Going to try and modify my stock to take a versapod or similar in the same way

yea that bipod set up is what im heading for too, Digit was going to bring in some of those versapod spigots that thread strait into the tip of the forend
dunno if he has yet i should hit him up

Kudu,
Id be keen on it, already have a 7x57, but looking for another to build up or change to 257 roberts.

If hes intersted drop me an email wayne@magnumimports.co.nz

I had a 280AI on a parker hale action, the model with the gold trigger, very accurate rifle, just to heavy for an old fulla like me to carry in one hand for long.