Parker Hale 1200

[andym79]

Hi guys, I was looking at a Parker Hale for a low price, barrel is so so but action seems okay!

Does anyone know much about these, specifically durability and reliability of the action/bolt and also the likelihood of them being accurate rifles with a good barrel on?

Thanks

[Rod_outbak]

We have a Parker Hale Model 1200 here, in .243win.

I think it's the second one we've owned. This one is the standard; nothing flash to look at, and a sporter barrel.

Action is a Mauser 98; very strong and reliable.
I'm pretty sure a Mauser 98 trigger (like a Timney etc) will fit the PH 1200, but the factory trigger is pretty good, if I recall.
It has 3 separate adjustments on it.

Mag is about 4-round internal, top load with hinged floorplate to drop the contents.

They have a devoted following in the UK, though the company has gone under; I think in the mid-1980's.
The Parker Hale name is now owned by (I think) a company who manufactures a range of gun cleaning products - no relationship to the rifle manfacturer.

Parker Hale made a number of rifles for the UK army, including quite a few models of sniper rifle.
Possibly also for Canada as well??
I think there is one UK dealer that still has some inventory of factory PH parts, but I dont know who it is.

We dont use our PH much these days. It seems to have some problems with feeding rounds out of the mag, but reading the other day, and I suspect we are missing a mag insert that kept the .243 rounds forward. It looks like the mag might be the same for a range of calibers, and .243 is one of the shorter ones.

They are pretty reliable, and that's a pretty strong action.
It should be pretty easy to re-barrel, and you should find that a lot of accessories and even some rifle stocks for a Mauser 98 sporter will fit the PH 1200.

It will be hard to track down an exact year of manufacture, as a lot of records were lost in some sort of accident(fire??) after the factory closed.
There is a bloke(ex PH employee) in a couple of the UK rifle forums who seems to be able to find out a fair amount about them, but you'll have to search and ask who it is.

Cameron Hatcher can also produce wooden stocks for a Parker Hale 1200, as he made one for ours about 3 years back.
I havent yet finished it, but it seems to be a pretty close fit as it was delivered.
http://hatchersriflestocks.com.au/

Rebel Gun Works also often have parts for Parker Hale 1200's in their second hand stuff.

Good luck. If you can fit a new barrel to it, I think you'll find it will be a pretty decent rifle, and they have a decent pedigree for accuracy.

[andym79]

Thanks for the positive info

[No1Mk3]

G'day andym79,
The Australian Army really liked them as their main Sniper Rifle for many years, with the heavy barrel they are called TX1200. The Army M82 also had a magazine capacity which the civilian TX1200 did not.The Parker Hale is still in Canadian service, but UK, Australia, NZ etc have all changed. The 1200 actions were made in Spain, some other models of P-H used surplus Mauser 98 actions, and a few used Zastava actions. Cheers.

[marksman]

mine started off as a 243 but was rebarreled to 6.5x55
they are a well made mauser 98, one of my favourite's
the triggers can be made very light but I dont like how they are a part of the tang king bolts spacer
I would really like one of the sniper models but they are picked up pretty quickly and usually when I dont have the funds
I like them

[andym79]

So if its a Mauser 98, then it can be chambered for some pretty serious cartridges then?

Anything on a .473 bolt? But not magnums on the .532" bolt?

[bigrich]

i recall reading somewhere that the three way adjustable triggers on the PH were copied and the design used for other makes as well by timney triggers. i'm sure someone will correct me if i'm wrong, but that's a big vote of confidence in the PH trigger.

[Rod_outbak]

andy79m,

The PH 1200 did come in a variant that chambered the .300 Win mag and the 7mm Rem mag, which both seem to run the 0.532" bolt face.
My Blue book suggests they were called "Model 1200 Super magnum"'s.
So, they did chamber certain 1200's in the 0.532 bolt face.

bigrich,

Attached is our 1200 trigger; looks very similar to a Timney trigger for a model 98 action.

Cheers,

Rod.

[bigrich]

it bloody does, hey rod ? i forget where i read it, but i reckon it's probably true

[Stix]

So who got on the phone just before i did & snapped up the PH in 22-250 that showed up on UGns today...?

[marksman]

you have to be quick Stix



this is where I was talking (the yellow arrows) about that make it harder to get the tang bedding right, better with a short pillar IMO
this area is also a pain in the @rse when adjusting the trigger as it flaps in the wind until you clamp it all together
but with patience can make a very good let off

[Stix]

So was it you marksman...?

[marksman]

So was it you marksman...?

no Stix mate I wouldn't get under your guard

[Stix]

So was it you marksman...?

no Stix mate I wouldn't get under your guard

Oh its not about 'getting under my guard'...
Its just that when i got the bad news i thought to myself... "i wonder if marksman's rifle building fund is responsible for this "

[marksman]

So was it you marksman...?

no Stix mate I wouldn't get under your guard

Oh its not about 'getting under my guard'...
Its just that when i got the bad news i thought to myself... "i wonder if marksman's rifle building fund is responsible for this "

in actual fact Stix I have been thinking of 1 last build ( I promise it will be my last and I mean it this time)
it is on my parker hale 6.5 x 55
as I have the match reamer for a 6.5 x 284 and the 6.5 x 55 barrel looked to be flogged as it started to foul very f@rken badly
I was thinking about a new 6.5 tube on it but in 6.5 x 284 as a walk around
I used Tubbs firelapping projectiles and the barrel may have come good again, anyway that will be a new post I will do soon

[Jeff303]

Mine was on a springfield action & was tough as s**t. Was almost going to ream to 308 norma but decided it wasnt worth it so just stoked the fires some more

[Stix]

So was it you marksman...?

no Stix mate I wouldn't get under your guard

Oh its not about 'getting under my guard'...
Its just that when i got the bad news i thought to myself... "i wonder if marksman's rifle building fund is responsible for this "

in actual fact Stix I have been thinking of 1 last build ( I promise it will be my last and I mean it this time)
it is on my parker hale 6.5 x 55
as I have the match reamer for a 6.5 x 284 and the 6.5 x 55 barrel looked to be flogged as it started to foul very f@rken badly
I was thinking about a new 6.5 tube on it but in 6.5 x 284 as a walk around
I used Tubbs firelapping projectiles and the barrel may have come good again, anyway that will be a new post I will do soon

Im eagerly sitting in wait marksman......!!!