Parker Hale Identities - 20th Century
Service Rifle Score Book - No 240A - 16th Edition 1948
pages 2 - 8, Introduction, Rifle types, NRA rules and targets / scoring
pages 9 - 17 PH sight scales, adjustment, elevation and wind adjustments
pages 18 - 23 Cleaning and other shooting accessories.
PH General Catalogue - Export Edition No65 - 1955
NRA target rifle models, No4 mk2, No1mk3, p14, No2mk4
PH Target Sight, PH5C, PH5C, PH5B, Model 4, Model 5D
Parker Hale Sight Diopters and lenses, front sight blades and triangular sling swivels.
Front sight cover, service rifle instruction manual and score book, front sight adjusting tools.
Parker Hale, rebarreling vice, cleaning vice and armourers vice, clamp and horse, "Bisely" rifle vice.
BSA No9 Sight Family including AGP / Parker Hale No9 for Long Lee Enfield / CLLE / No1 ShtLE / SMLE
BSA No9F
AGP No9F
Parker (AGP) No9G
PH5A sight for Lee Enfield No 1 ShtLE / SMLE / Ishapore 2A / 2A1
AGP 5A box
Parker Hale 5A
Parker Hale PH5A box
Parker Hale / AGP SA (South Africa) 5A
PH5B sight for Enfield Pattern 14 / Model of 1917
PH5C sight for Lee Enfield No4
PH5E4 sight for Lee Enfield Envoy & Enforcer
AJP TZ 47/7 sight for Lee Enfield No4
AJP 8/53 sight for Lee Enfield No4
AJP TZ M80 sight for Lee Enfield
Brackets for the AJP TZ M80 and PH5E4 / Enfield Envoy - Enforcer
Pattern 14 Rifle Accessories
Eyepieces / Diopters
Having chosen to pursue target shooting with various years and models of Lee Enfield - I have naturally become acquainted with the efforts of both the Parker and Hale family contributions to shooting sports technology from the past century. After each worlf war the export markets for shooting materials helped right-size and consolidate efforts from war effort focus and expansion. From one of the delux export product catalogues circa 1955 they tray to explain the complexed company identity history and ownership of the the Parker and hale family members:
Mr A.G. Parker - 1890 to 1900
Ickield St, Birmingham
A.G. Parker & Company 1900 - 1904
Whittall St, Birmingham "Bisley Works"
A.G. Parker & Company Limited - 1904-1936
Whittall St, Birmingham "Bisley Works"
Parker Hale Limited - 1936 +
Whittall St, Birmingham "Bisley Works"
Alfred J. Parker & Co - 1926 - 2007
Mosely Rd. Birmingham "The Armoury"
also Bath St. Old Schools Birmingham - @1965
and at Bisley - also with Fulton's.
The early days of Parker Hale growth were boosted by their printed materials - a Service Rifle Score Book that also has lots of technical information and serves as advertising / marketing for more of their widgets. This one carries both the Parker Hale branding and the AGP of Bisley Works as edition #16 from 1948:
The front cover features the "rise between ranges" elevation adjustment for British 303 Mk7 as well as a rotating disk windage adjustment - based on "fall of flag". It also features a wire stand to prop the book open to a score page while shooting and includes a pencil storage tube in its spine and a patch of emery paper on its back cover to sharpen the pencil on. Clearly indispensable!
Photo intensive sliders of the information pages - this edition supports and contrasts the No1 SMLE, the No4 Rifle and Pattern 14 Rifle:
Sight vernier scales and adjustments for elevation and windage:
Cleaning and Other Shooting Supplies:
"Tin Hat" Shooting, Scoring and Notebook Pages - filled example from Australia 1951:
Parker Hale General Catalogue - Export Edition - No 65 / 1955
NRA compliant, competition / target rifles for sale - No4 mk2, No1 mk3, No3 / P14 and No2 mk4 / ,22 SMLE - also sales and technical details for "PARKERIFLING"
Parker Hale target sights - the PH5C for No4 rifle, PH5A for No1mk3, PH "Model 4" for No4 rifle, PH5B for P154 and PH "Model 5D" for No8 Rifle / ,22 trainer.
P95, Parker Hale "Premier" eyepiece, "big disk" six hole eyepiece, tinted glass light filters.
P96, Parker Hale six hole tubular eyepiece, "Midget" six hole eyepiece, "thin wall" single hole eyepieces, "peep" reamers.
P97, The "iris" eyepiece, "Iris" pistol aid, variable polaroid filer, rubber light shields, de-luxe "Iris" eyepiece.
P98, Parker Hale broad blade foresights - these feature a wider blade and that width is indicated on the rear edge of the base. Regulation foresights.
P99 - Angular Rotating Sling Swivel
215D for SMLE without trigger guard loop
215E for SMLE with trigger guard loop - the head was higher to clear the loop).
215F for P14 /(Model of 1917)
215J for No4 actioned rifles with trigger guard loop.
P14 trigger guard swivel clamps - 215FG
Parker Hale spring steel front sight covers for SMLE (194A), P14 (194C) and No4 actions (194D). The parker hale service rifle instruction manual and score book. Front sight adjuster tool -SMLE and No4 and P14.
P220, Parker Hale rebarreling vice, vices for quick cleaning and vice outfit for armourey - including Bench Horse (A25) and Vice Wood Clamp (A121).
P221, Parker Hale "Bisley" rifle vice - with pipe mount / clamp (Model A) or straight edge bolt flange (Model B).
Of the sights I have, and have had:
BSA No9 / AGP No9 / Parker Hale No9 for Long Lee, CLLE and ShtLE No1
What seems to originate as the BSA No9 sight for the Long Lee and transient models before standardization on the No1 ShtLE in 1907, shows a fold forward Victorian design tall MOA only elevation scale and fold out windage bridge with integral peep intended to allow the existing volley sights and receiver safety (if present) to remain operable. To aid this there were several format mounting bases - including an "up close" model which was said to be also accommodate a left handed shooter. There is a letter suffix applied to these models - I've encountered the 9F and 9G versions made by BSA and AGP (later Parker Hale branded) - there are obvious differences and changes even within these letter models by manufacturer which shows the striving improvements required for target accuracy with the British 303 platforms - this period also saw the standard military round move from mk2 to mk7 in ballistics, load and projectiles - turbulent times!
BSA No9F sight and Long Lee base:
AGP No9F sight and Long Lee base:
Parker (AGP) No9G and Long Lee base / ShtLE Base
PH5A - for the Lee Enfield No1 ShtLE / SMLE (mk1 to mk3*) (and Ishapore 2A or 2A1). Typically with 1/2 MOA clicks and marked for MkVII British 303 ammunition, this sight uses a longer rear trigger guard screw and safety screw (with washers and spring) to attach and gives the SMLE a much need increase in sight length. The casting for this sight is unchanged in nearly 80 years, some of the marks and finish details do vary. the Earliest models being provided under he AGP trade mark and packaging which continued after WW2 despite the 1936 company name change (while stocks lasted)
The elevation scale is quickly removeable by turning the lock screw out a turn or so and then pressing it in firmly - it releases a sprung loaded segment from engaging the elevation threads allowing it to be pulled free. These are typically marked for mkVII ammunition. They are hand fitted and assembled - so check for matching serial numbers on body and elevation bridge.
Original PH5A box in heavily used condition and with period instruction panel:
Parker Hale / AGP SA (South Africa) produced PH5A's
PH5B - for the Pattern 14 / No3 Rifle including the Model of 1917 "American Enfield" - there are two mounting bases and versions of this - one which replaces the volley sight "button" on the P14 and has an integral peg for the empty grove and one with a slotted base for the Model 1917 which requires a special "widget" tee insert to grip the slot in the sight base and the action hole.
PH5B for Pattern 14 / No3 Rifle
PH5C - for Lee Enfield based on the No4 and No5, available with 1/2 and 1/4 MOA clicks - click them to count the progress against the indicated lines to know which you are dealing with. The 1/4 MOA adjustment versions command a justified premium / advantage for the target shooter. This is the workhorse sight body for the No4 series and family of rifle actions - affixing with custom screws to replace the ejector screw and rear sight axis pin. The rear sight axis screw can be long (through both ears) and should use a lock nut on the inside of the left ear - overtightening the long screw can cause the ears / actions sides to pinch / close. Again the elevation release / locking screw works the same as the PH5A.
PH5E4 - For 7.62x51mm Envoy and Enforcer models - using a compact PH sight body with bolt on mounting brackets (the one shown is for the Lee Enfield No4 action. Featuring large adjustment knobs and 1/4 MOA clicks for 7.62 x 51mm No4 Lee Enfield (Enforcer / Envoy also L39 as updated).
AJP TZ 47/7 - for Lee Enfield based on the No4 action - this design features a removable windage arm on a catch that acts on the elevation screw. This allows the rifle to be shot with just the sight body present with a scope or as an as issued service rifle and then return the windage arm assembly for a fast zero and compete in a modified class. This example is marked and calibrated for range (meters) for the 7.62 x 51mm NATO round and has 1/4 moa adjustment clicks on both Elevation and Windage scales.
AGP 8/53 - For Lee Enfield No4 Machined Singer sights - this bolt on windage scale and eyepiece converts a stock No4 milled rear sight into a decent windage contender. This comes at the cost of the height of the windage body which essentially raises the standard sight to the 1000 yard mark to achieve a decent zero - thus only around 800 yards of additional elevation available while using this device - I have successfully shot these devices out to 600 yards. The windage adjustment is in 2MOA increments to match that of the stock mk1 milled rear sight.
AJP TZ M80 sight - released in the 1980s this is the last and most compact generation of the TZ series sight bodies (preserving the ability to remove the windage mechanism at the elevation screw to use iron sights or optics and quickly change back with a decent zero). Made with a universal body in mind, there are interchangeable mounting brackets for Mauser or Lee Enfield No4 actions. This one features 1/4MOA adjustments.
Comparing the detachable base for the Parker Hale PH5E4 for the Lee Enfield action to the detachable base for the AJP TZ M80 for the Mauser action. The spacing of the holes to the sight is different - so each base is made for each sight - room for a sight base with both patterns to be more universal per each rifle format.
Details of the PH4E4 bracket for the Lee Enfield No4 action - as used one the Enfield Envoy -- Enforcer. - these are on the list to machine and make available.
Mauser bracket for the AJP TZ M80 - out of interest.
The Parker Hale "scorebook" section for Pattern 14 Rifle Accessories:
Most target shooters required improved and variable target sling options. The Lee Enfield has long demonstrated its preference or a firm grip of the fore end (mid wood) and despite people searching for better bedding, the standard military front bed pressures worked best. These were best preserved by removing the sling tension from the upper and mid band swivels and the ubiquitous trigger guard front screw triangular sling swivel is "king". The originals were developed by the MoD for the No4T sniper rifle (they may have been defined from previous times and rifle models - Ill have to research... The MOD design features a "low tower" which allows the swivel to rotate and stop on the trigger guard lugs (used only for securing the canvas action cover on a No4). This version has to be installed in left hand or right hand shooter positions due to this designed travel stop (so the angle of the triangle gives the right presentation of the sling to the upper arm). The Parker Hale versions were designed as "high tower" models and would clear the triangle swing over the trigger guard lugs so that it could freely rotate. This basic triangular sling swivel was produced in the required shape and thread form to replace the front trigger guard screw on the P14 (No3mk1 Rifle) the No1 nd No4 actions - the latter being extended to the L39 and L42 programs.
Eyepieces / Diopters
Each if the sights above use a standard Parker Hale thread to take a choice of eyepiece. There is also an adaptor that also the Metric Gehman and Anschutz eye pieces to be used in a Parker Hale sight. Here is a range of eye pieces and their functions descriptions:
The base eyepiece is just a disk with a hole in it of a specified size. The face of the eyepiece is matt black to absorb light so the eye can be trained on the image within.
The six hole eyepiece models present a rotating and ratcheted disk with 6 different aperture sizes. When at the range a shooter can adjust the size of the aperture between choices depending on the prevailing or changing light conditions. With these peep sights so close to the eye, there is a natural mechanism for the rear sight to be automatically centered and in relationship to the front sight - so a shooter simply focusses on the front sight and target (the front sight can / should also be black for high target contrast). While using these peep sights the shooter can be aware that the rear aperture presents a complete soft / foggy circular image around the front sight - as it should be. Some of the six hole eye pieces have been observed with a raised annular lip - to form more of a shadow / tunnel.
As the control of light in front of the sight and shadowing of the rear of the sight become key, a tube rear sight can be beneficial to extenuate the darkness that a bright sight image lives within. Here is a short tube aperture with a 6 hole diopter ring. The body is split and is two threaded halves, making it possible to put a filter or lens within the tube body - these were sold separately.
I had sourced a suitable optical laboratory polaroid filter that fits these split body sights. I have seen and own only one original Parker Hale polaroid filter - it stays at home in my collection, while the new lab grade filters to out to the range - unfortunately no longer available - the search continues!.
As found in film cameras, an Iris can produce a fine adjustable aperture size between a max and minimum range. The lever adjusts the iris within from max to minimum aperture sizes and any increment between - just tap lightly. A frequent fault is a broken lever. The same sized threaded body as the tube apertures allow a front ring / eye cup to be interchanged as well as the continued provision for filters / lenses. This Iris has a low profile eye cup (allows for clearance on some bolt actions).
Above is a de-lux Iris - this has a 6 filter wheel built in so the user can also adjust color or polaroid contrast effects under the prevailing light conditions as well as the size of the diopter aperture. This unit has a large eye disk and is well made but bulky - a large piece to use on a standard issue rifle - clearly more at home on a dedicated target shooting rifle such as the L39.
