Another for Muir.

Brithunter

Well-Known Member
Well this morning I finally got my grubby little mitts on the Parker-Hale 1200TX single shot target rifle after a wait of some three months due the licensing issues. I am now cleaning the years accumulated grime off the stock before assessing how much restoration the stocks finish requires. It has a few small knocks and compression marks so a complete refinish is not really required although it will need a new P-H butt pad as the on on it had gone rock hard.

Finding a correct one may prove tricky as they are different to the sporting rifle pads :doh:.

If the weather holds fine for a short time I will try to get some photos taken in the morning.. Now interestingly this rifle has scope blocks fitted with the front block way out on the barrel for a Parker-Hale target Spot, Lyman, Unertl or Fekker long target scope. So at some point in time I will have to try and acquire one for it. It has the correct 1/4 Min click adjustable P-H 5E aperture rear sight and of course the corresponding tunnel fore sight.. I didn't realise that the bolt handle has been slimmed down to almost half it's thickness and it flat on the outside to allow it to clear the windage adjustment of the target sight with the flat of the ball etched with a P-H logo.

Now what is more interesting to you Muir is that I now have the Model 46 Husqvarna in 9.3x57 on my licence for shooting so we can start once again with cast bullets, paper-patched bullets etc with it. I will have a look and see if I cannot modify an old pistol die to make a sizing die to swage some 0.375" GC cast bullets down to 0.370" to try in the 9.3mm. Groove diameter is 0.370"-0.371" so I need to try one and see if it will chamber before we go any further down that route. Not sure whether to drill and tap for the Lyman 57 sporting aperture sight I have on hand. Will give that some more thought as we go along. Oh if the swage idea is a no go I will turn a dummy bullet out of brass to see if it will chamber.
 
Maybe a wee bit off topic, sorry. But I noticed Muir talking about it before and now you. Cast bullets, specifically .30-06 cal, in my case.
What lead do you use, is it wheel weights or something more specialised?
What velocities/bullet weights are you looking to attain?
What brand of molds? (yeah, I know, we call them moulds)
I've relaoded for years but only ever used jacketed bullets. I'd be interested in suitable specs for close range deer, and suchlike i.e. under 100yds.
 
Maybe a wee bit off topic, sorry. But I noticed Muir talking about it before and now you. Cast bullets, specifically .30-06 cal, in my case.
What lead do you use, is it wheel weights or something more specialised?
What velocities/bullet weights are you looking to attain?
What brand of molds? (yeah, I know, we call them moulds)
I've relaoded for years but only ever used jacketed bullets. I'd be interested in suitable specs for close range deer, and suchlike i.e. under 100yds.

Tamus, bear in mind that wheel weights are no longer made from lead alloy. You may get lucky and come accross a stash in a scrap yard taken from old wheels, but modern weights are now comprised of a zinc alloy.
 
Maybe a wee bit off topic, sorry. But I noticed Muir talking about it before and now you. Cast bullets, specifically .30-06 cal, in my case.
What lead do you use, is it wheel weights or something more specialised?
What velocities/bullet weights are you looking to attain?
What brand of molds? (yeah, I know, we call them moulds)
I've relaoded for years but only ever used jacketed bullets. I'd be interested in suitable specs for close range deer, and suchlike i.e. under 100yds.

Tamus: Do you have the same 2450 velocity requirement as others on this site? It makes a difference in alloy choice.

For bullets, there are few finer than the RCBC 30-180-SP gas check model for general usage.
~Muir
 
Well this morning I finally got my grubby little mitts on the Parker-Hale 1200TX single shot target rifle after a wait of some three months due the licensing issues. I am now cleaning the years accumulated grime off the stock before assessing how much restoration the stocks finish requires. It has a few small knocks and compression marks so a complete refinish is not really required although it will need a new P-H butt pad as the on on it had gone rock hard.

Finding a correct one may prove tricky as they are different to the sporting rifle pads :doh:.

If the weather holds fine for a short time I will try to get some photos taken in the morning.. Now interestingly this rifle has scope blocks fitted with the front block way out on the barrel for a Parker-Hale target Spot, Lyman, Unertl or Fekker long target scope. So at some point in time I will have to try and acquire one for it. It has the correct 1/4 Min click adjustable P-H 5E aperture rear sight and of course the corresponding tunnel fore sight.. I didn't realise that the bolt handle has been slimmed down to almost half it's thickness and it flat on the outside to allow it to clear the windage adjustment of the target sight with the flat of the ball etched with a P-H logo.

Now what is more interesting to you Muir is that I now have the Model 46 Husqvarna in 9.3x57 on my licence for shooting so we can start once again with cast bullets, paper-patched bullets etc with it. I will have a look and see if I cannot modify an old pistol die to make a sizing die to swage some 0.375" GC cast bullets down to 0.370" to try in the 9.3mm. Groove diameter is 0.370"-0.371" so I need to try one and see if it will chamber before we go any further down that route. Not sure whether to drill and tap for the Lyman 57 sporting aperture sight I have on hand. Will give that some more thought as we go along. Oh if the swage idea is a no go I will turn a dummy bullet out of brass to see if it will chamber.

Good news on the PH, Kev. I have a Unertl 12X that would probably do that rifle justice!

Also good news on the 9.3x57. Is there any way to measure the neck diameter of the chamber?? With a groove diameter of .370-.371" it would be very, very convenient if the throat could accommodate a .375" +/- diameter bullet. I would certainly look for a .375" mold. It should work! What would suck (and i doubt the chance of this happening) is to have the bore larger then the throat. It seldom happens unless it's in revolvers. (that's a b!tch to fix...)

If you could fire a round of factory ammo then measure the iinside of the fired casing, that would give you your bullet diameter. Man! This is great. ~Muir
 
Tamus: Do you have the same 2450 velocity requirement as others on this site? It makes a difference in alloy choice.

For bullets, there are few finer than the RCBC 30-180-SP gas check model for general usage.
~Muir

Thanks for this Muir... and Yes, I mostly shoot in Scotland so I am constrained to a min MV of 2450fps (for deer only though, as far as I'm aware). Is this velocity achievable with gas checks?
If Yes, which alloy would suit?
 
I like wheelweight (the non zinc!) with a bit of antimony from lead shot for shotgun reloaders. A 9:1 ratio is good. Then I cast, size/gascheck the bullets and heat treat them before lubing. These bullets will take 42K psi while delivering good hunting accuracy. And yes, they do expand. They are very hard for lead alloy, but still sissy-soft when compared to copper. PM me when you get closer to starting into it and I'll walk you through the process.~Muir
 
I like wheelweight (the non zinc!) with a bit of antimony from lead shot for shotgun reloaders. A 9:1 ratio is good. Then I cast, size/gascheck the bullets and heat treat them before lubing. These bullets will take 42K psi while delivering good hunting accuracy. And yes, they do expand. They are very hard for lead alloy, but still sissy-soft when compared to copper. PM me when you get closer to starting into it and I'll walk you through the process.~Muir

Expansion was going to be my next question, thanks for the pre-emptive answer. Will now speak to my local car tuning buddy, he has those all important lead wheel weights :D
Speak to you soon~Tamus.
 
Right Muir,

Just got a fired case from my rifle out and the neck ID measures 0.370" with my digital calipers. So the largest bullet I could use is 0.369". Now this is the GC cast 0.376" bullet I have. Weighs 270 grains and has a 3/16" metplat:-

P8270139.jpg


P8270140.jpg


The bullet is 1" long and the bullet nose before the ogive measures 0.371".

This is the Parker-Hale 1200TX:-

P8270142.jpg


P8270146.jpg


P8270149.jpg


P8270152.jpg


P8270144.jpg

Not sure if P-H fitted this or the owner who was a RAF armourer? I will have to phone him and ask and what happened to the scope that was obviously fitted at some point.

P8270156.jpg

As you can see the butt pad is hard and starting to crack.

P8270151.jpg

I like the chequered panel on the base of the pistol grip.

Oh that's after I spent last evening cleaning off the grime off the stock then gave it a slight rub with BLO. The rifle had a wide trigger shoe fitted which is now in my box of bits as I am happy with the std width trigger.
 
Back
Top