New (to me) .243 for an overhaul

bewsher500

Well-Known Member
I chopped my lovely PH 1100 Lightweight .243 in for a BRNO .222 a while back and have regretted it ever since!

So in the spirit of proving you don't need to spend £2000 to get a good looking, straight shooting, stalking rifle.
After asking around I found a very nice chap who had a .243 that had been sitting unloved and relatively unused in his cabinet.
Deal was done for a most agreeable price.

Picked up and stripped/examined.
It is a Midland (not sure exact model, but echoes the Parker Hale 1200 with recoil pin through the stock)


Action - Solid, unworn and tight Mauser action, Sporter rather than notched ex-military, has an additional lug on the bolt which sits in front of the rear bridge of the receiver. I think this is something to do with sourcing Springfield or bolts from the US when they were assembling these. (BH, please confirm!)
Floorplate release with cast plate with Ram design

Stock - undented, couple of very minor marks, mainly due to the extremely thick protective coating of Ronseal fence paint or similar that is on it. That will be coming off to see what she looks like nude.

Barrel - original length with foresight and has dovetail for rear sight which is missing. bit of rust on the muzzle but the bore looks in good condition and as the rub marks on the action would confirm, does not look like it has seen thousands of rounds.

Trigger - the standard 3 way adjustable Parker Hale trigger with side safety (like the Timney models) in very good nick with all nuts and no knarled bolts or stripped threads as is often the case.

IMG_48331.jpg


IMG_48341.jpg


IMG_48361.jpg


IMG_48351.jpg


IMG_48381.jpg


IMG_48371.jpg



What is in store-

Stock - stripped (chemical and physical), grind to fit butt pad fitting, sanding down to 1200 grit polish, QR sling stud fitting (one screw in and one bolt head version in the fore-end), wood colour matched depending on what is under the varnish, oil finish

Action - stripped, polished, fettled and action screws/scope mount screws chased out
Need to check but I suspect the floorplate is cast aluminium and won't be blued, i may replace it, haven't decided yet.

Barrel - shortened by approx 2", 11deg crown, screw cut 1/2UNF with custom "Bewsher Laboratories" thread protector (more on that later!), similarly polished and Hot Caustic reblued as with the action.

Trigger - stripped, polished greased and fettled to a nice "glass rod" break of suitable weight. by feel not weight, but not too light. This is a stalking rifle afterall not some range queen.

hope to start the project this weekend
 
Edite:-

Ahhh the photos showing the third "Springfield" lug is now showing, for some reason it was not there before. So one can ignore the bits about that.

Hmmm I cannot see the "Springfield" third lug on your bolt. ( can see it now) If it is a Midland then it WILL have one like this:-

DSCN1145.jpg


Nothing the large "third" lug just in front of the action rear bridge ;) .

P2190145.jpg


The engraving is not standard ................. and yes the magazine floor plate is Alloy as is the trigger guard most probably:-

P2190152.jpg


A previous owner polished it and did the light bits of engraving. This is also a .243 Win chambered rifle. It now needs a new rubber putt pad as some how whilst in police custody a large lump has been torn out of the pad :-|.

The rifle in the photos is a Midland also known as the Model 2100. What you have looks more like the "Standard" Model 1000. Midlands are so marked on the barrel and ALWAYS have the Springfield type bolt.

With all this messing about with Parker-Hales you really need to get hold of a couple of their catalogues. Sadly I don't have any spares of a vintage that show the Midland 2100 as it was quite a late introduction in about 80 or 81. It's mention in their #81 catalogue as "the New Midland 2100". However I don't have Nos 78,79 or 80 so cannot check. It's possible that's it's a #77/78 I am looking for as the previous one is the #76/77 but I digress.

Oh yes the 2100 has an adjustable trigger of the Timney type as far as I am aware. Mine does at least but a sample of one is hardly conclusive and bearing in mind the other bits of customisation a previous owner did perchance he also added that?

I look forwards to the finished rifle :D.
 
Last edited:
Iam sure greasing the trigger isnt advicable due to the possability of getting a foreign body stuck to the grease which could cause a miss fire
 
The bolt lug is shown above

Yep it showed up just after I posted hence the "Edit" did you notice the different profiles of the lugs between the two rifles?

Te story I heard was that the first 2100's used original new Springfield bolts. After they must have contracted to have them made hence the plainer profile.
 
Iam sure greasing the trigger isnt advicable due to the possability of getting a foreign body stuck to the grease which could cause a miss fire

Yes I agree however thee are some things that can be used safely to help a trigger.

Someone didn't tell that to the under-keeper whom I got a Std Model 1000 off, via a gubshop, as it was packed with grease and assorted debris. Not only the trigger mech but any hole or recess including the breeching area. It took me a whole day to clean out the grease and debris.
 
actually I have completely rebuilt a few PH triggers now.

The safety plate and springs/ball bearings benefit gratefully from a light application of grease. removes the notchy feel to ball driven pressure
as they are self contained and covered by the adjsutment screws no debris can get in there unless you are shooting in sub saharan Africa and it is very fine dust/sand.

no grease should be on the sears

not sure how it would cause a misfire, it either releases the sear and cocking piece or it doesnt.

Yep it showed up just after I posted hence the "Edit" did you notice the different profiles of the lugs between the two rifles?

Te story I heard was that the first 2100's used original new Springfield bolts. After they must have contracted to have them made hence the plainer profile.
got to be quick round here!

I plan on reprofiling it.
its a ugly lump!
 
wow, looks like a lot of hard work has got into that, looks great.
whats sort cost was all that though, is it worth spending the money or is more a labour of love
atb
simon
 
Hey Edd,
the other day I was offerd a Parker hale in .243 for a pint and a carvery. And I would have taken it as it was mint.
But as my T3 hunter in .243's action is going to be used as the donor action for a semi custom 6.5x55 rifle, while I stay with a infamous Montana gentleman in October.

The Parker hale would have been ideal to replace the T3. If not for the Long delays one can expect from Hampshire FLD.

So,

I passed this chance onto a friend of mine who has just got his FAC with a .243 on it. He is a very happy man.

But I have to say when I go to replace the .243. I really want to get a classic, like a Parker hale.

I will look forward to watching your project.
 
Naked!
took several coats of weapons grade Nitromors to get whatever "varnish" had been applied.
horrible stuff

looks OK, some nice graining.
will see what comes up when it is sanded, stained and oiled

Metal dressing starts next week

IMG_48401.jpg


IMG_48391.jpg
 
fantastic ed,

wish i was as good with wood as i am with a soldering iron and electronics,

i would love the stock on my wee 20 done up, its not bad just has a few fence post resting bumps on the underside.

keep it going ill be watching

bob.
 
been a bit busy recently but managed to break the back of the woodwork.
sourced a Santa Barbara bottom metal plate for the Mauser action which need a bit of fettling and smoothing as it is "brand new" and a tad stiff and sharp in places.

wood didnt react well to the nitromors and went very grainy
some heavy sanding down to 1500grit and some grain filler with matching wood stain and it has come up quite nice.
I normally go darker but quite like this one as it is so stopped

Naked and sanded
005_zpsebf1a0b5.jpg


006_zps3c7bf1d1.jpg


filled and stained with first oil coat

001_zps34300c87.jpg


new bottom metal
002_zpsb9ee1bf0.jpg

003_zpsf378bcf5.jpg


have found a nice plain spacer/butt plate which give my sasquatch arms something to get hold of
not fitted until the oiling is finished
that and metal work to come!
 
After a period of apathy I cleaned out the shed and made some space to get back into business for the tarting up of the .243.
Got busy with the action and reprofiled the bolt handle from its agricultural state to a thing of smooth beauty.
Took my frustration out on the hideous "Springfield Lug" as well.
It now blends in with the extractor claw and is all polished up ready for blueing
Just need to finish off the rest of the bolt and action.


still in two minds whether to get it screwcut or not




 
You do lovely work, but having been brought up with a genuine springfield action in 30.06 (what else) I prefer the old shape third lug to the modification. I know they don't do much in a mauser clone but I still prefer the fewer sharp angles in the original. Just a comment not trying to stir.

David.
 
not sure what the original is meant to look like to be perfectly honest. Do you have a picture of yours?
this one looked like a black lego block stuck to the bolt before.

Just looked out of place on a tubular action where everything else is curved and profiled
Also massively over engineered as most of the block does absolutely nothing, apart from add weight.

Not entirely convinced it is required at all to be honest
if the bolt lugs at the chamber fail that badly to require a backstop then I suspect you have already lost some finger when the action blew up!
The Mauser action is essentially the same without it as far as I can see
 
I am sure it doesn't do much. Rather if it is doing anything the whole action has been rather set back which would be frightening. Don't have the rifle anymore, this was out in Africa moons ago. Just chatting really. The old shape you had is the one I remember. Doubtless Muir will have a version of every variant ever made and can supply us with pictures. :D Mauser were probably a bit worried about the bolt moving back into the firer's eye which would probably smart a bit!

Best wishes,

David.
 
like mine but not as pretty then?!

still not selling those Leupold QR mounts yet?

​I don't know where they are............................... Hmm perhaps it's those I saw in one if the Police evidence bags? Will have to have a root around and see what I can find. It looks like the .243 Midland 2100 might be going to a new home.
 
Back
Top