Parker-Hale Ltd. was primarily a British firearms accessory manufacturer for rifle sights, gun cleaning equipment and shooting accessories establishing a reputation among civilian marksmen and shooting clubs in the UK. It also made Firearms and air rifles. It was located in the Gun Quarter of Birmingham, England. It was founded by Alfred Gray Parker and Arthur Hale.

History

Colour-Sergeant Alfred Gray Parker of the 1st V.B. Royal Warwickshire Regiment founded a rifle manufacturing company in 1880. In 1900 his nephew A T C Hale was taken into partnership, and the business was formed into a limited liability company in 1904 . A first catalogue was issued of arms and shooting accessories and, though limited in its range, clearly showed the company's growing trend for the development of accessories.

During and after World War I, Parker-Hale supplied rifles and accessories to marksmanship programs and small-bore competitions, including events at Bisley Camp.

The company expanded its product range to include sporting rifles, target rifles, and precision apertures, meeting growing demand from both civilian shooters and military cadet programs.

In 1924, Hale's son, Arthur, joined the business and in 1926, at the Bisley meeting, a family record was set up when A T C Hale (Managing Director) and his two eldest sons A C Hale & F C Hale all won places in the King's final stage. This event was eclipsed two years later when Arthur Hale succeeded in winning the coveted King's prize itself.

With the outbreak of the Second World War, the available resources of the gun trade had been mobilised to recondition a reserve of Pattern 1914 Enfield rifles, and in 1940 a subsidiary the Parker-Hale Arms Company was founded. Additional premises were acquired "for the duration" of the war and, under the management of Arthur Hale, a large reconditioning programme was rapidly carried through. A wide range of additional war contract work followed, principally with the manufacture of .30-06 Springfield and .303 British drill cartridges in large quantities.

The Parker Hale M85 rifle took part in the British Army trials for a replacement sniper rifle, along with the Accuracy International PM, Heckler & Koch PSG1, SIG-Sauer SSG 2000, and Remington 700. The rifle lost by a slight margin to the Accuracy International.

Lacking the investment necessary to enable the company to compete effectively in newly emerging markets, shrinking British firearms manufacturing and increased competition from foreign rifle manufacturers, Parker-Hale was eventually sold to the Midlands engineering group, Modular Industries Ltd. In 1992 the assets were later acquired by Navy Arms and spun off as Gibbs Rifle Company, Inc.

The Parker-Hale brand continues for gun-care products though firearms production ceased. In November 2000, John Rothery Wholesale (JRW) procured Parker-Hale Ltd merging operations into their Petersfield premises .

Partial list of Parker-Hale firearms

Source:

Submachine guns:

  • Parker-Hale PDW Related Patent

Shotguns:

  • Parker-Hale Rogun
  • Parker-Hale 500 (Midland) series - Italy
  • Parker-Hale 600 (Ignacio Ugartechea) series - Spain
  • Parker-Hale 700 series - Italy
  • Parker-Hale 800 series

Rifles:

{| class="wikitable"

! Sporting: !!

|-

| || Sporter conversions based on Short Magazine Lee Enfield

|-

| Standard No.1 || Calibre: .303 British, Barrel length: 25ins, Magazine capacity: 10, Weight: 10lbs

|-

| Supreme No.1 || Calibre: .303 British, Barrel length: 22ins, Magazine capacity: 5, Weight: 7.5lbs

|-

| Custom No.1 || Calibre: .303 British, Barrel length: 22ins, Magazine capacity: 5, Weight: 7lbs

|-

! !!

|-

| || Sporter conversions based on No. 4 Lee Enfield

|-

| Standard No.4 || Calibre: .303 British, Barrel length: 25.5ins, Magazine capacity: 10, Weight: 8lbs

|-

| Supreme No.4 || Calibre: .303 British, Barrel length: 22ins, Magazine capacity: 5, Weight: 8lbs

|-

| Deluxe No.4 || Calibre: .303 British, Barrel length: 22ins, Magazine capacity: 5, Weight: 8lbs

|-

| Custom No.4 || Calibre: .303 British, Barrel length: 22ins, Magazine capacity: 5, Weight: 8lbs

|-

! !!

|-

| || Mauser 98 action. C is Clip - detachable magazine as opposed to hinged floor plate - internal magazine

|-

| M81 Classic || Calibre: various, Barrel length: 24ins, Magazine capacity: 4, Weight: 7.75lbs

|-

| 1000 Standard || Calibre: various, Barrel length: 22ins, Magazine capacity: 4, Weight: 7.25lbs

|-

| 1100 Deluxe || First Model Calibre: various, Barrel length: 24ins, Magazine capacity: 4, Weight: 7lbs

|-

| 1100 Deluxe || Second Model Calibre: various, Barrel length: 24ins, Magazine capacity: 4, Weight: 7lbs

|-

| 1100 || African Magnum Calibre: .375 H&H Magnum, .404, .458 Win Mag, Barrel length: 24ins, Magazine capacity: 4

|-

| 1200 Super || Super Calibre: various, Barrel length: 24ins, Magazine capacity: 4, Weight:7.5lbs

|-

| 1200M || Super Magnum Calibre: various, Magazine capacity: 3, Weight:7.5lbs

|-

| 1200C || Super Clip Calibre: various, Magazine capacity: 4, Weight:7.75lbs

|-

| 1200CM || Super Clip Magnum Calibre: various, Magazine capacity: 3, Weight:7.75lbs

|-

| 1200V || Varmint Calibre: various, Barrel length: 24ins, Magazine capacity: 4, Weight:9lbs

|-

| 2100 || Midland Calibre: various, Barrel length: 22ins, Magazine capacity: 4, Weight: 7lbs

|-

! !!

|-

| 1300C || Scout (Gibbs) Calibre: .243 Win, 7.62x51, Barrel length: 20ins, Magazine capacity: 4/10, Weight: 8.5lbs

|-

! Target: !!

|-

| T4 (Enfield Action) || Calibre: 7.62×51, Barrel length: 26ins, Weight: 10.25lbs

|-

| Excel (Mauser Action) || Calibre: 7.62x51, Barrel length: 26ins, Magazine capacity: 10, Weight: 10.25lbs

|-

| TX1200 / 1200TX (Mauser Action) || Mk 1 / Mk II - Calibre: 7.62x51, Barrel length: 26ins, Magazine capacity: 5, Weight: 10.5lbs

|-

| M84 (Mauser Action) || Canberra / Bisley - Calibre: 7.62x51, Barrel length: 27.5ins, Single shot, Weight: 11lbs

|-

| Elite (Mauser Action) || Calibre: 7.62x51, Civilian target rifle version of L81A2

|-

! Sniper: !!

|-

| M82 || Calibre: 7.62x51, Barrel length: 28ins, Magazine capacity: 4

|-

| L81A1 / M83 || Calibre: 7.62x51

|-

| L81A2 || Calibre: 7.62x51

|-

| C3 || Calibre: 7.62x51

|-

| C3A1 || Calibre: 7.62x51, Barrel length: 23.5ins, Weight 15.87lbs

|-

| M85 || Calibre: 7.62x51, Barrel length: 24.5ins, Magazine capacity: 10, Weight 12.57lbs

|-

| M86 || Calibre: 7.62x51, Barrel length: 27.5ins, Magazine capacity: 5

|-

| M87 || Calibre: 7.62x51, .243 Win, 6.5x55, 30-06 Springfield, .300 Win Mag, Barrel length: 26ins, Magazine capacity: 5

|}

Air rifles:

{| class="wikitable"

|-

| Parker-Hale Dragon Mk 1 and Mk 2 || Calibre: .177, Barrel length: 20ins / .22, Barrel length 22ins; Sporting / target air rifle

|-

| Parker-Hale Phoenix Mk 1 and Mk 2 || Calibre: .177 / .22, Barrel length: 23 3/4ins; Target rifle series

|-

| Parker-Hale Striker || Calibre: .177, Break-barrel, Entry-level air rifle

|}

References

  • Original Parker-Hale Company website (archived)
  • Parker-Hale-Germany
  • Sporting Rifles based on Lee–Enfields