livinus
.224 member
Reged: 12/06/06
Posts: 47
Loc: belgium
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I have an opportunity to buy a Parker Hale rifle, 404 caliber, modified military Mauser action. Both barrel and action have a matt black finnish and the stock has been reinforced by 2 bolts. This rifle,believed to be 20+ years old, is in new, "unfired" condition. Any info concerning this rifle would be welcome. Livinus
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Oldsarge
.300 member
Reged: 07/02/05
Posts: 180
Loc: SoCal Borderlands
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I own exactly such a rifle. It has done yeoman duty on two safaris. Now it is one ugly SOB because of the original stock that came with Monte Carlo comb, white plastic line under the grip cap and the whole yucky 50's schtick. However, such things are easily, if not cheaply, corrected and will be in the forseeable future. Mechanically it is smooth as goosegrease. The cartridge lives up to its legendary reputation and I recommend it fully. You can make a fortunate purchase. If the stock is a more Classic configuration, then you will have done very well, indeed. Congradulations!
-------------------- Sarge
Holland's .375: One Planet, One Rifle!
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mickey
.416 member
Reged: 05/01/03
Posts: 4647
Loc: Pend Oreille Valley, Idaho
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livinus
Welcome to NE .com. It sounds like you are on to something that may be a gem. I have a friend who also has a Parker Hale from the '50's that sounds like Old Sarge's rifle twin brother.
An ugly beast because of the, then, stylish stock but metal work is superb. It's pretty hard to screw up the feeding of a Mauser and Bob's does into feed goose grease.
I don't know where you are in the world (could you please go to your personal page and add your location) but you can buy a reasonable stock in the US for a couple of hundred dollars if you can't stand the original. Or, have a nice one made. Prices may vary. 
Again welcome and if you are in the US or Canada, and don't want it let me know. If you get it please post pictures.
-------------------- Lovu Zdar
Mick
A Man of Pleasure, Enterprise, Wit and Spirit Rare Books, Big Game Hunting, English Rifles, Fishing, Explosives, Chauvinism, Insensitivity, Public Drunkenness and Sloth, Champion of Lost and Unpopular Causes.
Edited by mickey (03/01/07 12:36 PM)
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NitroX
.700 member
Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 40651
Loc: Barossa Valley, South Australi...
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Livinus
Parker Hale made a Mauser 98 big bore in .375 H&H, .404 and .458 Win Mag and there were still available at retail in the 1980's. The .404 were quite a bit rarer than the other chamberings.
If the price is right go for it, as unlikely you will never find another. I let one slip through my fingers in the 1980's which I regret.
I think the model was the M81 from memory.
Maybe there were other models as well, as the one I had for a while had a plainer non-Monte Carlo stock.
If you don't want it in the end, tell me. not Mickey!
-------------------- John aka NitroX
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Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"
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Charles_Helm
.333 member
Reged: 09/11/05
Posts: 337
Loc: Dallas, Texas
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Quote:
Livinus
If you don't want it in the end, tell me. not Mickey!
If it is in the States is it mine to claim next???
-------------------- Some pictures from Namibia
Some pictures from Zimbabwe
An Elephant Story
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livinus
.224 member
Reged: 12/06/06
Posts: 47
Loc: belgium
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Well, my gunsmith has given the rifle a good check-up and took it to the range. With new Kynoch ammo it shoots extremely well. I will ask him to take off the white-spacer crap and replace the old recoil pad with a classic Silver. The price for the rifle was 600 euro (wich I believe comes to some 550$). By the way, I live in Antwerp, Belgium. Greetings, Livinus
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Rick_R
.300 member
Reged: 03/07/03
Posts: 118
Loc: WV, USA
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Is there any way you could post pictures of this rifle so we can see what it looks like? I've got a PH in .458 Win (now a .458 Lott) and am curious about their rifles.
TIA
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livinus
.224 member
Reged: 12/06/06
Posts: 47
Loc: belgium
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Sadly I haven't got a digital camera, so this is not possible for the moment. Livinus
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Oldsarge
.300 member
Reged: 07/02/05
Posts: 180
Loc: SoCal Borderlands
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As of today's currency rates, that's $775 US. Nice price!
-------------------- Sarge
Holland's .375: One Planet, One Rifle!
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livinus
.224 member
Reged: 12/06/06
Posts: 47
Loc: belgium
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Went to the shooting range today(had not been there for a long time) to try some rifles I bought recently; - a Brno ZKK 601 .222, mint condition, made 1968, shot like a charm. Till the 80's, early 90's Brno's where very cheap for the quality (you could buy 3 or 4 Brno's for the price of 1 top German bolt). My cousin took his new .243 CZ (the 'Brno todays standards') sniper; the set trigger malfunctioned 18 times out of 20! -a Capuis double ejector rifle,SxS,9.3x74R, mint condition, made 1978, very accurate, no problems. - the Parker-Hale 404,made in the 70's, the subject of this thread. Very accurate with vintage RWS ammo, smooth as silk. The new Kahles scope (a steel tube 2.5x20) my gunmaker/friend mounted shed his horizontal post after 2! shots. For a scope by the worlds oldest maker a rather poor result. I am getting rather fed up with the 'quality' of todays products! Greetings from Belgium, Livinus
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