P-H 1853

[6thtexas]

I have a P-H 1853 I purchased back in the late 90's. It shoots very well with the Lyman 575213OS and the little 575494 minies. The musket is very accurate but of course shoots very high @ 100 Yds with the 575213OS especially. Is there anything I can do with the sights without permanently altering it?

Also what size nipple does this take? The original is fine but I would like to get a spare.

 

[ResearchPress]

Try taking a fine sight perhaps, as per 19thC musketry instruction.

David

 

[6thtexas]

That is what I'm doing but my eyesight ain't what it used to be...

 

[Stantheman86]

Research Press nailed it, these were designed for Fine and Half sighting at short ranges.

If you remove the slider it will let the rear sight sit a hair lower but it probably won't make much difference.

If you can get a Pedersoli Volunteer or Whitworth rear sight ladder, it has a windage adjustable leaf which I imagine, with some skillful fine file work on the hole where the screw goes in, could be made to adjust down for lowering point of impact. I put this on my Parker-Hale P53 but I didn't alter anything. I just Half Sight it at 100.

 

[TFoley]

I have a P-H 1853 I purchased back in the late 90's. It shoots very well with the Lyman 575213OS and the little 575494 minies. The musket is very accurate but of course shoots very high @ 100 Yds with the 575213OS especially. Is there anything I can do with the sights without permanently altering it?

Also what size nipple does this take? The original is fine but I would like to get a spare.

You mean a musket? A smoothbore? All the P-H P53s I've ever seen were rifles, and it sounds like your's is, too.

If it is a genuine Parker-Hale, and we can advise you if you give us the first two digits of the serial number, like this - 12XX - then we can tell you which of two differing thread nipples you need.

Better yet, take one out and count the threads that make an inch. Early examples have a coarse thread, later have a finer thread.

It's also a good idea to use a copper washer as a spacer between the nipple and the bolster - it makes removal a deal easier to do. A small dob of gunmaker's grease - or plain ol' lithium grease - on the threads can help, too. When replacing it, turn it 'just tight' and then a smidgin more. That's it.

 

[6thtexas]

Sorry about the terminology-my P-H rifled musket has a serial # 29XXX

 

[springfield art]

I have a P-H 1853 I purchased back in the late 90's. It shoots very well with the Lyman 575213OS and the little 575494 minies. The musket is very accurate but of course shoots very high @ 100 Yds with the 575213OS especially. Is there anything I can do with the sights without permanently altering it?

Also what size nipple does this take? The original is fine but I would like to get a spare.

I bet Dixie would know and send you one; try them!

 

[Britsmoothy]

Parker Hale IIRC used there own tpi.
I think it was 26&1/2 tpi.

Oh, and I owned a PH 53 in .58 smoothbore. The pictures are locked away in photobucket.

 

[TFoley]

Sorry about the terminology-my P-H rifled musket has a serial # 29XXX

Please read your PM. DGW are likely your next stop.

 

[TFoley]

Parker Hale IIRC used there own tpi.
I think it was 26&1/2 tpi.

Oh, and I owned a PH 53 in .58 smoothbore. The pictures are locked away in photobucket.

Yup, I didnt say there were none, mind. Also a few Musketoons were smooth-bored - there is one on the rack at our LGS.

 

[Stantheman86]

Isn't the thread pitch for the nipple the same as the original Enfield rifle-muskets ? Assuming a Birmingham produced barrel.

My Indian P53 smoothbore takes the same nipples as my P-H rifles. I forget the thread pitch. TotW has these nipples.

 

[59sharps]

S&S firearms Glendale ny . I actual may have one. If I can find it. It’s w my other nipples Sold my P-H 53

 

[GREENSWLDE]

I believe the original P53 nipple threads were 5/16"Whitworth = 5/16" X 18 TPI and the early P/H P53's.. O.D.