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Parker Hale P58 Naval Rifle

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Joined
May 6, 2022
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I have just recently joined the forum and have my eyes set on getting an Enfield muzzleloading rifle in .577 caliber. Id rather have an original but a good reproduction will do. A man from Virginia came to my family's metal shop and asked if he could trade me a Parker Hale P58 rifle to drop down the cost of his project. He showed it to me and it looks very good. He definitely made it known that his rifle was a genuine Parker Hale and not an Italian Stallion with British parts. It isnt rusty at all and looks good overall. I dont have any pictures as I didnt have my phone on me and didnt even think to take any. This being said the rifle would cover roughly $750 of his bill with the amount of cash he wants to pay with the rifle. Are Parker-Hale reproduction rifles worth that kind of money even in like a New from factory condition or a lightly used condition ? Everywhere I look for rifle values the websites only talk about the Parker-Hale Italian rifles from the 1970s and 1980s but do not talk about the 1960s British Rifles. Anyone got any good solid knowledge of Parker Hale Enfield muzzleloaders ? If this is a rotten deal could you tell me what a Parker Hale of this model is worth in say an 8/10 condition or if this rifle is just worth turning down and hold out for a better rifle or an original rifle. Thanks to anyone who shares some of their wisdom with me.
 
I shoot two Parkers in Civil War competition and yes, the gun in question is absolutely worth $750 if in good condition. They're capable of really good accuracy if loaded with an appropriate load.
 
And yeah, with some load development, they are quite capable if you are.

parkerhalegroup2.jpg
 
What is your load ? Does that Say 42 grains Hog ? Like Hogdon powder ?

Those are "Cliff Notes" to self. If you're anywhere near Winchester VA on the weekend of the 26th, you should come out to our Nationals. We shoot muskets, carbines, revolvers, Henrys, smoothbores, mortars and cannon in live fire competition. There will also be about anybody who's anybody in muzzleloading Civil War arms there as well. Some of the vendors there- Scheutzen, Dixie Gun Works, S&S, Lodgewood, Moose Molds and Regimental Quartermaster. It remains to be seen if a Goex rep will show up.

Actual load-
42g 3f Old Eynsford, RCBS Hogdon (tall base plug) minie sized .576, beeswax/lard lube, RWS caps. This load shoots exceptionally well in both my Parkers and it's my "goto" match load. Here's a 100yd group out of my PH musketoon. I've settled on 42g 3f. Now that I've switched to Swiss, I'm revisiting the test but so far it looks like it's going to be Swiss from now on.-
musketoongroup1.jpg
 
Those are "Cliff Notes" to self. If you're anywhere near Winchester VA on the weekend of the 26th, you should come out to our Nationals. We shoot muskets, carbines, revolvers, Henrys, smoothbores, mortars and cannon in live fire competition. There will also be about anybody who's anybody in muzzleloading Civil War arms there as well. Some of the vendors there- Scheutzen, Dixie Gun Works, S&S, Lodgewood, Moose Molds and Regimental Quartermaster. It remains to be seen if a Goex rep will show up.

Actual load-
42g 3f Old Eynsford, RCBS Hogdon (tall base plug) minie sized .576, beeswax/lard lube, RWS caps. This load shoots exceptionally well in both my Parkers and it's my "goto" match load. Here's a 100yd group out of my PH musketoon. I've settled on 42g 3f. Now that I've switched to Swiss, I'm revisiting the test but so far it looks like it's going to be Swiss from now on.-
View attachment 138343
Have you ever used the Pritchett Catridges in your rifle ? A lot of the civil war buffs that turn up around here swear by the .566 Pritchett Cartridge. Ive never used it, the guy who is giving me the PH P58 as part of his payment threw in 6 cans of 100ct Musket 4 wing caps, a .577 Lee Minié ball mould and an original 1861 Sword bayonet. He bought it to make it work with the rifle since the PH rifles are close as you can get to the originals I guess.
 
I use the Lyman 575213PH which I lube, swage down to .566 and then make into a cartridge, effectively paper patching it. 45 grains of 2F work well out to 100x with very little fouling. (No swabbing up to thirty shots) For 25 yard practice indoors I use 35 grains. This gun is so much fun to shoot!
 
Have you ever used the Pritchett Catridges in your rifle ? A lot of the civil war buffs that turn up around here swear by the .566 Pritchett Cartridge. Ive never used it, the guy who is giving me the PH P58 as part of his payment threw in 6 cans of 100ct Musket 4 wing caps, a .577 Lee Minié ball mould and an original 1861 Sword bayonet. He bought it to make it work with the rifle since the PH rifles are close as you can get to the originals I guess.

Our competition rules forbid using paper patch. But that load I've described can be shot many, many times without fouling issues. It's almost the exact same load I use when working with kids who want to shoot the muskets. The only changes are size of the bullet and type of powder. Even so, we've run them as many as 60 shots straight with no issues.

The original bayonet has value. The Lee mold I'd consider to be just ok. They're cheap and if you get really serious, you'll find out why many in my game don't use Lee molds. The handles are short, they overheat fast casting minies, the sprue plate is tiny, and the base plug is easily moved out of position. Use a good quality mold and it'll be obvious but it'll get you going. The caps- depends on who made them. If CCI, they're new production reenactor caps designed for blanks and not very good for live fire accuracy. If RWS, they're the really good stuff. If Scheutzen, they're good.

Get some holy black and start having fun.
 
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