• This community needs YOUR help today. We rely 100% on Supporting Memberships to fund our efforts. With the ever increasing fees of everything, we need help. We need more Supporting Members, today. Please invest back into this community. I will ship a few decals too in addition to all the account perks you get.



    Sign up here: https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/account/upgrades

Parker Hale Enfield 1861 - a couple of questions please

Muzzleloading Forum

Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
I know it wont transpose to mine, but what is your load?

43gr 3f Old E, RWS caps, RCBS Hogdon sized to 576, Lard/beeswax lube. It might work for you but a couple things in shooting any minie hold constant- pure lead, size to .001 under bore, lube, good quality powder and caps meaning Swiss/Old E and RWS or Schutzen caps. If you want accuracy, you'll have to ante up for quality components, there are no free lunches.
20180708_130243.jpg
 
Peter Dyson and Son in England has some Parker Hale Replacement parts. I did buy some some years ago, tumbler, stirrup, hammer screw etc. PM me some time re lube etc .
 
If you want accuracy, you'll have to ante up for quality components, there are no free lunches.
That is damn good shootin!

I have read that article about "Managing the Enfield" which explains heaps about bedding etcetera.
Did you have to bed the barrel? If so how?
Took the barrel out of mine and it seems to hang off the tang. Not sure where it touches the stock but not at the breech. Looks like the prior owner really tightened up the tang to the point of squashing the wood down a bit and pushed the bolster hard against the lock.
Confess I have not even sourced a mould yet. Torn between Pritchett and Burton
 
Peter Dyson and Son in England has some Parker Hale Replacement parts. I did buy some some years ago, tumbler, stirrup, hammer screw etc. PM me some time re lube etc .

I've just sorted out a fellow Australian of yours with barrel band screws for HIS P-H Musketoon, from Henry Krank - ask for Matt, a VERY helpish young fella.
 
That is damn good shootin!

I have read that article about "Managing the Enfield" which explains heaps about bedding etcetera.
Did you have to bed the barrel? If so how?
Took the barrel out of mine and it seems to hang off the tang. Not sure where it touches the stock but not at the breech. Looks like the prior owner really tightened up the tang to the point of squashing the wood down a bit and pushed the bolster hard against the lock.
Confess I have not even sourced a mould yet. Torn between Pritchett and Burton
Get it off the lock plate sir.
I used canvass shims under the breach and tang to bed the breach.
If additional clearance is needed file the lock plate where the bolster is.
 
Get it off the lock plate sir.
I used canvass shims under the breach and tang to bed the breach.
If additional clearance is needed file the lock plate where the bolster is.

I'd like to see an 1861 Enfield. These are 1858 pattern, I believe. Springfield muskets started with the 1861.
 
That is damn good shootin!

I have read that article about "Managing the Enfield" which explains heaps about bedding etcetera.
Did you have to bed the barrel? If so how?
Took the barrel out of mine and it seems to hang off the tang. Not sure where it touches the stock but not at the breech. Looks like the prior owner really tightened up the tang to the point of squashing the wood down a bit and pushed the bolster hard against the lock.
Confess I have not even sourced a mould yet. Torn between Pritchett and Burton

Barrel is glass bedded. Old guys in the day used other materials. Key is to reduce stress on the barrel. One way to check for undue stress is to put the barrel in the stock and run down the tang screw. If the barrel rises, you have issues. Put some paper or something else under the tang to build it up. Then look to see if it's straight in the stock. Any deviation left to right has to be addressed. In my gun, the barrel sits perfectly in the stock. As I run down the tang screw, it doesn't rise or shift. One other thing to look at is tang screw torque. Too much can affect point of impact and group size.

On a mold, I've tried the Burton but the Hogdon shoots better hands down.

I can't stress good components enough. Without the good stuff it's like trying to drive a race car on manure pump gas. It'll get you to the grocery or pub, but you won't be there first. :D
 
On a mold, I've tried the Burton but the Hogdon shoots better hands down.
The RCBS Hodgon mold is $276 here. Shame RCBS won't post to Australia it is about USD70 (AUD100) with the current rebate.😢
Will have to investigate and see if I can find a way. Freight forwarding company or something.
 
Last edited:
There are I understand unless the rules have been changed requirements for some competitions that only traditional bedding methods be used.

In our competition, glass bedding is allowed. Other orgs may frown on that. Traditional methods are usually restricted to paper and careful massaging of the barrel to stock fit.

For using a composite material for bedding, Acraglass works but is expensive. Lots of folks have great results with JB Weld.
 
The Parker Hale stocks were done by machine. The router that machined the wood under the breach left a high spot under where the breach sits. To give clearance for the high spot more than necessary wood is removed.
This is what the bedding has to undo... primarily.
 
I noticed that the barrel was hanging at the breech.
Normally, when bedding, I would dig out an 1/8 of wood at least and key it into the side but I doubt there is 1/8" of wood to dig out without breaking into the ramrod hole.
Maybe rough up the inlet and skim bed it.
Or just shim and see.


Nothing ventured nothing gained!
 
I had a mate at the Adelaide Black Powder club bed the barrel on my PH Navy rifle back in 1981, or there about, I have not removed my barrel at all since. That rifle has shot consistently and ver well ever since.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top