Parker Hale Safari Question regarding serial numbers

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trevj

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I have been given a Parker Hale Safari, and while looking it over, noted that the serial number on the underside of the bolt does not match the serial number on the side of the receiver.

Is this normal, or is it a swapped in bolt? I know PH was bringing in the actions, was wondering if they applied their own serials to those. The serial on the bolt is stamped in under the bolt handle, while the serial on the action, is along the LH side above the line of the stock.

It's in pretty nice shape, 30-06, with an older Bushnell fixed 4 power scope. All appears to fit well enough together, and the only problem of note is that the safety is stiff from dried goo left from the lube it was put away with.
The stock is the later version, white line spacers, kinda angular, with teh diamond shaped inlay in the pistol grip.

Have not shot it yet, for obvious reasons.

Input? Info?

Thanks!

Cheers
Trev
 
Can't help you regarding the serial numbers. I would check that both bolt lugs bear evenly in the receiver, that the third lug is not bearing and then check the headspace. I have also seen a mauser that would not fire because the bolt was not properly "clocked" - on that one, the bolt handle had been altered and would not allow the bolt to close the full ninety degrees, and therefore the firing pin would hit the internal safety shoulders. If all this checks out, I would see no reason not to fire it.
 
My Whitworth .375H&H as a different serial number for the bolt. They guy my wife bought the gun from had two of them just the other is a .458wm. I asked him to check serial number of the bolt to his other Whitworth and yet they're not the same too.
 
Thanks both, y'all for your inputs.

In regards to the clocking issue, yeah, know that one, have a Turk Mauser action that the bolt was forged, but it needs some tweaking to allow the pin to come as far forward as it requires. The bolt was forged too far over, and needs a little hammerwork to allow the lugs to be closed while the handle is all the way down.

I will not be able to speak with the fella that handed me this one for a few days, will ask him if he has another rifle around that may have been the recipient of a swapped out bolt, but like as not, will do a little rough and ready checking of lug engagements, with some Magic Marker, and a really quick and dirty check with a couple layers of tape over the head of a factory loaded cartridge to see if there are any really obvious discrepancies.

My understanding is that PH made a lot of their stuff out of Surplus Mauser actions, and bought in commercial actions too, so th possibility of this mismatch being 'factory' is there, I suppose.

It's just a bit odd to see, when used to seeing all matching numbers on the parts.

Cheers
Trev
 
Mumbles Marble Mouth said:
My Whitworth .375H&H as a different serial number for the bolt. They guy my wife bought the gun from had two of them just the other is a .458wm. I asked him to check serial number of the bolt to his other Whitworth and yet they're not the same too.
Click to expand...

Zastava bolt numbers never match the barrel/receiver...not sure why but it's normal for them.
 
Both my 1100's have electro-pencilled matching bolts, they are commercial Santa Barbara actions. The LW 6.5X55 is marked on the underside of the bolt body, the 30'06 deluxe is marked on the rear face of the bolt handle.
 
Just checked a couple of mine - the 458 Win Mag Zastava (bought new in 2013) has an electro-penciled serial on bottom of bolt handle that does not match the action serial number; a 308 Win Parker Hale (detachable magazine - came to me without a stock, so not sure it if is 1000C or 1200C or what) that has matching serial on rear face of forged bolt root. If yours is ex-military it would probably have the thumb cut-out on the left rail. My Parker Hale is a solid left rail. Likely a Santa Barbara commercial. Both of the above check out appropriately with Forster GO/NOGO gauges. I had two Austrian Voere that were built on commercial actions - one with the "Spain" stamp showing, other with only a ground out area where the "Spain" was on the first one. Also have an FN based Husqvarna 9.3x62, that one is commercial version too, stamped H then a "4" at ninety degrees on rear of bolt root, not even close to the 130### serial on that barrel; nothing above the stock line on that receiver.
 
This one has a Z-41### serial on the LH of the front ring, straight side on the rail, not thumb cut, and the serial 24### stamped, not electric penciled, on the underside.
The Safari name is in script(ish) or Italics lettering along the LH rail.

Sorta figuring this Z serial is a Zastava action?

There is a small but not really legible mark on the bolt handle right as it makes the downward bend. Not very large, not clear enough to see what the stamp was, but not, IMO, rust or other random damage. Other than a BNP Crown proof, the only other markings upon the barrel are the Cal 30 06 , and Parker-Hale LTD Birmingham. England, ahead of the rear sight.

Has a set of scope mount blocks on, well, and the afore mentioned scope, and have not seen fit to poke under them as yet.

Nor have I seen fit to remove the action from it's stock. So their may be other markings about the place.

Thanks.

Cheers
Trev
 
Probably a Zastava then. The Santa Barbara actions usually had SPAIN stamped on the side of the lower rear tang under the wood, then ground off by PH when they finished them. The grinding is usually obvious.
Early Zastava were nice guns, I think the Spanish and Yugo were pretty much on par for fit/finish.
This is my 30'06 PH 1100
20170520_164335.jpg

And the 6.5x55
20170414_164604.jpg
 
Last edited:
Alright. It all worked out pretty well.

So. Who knew that Browning and Parker Hale used pretty much the same action, with 'almost' the same bolt? Hands?

The gent that gave me this rifle had a Browning, also a 30-06, that used the exact same action, with the same rocking lever safety, as well as the Parker Hale.

When I compared the serial numbers, I got a bolt out of his Browning, (Belgian proofs) that had the z-serial number matching the rifle he gave me. Electric penciled, on the underside of the bolt handle, no less!

The bolt I had matched the serial number on his Browning. Less the Prefix, anyways.

All good!

Thanks all!

Cheers
Trev
 
Odds of one '98 bolt fitting in another receiver are pretty high, headspace should be checked if firing, but just as far as fitting in the receiver, it usually isn't a problem. Bent bolt handles will need to be mated to a receiver with the corresponding cut out of course.
One of my S&L M69 target rifles has a German K98 receiver, Danish target barrel in 6.5x55, and a Czech bolt.
I built a 9.3x62 with a K98 receiver, FN98 bolt, and a Shaw barrel.
The Santa Barbara and Zastava actions are pretty much clones of the commercial FN98 actions, so just about everything will interchange.
 
Yeah, same problem with this as with my Turk Mauser action with the forged over bolt handle.

Dropping the firing pin onto the cocking cam as a result of not being able to close the bolt far enough. By 'just' enough.

But to find a Belgian Browning rifle with the exact same action, right down to the same style of rocking trigger safety, was a little bit of a surprise.

Only so many variations in a Mauser action, just sorta figure it odd to find two almost identical units in such different guns, from different eras, as well as different makers.

About all I could see that was really different was the bolt retainer on the Browning being a much lighter unit than the PH. Even at that, I think the PH retainer would have swapped across.

Anyhoo.... I am pretty pleased with this. Esp. that it was as easy as that to sort out!

Cheers
Trev
 
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