Parker Hale Enfields (Let's See Em)

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Max-4

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I have lately been interested in Parker Hale Lee Enfields that have been converted into hunting rifles. It doesn't matter to me if it's an SMLE or a No 4, I want to see some pics of them.

I was wondering what rifles were available here in Canada? How were they ordered? Through a local gun shop or a magazine order? What were the different grades available? Thanks!
 
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I've got 3, I'll try and take a picture of them when I get home, the nicest sporters IMO
 

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Max-4 said:
Hello, I am genuinely interested in nice Parker Hale Lee Enfields that have been converted into hunting rifles. It doesn't matter to me if it's a SMLE or a No 4 I want to see some pics of them. I was wondering what rifles were available here in Canada? How were they ordered, through a local gun shop or magazine order. What were the different grades available? Thanks!
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There were four grades of each No. 1 and No. 4 that Parker Hale made. Highest grade was called "Custom", then "Supreme", then "De Luxe", then "Standard" - I am not sure where the cut-off for "new" barrel was - the top grade had a "new" barrel, the lowest grade had a military barrel.
 
That might be an aftermarket put together - the 10 round mag was not with the top grade - that would have had a 5 round magazine. The picture is showing a rounded pistol grip cap with white line spacer - the top grade had a squarish grip cap from Parker Hale pictured in Parker Hale Catalogue - but I think there were many aftermarket stock makers for Lee Enfield No. 1 and No. 4 - many sold parts - not just Parker Hale. PH had most of their sporter stocks made by SILE in Italy - I think there were a number of North American commercial sources as well. The metal might be stamped with Parker Hale logo (where your shooting hand thumb might reach), but that one may not be all Parker Hale original. I am going by pictures in Parker Hale No. 68 Catalogue - Custom No. 4 on page 23, Custom No. 1 on page 24, and Supreme No. 1, Deluxe No. 1 and Standard No. 1 on page 25. Only the bottom grade - Standard No. 1 - had the 10 round mag, although any surplus 10 round mag could be used in any grade.
 
Max-4 said:
Any idea what model this would be?
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It appears to me to be a Supreme No4, the charger bridge, micrometer sight and ears are intact. It would have come with a hood on the front sight. Is it stamped Parker Hale on the receiver as you note or on the barrel ahead of the Nock’s? The latter is where I remember them being stamped.
 
A Custom No4 with the optional D & T for the PH 29 side mount and RALS rings which are installed. Note the charger bridge and sight ears are milled off. The same receiver profile that one of the EAL models had.

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Max-4 said:
It is Infact stamped "Parker Hale" on top of the receiver.
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Your picture in Post #8 is showing the stamping on the barrel, not on the receiver - it is a relatively simple thing to unscrew a barrel from one receiver and into another receiver - without making a mark on either the barrel or the receiver. Some who have done so, may find evidence that has occurred - most will not notice. The actual Parker Hale receivers that were here have the letters "PH" stamped about where your right thumb would drop - behind the closed bolt handle, I think, or perhaps under it. So far as I am concerned, if those "PH" letters are not there, then Parker Hale never processed that receiver.
 
Internet says that Canadian based company Globeco, or possibly Adanac, sold Lee Enfield rifles with "Surrey" or "Sussex" marked barrels - also apparently an "Essex" stamped barrel - apparently those were all considered "low end" sporter conversions of former military made rifles - not "new" barrels, at the time. So, now-a-days, such a barrel could have been screwed onto about any Lee Enfield receiver - I am not sure what receivers those barrels were on, when originally sold.
 
Some history about Lee Enfield rifles might be important. My reference (Lee Enfield No. 4 and No. 5 Rifles - by Charles R. Stratton) lists 7 factories in four countries that made No. 4 Lee Enfield Rifles. I do not have the same references for No. 1 (SMLE) Lee Enfield rifles. After WWII, most countries sold off their bolt action rifles to raise some cash to equip their armies with semi-auto or select fire rifles - after seeing the effectiveness of USA soldiers with their Garand rifles - so, many Lee Enfield rifles (both No. 1 and No. 4), many Swede Mausers (M94, M96, M38), many captured German Mausers (GEW 98, K98), and others. So, post WWII - the world was "awash" with former military bolt action rifles and parts, which turned out to be perfectly adequate for much hunting use. Many companies were formed to acquire military made guns and convert them to sell as "hunting rifles" to customers. I had read that is how SAKO got their start, I think Parker Hale had mostly made sight assemblies, triggers, etc. - "small parts" - for the "big guys" like BSA, etc. Many "home guys" decided to "save a buck" and did the conversions themselves - as a result, today we have a whole "mishmash" of varying quality - in most cases, many of the Lee Enfield rifles (and others) last saw a military armourer in the 1950's or so - what we see today is likely a "long way" from what the WWII soldiers had.

I could be corrected on about any point made above.
 
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Potashminer said:
Some history about Lee Enfield rifles might be important. My reference (Lee Enfield No. 4 and No. 5 Rifles - by Charles R. Stratton) lists 7 factories in four countries that made No. 4 Lee Enfield Rifles. I do not have the same references for No. 1 (SMLE) Lee Enfield rifles. After WWII, most countries sold off their bolt action rifles to raise some cash to equip their armies with semi-auto or select fire rifles - after seeing the effectiveness of USA soldiers with their Garand rifles - so, many Lee Enfield rifles (both No. 1 and No. 4), many Swede Mausers (M94, M96, M38), many captured German Mausers (GEW 98, K98), and others. So, post WWII - the world was "awash" with former military bolt action rifles and parts, which turned out to be perfectly adequate for much hunting use. Many companies were formed to acquire military made guns and convert them to sell as "hunting rifles" to customers. I had read that is how SAKO got their start, I think Parker Hale had mostly made sight assemblies, triggers, etc. - "small parts" - for the "big guys" like BSA, etc. Many "home guys" decided to "save a buck" and did the conversions themselves - as a result, today we have a whole "mishmash" of varying quality - in most cases, many of the Lee Enfield rifles (and others) last saw a military armourer in the 1950's or so - what we see today is likely a "long way" from what the WWII soldiers had.

I could be corrected on about any point made above.
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The Republicans, ie the Communists and not the Monarchists, in the Spanish Civil War had a dizzying array of WW1 and pre-WW1 rifles from emptied out European arsenals. There are interweb lists of everything from Japanese, Russian, Swiss, Austrian, German, Italian, American, British and yes, Canadian rifles found, shipped, and issued to soldiers. Lots of wartime No.1s were absorbed by the momentum of war.
 
here is my custom no1, even has the PH sling. this is the first rifle I ever bought. It has the PH side mount and rings installed.

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I think it's the custom no1, I find the no1 receiver nicer then the blocky no4 receivers. But the "custom" line from PH is the top of the PH line up.

There are factory lee Enfield sporting rifles. They are lee speed but commercial built sporters.

They are some of the nicest rifles available to buy. Made by people like Westly Richards, H&H and other very famous builders.

Google image search (lee speed sporter) they are miles above the PH rifles.
 
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Certainly the Custom No. 4 was the highest (most expensive) grade that Parker Hale sold, of their conversions of No. 4 Lee Enfield rifles. Whether it was "nicest", is sort of in the eyes of the beholder - some think the Supreme line is not too shabby. Some think the No. 1 Lee Enfield rifle makes a "nicer" sporter. Some other companies than Parker Hale and some "home guys" did really decent sporter conversions. And, after 40 or 50 years of being used, the maintenance (or lack of it) may have something to do with which is "nicer", today.
 
The Lee Enfield rifles were originally designed to be military guns - to respond to the needs of military - which has some similarities and many differences to what a hunter needs or wants. But, about nothing with what a target or bench rest shooter needs to win, today. So, I believe that a No. 4 Lee Enfield was a better military rifle than was a No. 1, although Australians and others disagree with me. A military typically has trained armourers to service the guns - lots of parts, lots of maintenance training and proper tools. Most hunters do not need the bayonet handle function, for example, and so on. Many "hunting guns" have never had the bore cleaned, by the civilian owner - even once - versus most military practices. Most modern "hunters" want a scope sight, for example, which rank and file, "run of the mill", army guns did not have, then.
 
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