I have a Parker & Hale 1200 TX in .308 with target stock and original P&H front and rear peep sights with 6 different aperatures. Also have the original P&H bases and rings. Excellent condition. Any input on value or history? Thanks guys. Jordan

[This message has been edited by captjordan (edited 03-04-2002).]

[This message has been edited by captjordan (edited 03-05-2002).]

Can't tell you about your particular TX model but Parker Hale started assembling the Mauser style actions into the 1200 model about 1968 and they made them until the early 90's. I bought an "excellent" used one in .243 with a beautiful walnut stock for $250. Factoring inflation and its improved shootability I'd guess mine is worth about $400 now out here where I live. Wouldn't shoot worth a hoot without a lot of work. There were lots of them made, including a Presentation model with engraved action which was selling about double of what I paid ten years ago. There was a Varmint model with a heavy barrel that sold for a bit more also. They are functional firearms. Your model is probably a bit more valuable than the base model with which I'm familiar.

If it's one of the ones they made for the British military and can be documented, it would certainly add to the value. - Dan

How can I tell if it was made for the military? It says cal. 7.62 NATO on the barrel. It has a heavy barrel and a heavy target stock with a flattened forearm and palm rest rail imbedded in forearm. It is major freefloated (about 1/4" clearance all the way from 1/2" from action out) and bedded. Both look like factory work. It is absolutely beautiful. But it only shot about 3-4" groups with handload 168gr HPBT's. Not impressed. I'll try the scope on it to make sure it's not me doing the poor shooting. Thanks for the input. Give me more if you all know anything else. Jordan

[This message has been edited by captjordan (edited 03-05-2002).]

Bob,
What kind of "work" did you do to get yours more accurate? Since its already, floated and bedded with heavy bbl? Thanks. Jordan

The wood in my stock was beautiful, but as most factory guns, it wasn't well sealed. It was changing with the humidity and changing zero. God knows what else it was doing but I pulled the stock off, stripped it and put it in my attic for 3 months during summer. Then I sealed it with 50-50 Naptha and Spar Varnish, finished and rebedded it.

The chamber was quite sloppy so I pulled the barrel off, set it back a couple of threads and rechambered it. Also reworked the crown and naturally adjusted the trigger down. My wife won a club hunter's rifle benchrest meet with it for both smallest group (.4") and lowest aggregate, which as best I recall was just over 2". Mine has a sporter barrel on it. Good luck with yours.

Thanks Bob,
Looks like I've got my work cut out for me if I demand accuracy out of this thing.
Thanks,
Jordan

Capt- if it was made for the military it will have the military stamps on it. Parker Hale also sold these rifles to the public. They were designed for the Palma and military 1000 yd matches. for the Palma they would use service ammo, and for the 1000 yd matches they used a 185 gr bullet (Lapua) loaded in Norway by a company called Raufoss, I believe. They came with a 26" free floated 4 groove, 1 in 12 barrel, glass bedded action, handstop, 4.5 lb adjustable trigger, Ph 5-E-60-TX reciever sight, Ph FS 22 fore sight, 10.5 lbs. They sold for $220 30 years ago, I don't know when they stopped making them. A Winchester 70 sold for $175 at the time, with the target model (a more apt comparison, I'm thinking) going for $239. According to the gun rag tests of the time (which is where I'm getting all this info, by the way)they were a very accurate rifle, especially at the 500-600 yd ranges. FWIW - Dan

BTT for the Capt. - Dan

Dan
BTT??? Thanks for the information, I've learned more in this forum exchange in 6 days than I've learned in over 10 gun shows about this weapon. Thanks all, don't stop.
Dan, maybe I should try the ammo you suggest. I will try the rings and bases with a leupold soon. Thanks, Jordan

BTT = Back To Top. Lot's of acronyms in computer speak. Take care - Dan

Dan,
I definately have the weapon you described..... To a T. But what are the military markings I would be looking for?
Jordan

I was looking at a website dealing with sniper rifles a while back, each country had their official sniper rifle and the civilian equivalent. The Canadian sniper rifle's civilian equivalent was the Parker Hale in .308. Just a bit of trivia I thought might interest you.