Parker Hale Musketoon questions........

[RaccoonRough]

Okay,

So, I have a Parker-Hale Musketoon carbine. Its an older one.........serial number in the #19XX range.

The shooter before me sighted it in and out of the box it must have shot way to the left. Both the front sight and rear sights have been altered to move the bullet impact way to the right. The front post is filed away leaving just a blade on the left........and the rear sight ladder has a peep hole drilled on the far right side. Its really amazing that a barrel could be so far off. I shot it and it does indeed shoot well with the current sights, but I cannot stand to have the sights so altered from original. So I want to put it back right.

I have a friend who is going to help me bend the barrel and try to center it up better, so the sights wont have to be adjusted so far to the right. I want to put the sights back per original and start from scratch.

I will need to replace the front sight and the rear sight ladder (at least). Does anyone know if reproduction sights for a Euroarms or Original repro will fit the Parker-Hale? Should or will I have replace the entire rear sight assembly?

Thanks

[Joseph Plakis Jr, 00302V]

For what it is worth I would not bend the barrel. The big question is if you bend the barrel & it shoots dead on at 50 yards where will it hit at a longer or shorter distance! If it were my gun I would fill in the hole in the rear site take the front site off and have someone mill a slot for the front site & install a new front site. I would also check the crowning at the muzzle of the barrel, is it cut at an angle or is there a nick or something that is throwing point of impact off.
Like I originally said I would not bend the barrel.

Another thing to do before you do anything is your bullet one or two thousands smaller than the bore? Second: shooting at a greater distance if you are not hitting the target but you are hitting the target at a shorter distance. If the sights are aligned at one distance you should be damn close side to side but you will have a drop in point of impact using the same site.

Joe Plakis Jr 00320V Hampton Legion

[lwinstoniii]

Does anyone know if this was a common issue with parker-hale muskets?

[John.Hayes]

My Dad's PH carbine has the rear sight opened way up to compensate for the same problem. Perhaps it is common. On my PH I put an 1858 second type rear sight in place of the factory (1861 type, not imported) and it hits right on for me. I never fired mine with the factory ladder sight and the earlier type sights, kind of like an express sight, are available from Lodgewood and S and S. The PH guns have a hole for a locator pin for the factory sight that you can fill in rather easily. I wouldn't bend the barrel, either. Hope this helps. jh

[RaccoonRough]

On my PH I put an 1858 second type rear sight in place of the factory (1861 type, not imported) and it hits right on for me. I never fired mine with the factory ladder sight and the earlier type sights, kind of like an express sight, are available from Lodgewood and S and S.

I tried searching for these sights, but could not find anything for sale. Are you talking about the type of sight commonly found on two band enfield rifles?



The PH guns have a hole for a locator pin for the factory sight that you can fill in rather easily. I wouldn't bend the barrel, either. Hope this helps. jh

Thanks very much for the advice.......this musketoon shoots waaayyyyyy to the left......its quite amazing.

[John.Hayes]

Nope, let me look and see what they call them. Be right back. jh

[John.Hayes]

S & S part number is EN93, 1856 Enfield Carbine Rear Sight. $90.00 jh

[John.Hayes]

Lodgewood didn't have it listed on their site. I remember that I bought my sight "off the menu" from him, so he may have another. I don't remember the price, but I'm sure they are comparable. Good luck! jh

[John.Hayes]

If you get the sight, ask Mr. Holland for the spec sheet for the Pattern 1853 Carbine, Second Type of 1858, to make sure you install it in the correct place. I think it was 6 inches from the breechplug line to the rear of the rear sight, but check to make sure. jh

[mike davenport]

your rear sight is located 3.0 inches from the tang breech intersection with a .375 + or - tolerance
Front sight is 23.0 inches from the tang breech intersection with a .250 + or - tolerance

mike
dsr

[John.Hayes]

The flip sight is farther forward than the ladder sight. The longer sight radius is one of the ladder sight's improvements. I just like the flip sight because that is what was imported during the war. For our purposes, either sight works equally well once you dial in a good load. jh