Need Enfield reproduction purchasing advice.

[NJCOP]

Weighing some options. Such as rebarelling an original Enfield but don't want to destroy collector's value. Being such I'm looking for advise re: a reproduction Enfield.

Parker Hales are held in high regard. The english ones more so than the Italian guns. Is that warrented? Also, I've run across another PH Musketoon. Its an Italian job. What is the word on them? Do they have the 1-48" rifling? Are they any good? Am I overlooking a lot of other well made shooters if I only focus on Parker Hales?

The gun will be primarily for shooting so I'm looking for an out of the box shooter or realistically will I be rebarreling? Are some Italian Enfields better than others?

You guys are the experts. If you have any specifics it would be great not to mention molds to accompany guns would be good to know. I'm done throwing away good money after bad.

[Fred Jr]

I have a P-H three band with a Harmon-Large barrel for sale. I also have an original Tower with a very good barrel that is also for sale. If you are interested call me at 724-224-3908 and we can talk.

Sincerely,

Fred Herlinger, 1097 12TH PA

[mikea]

The short answer to your question "Is that warranted?" - in my humble opinion, is YES!
I have 2 British made Parker Hales - a 3 band with 1:78 twist and a 2 band Naval Rifle with 1:48 twist. I regard them as better than any of the Italian repros, with the exception perhaps of Pedersoli products, that I have seen. You won't go wrong with the British made guns if you can find one in good shape at a reasonable price. They need the original front sight replaced with a taller one in a dovetail for live fire shooting but so will any other repro rifle musket. Don't know about the musketoons from personal experience, but Italian guns, even within the same make & model can vary in quality. If you check the Dixie Gun Works catalog they point out that the Parker Hales from Italy are the same as the Italian Enfields that don't have the Parker Hale markings - only the price is different.
I would suggest you call the person in the prior post - I know him and the Harmon-Large barrels are good.
Another good repro - sadly also no longer made- are the Japanese made M1861 & M1863 Springfields.

[R. McAuley 3014V]

Well, one of your options (i.e. rebarrelling your original Enfield) is probably now out of the question unless you are so fortunate to find either a fully-interchangeable original barrel or you elect to reline the original barrel. If perchance you have been entertaining the possibility of perhaps buying one of the Birmingham-made Parker-Hale replica barrels to install in your original Enfield, I have some bad news for you. Although Parker-Hale may have used the original Enfield gauges to base the dimensions on for their replica barrels, the replica barrels are by no means "fully-interchangeable" with the original pattern arm. Below is a photo illustrating the dimensional differences between one of the Birmingham-made Parker-Hale barrels with both an original 1862 RSAF Enfield and 1863 Tower. I might add that the pilot hole for the tang screw also does not align with the original tang screw location, so this alone would require a modification to the original stock which adding other fitting modifications required would render these irreversable except via use of modern embedding materials. So it really depends on just what is the collector value for your original Enfield and how bad you want to use/shoot it? My question would be is the original barrel in sufficient condition that you can shoot it as is, or does it need re-lining? As for collector value, is it (A) documented as either Confederate or Federal use; (B) in NRA very fine or better condition; and (C) really, just how bad do you want to shoot it???

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii305/rmac1023/rm003.jpg

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii305/rmac1023/rm014.jpg

[Lou Lou Lou]

If you can get a barrel maker to fashion a new barrel for the original, you can always replace th eoriginal barrel if you wish to sell it
as a collectors piece. Try Whitacre

[Southron Sr.]

First of all, P-H Musketoons have a 1 in 48" twist like the Naval Rifles. The "Hassle" is that you can only shoot them in the Carbine Team Matches and not the Musket Team Matches.

As for a Carbine, I would highly recommend a breechloader [Sharps, Smith, etc] because that is what 97% of those shooting in the Carbine Team Matches use.

My suggestion: Call Dixie Gun Works [1-800-238-8785] and ask them if they have any of the Italian made Parker-Hale Naval Rifles with the English made, 5 Groove, 1 in 48" Twist barrels. BE VERY SPECIFIC-LET THEM KNOW YOU ONLY WANT THE 5 GROOVE, 1 IN 48" TWIST BARREL They have a big warehouse out at Union City, so there is no telling what is in it. If they tell you that they have the cheaper Euroarms Naval Rifle-ask them IF it has the 5 Groove, 1 in 48" Twist barrel {it does not.]

[The Armi Sport Enfield Naval Rifle has the 1 in 48" Twist but the problem there is that it has ONLY 3 Grooves and does not have "Progressive Depth Rifling."]

I know for a while after the English Parker-Hale Company went bankrupt, barrels were made on the Parker-Hale machinery and shipped down to Italy to be assembled into guns at the Euroarms factory.

GOOD LUCK!

[NJCOP]

I see a couple of you gents are from Georgia. It is one of the two greatest states in the US, the other being Texas. I hope to call the Savanaugh area home when I retire. Lived in Conyers by Atlanta for a short time and never wanted to return to NJ.

Thanks for the info and help everyone. Will have cash in 2 weeks and as previously mention a huntin I will go. More than likely for a Parker Hale.

[Paul Lampman 263V]

NJCOP
GA is a great place but a long ways from Winchester. Think about VA for retirement. A whole lot closer and there's still plenty of great countyside to enjoy living in.

[matt]

Big problem with VA for retirees is that it is not pension friendly. The wife and I looked at moving close to the fort when we retire and both our pensions would be state taxed. Instead we have chosen Pennsylvania. NJcop the offer to get your musket shooting right still stands.
Matt
Winslow's Battery D 1st NY LT Artillery 9775v

[Joe Plakis, 9575V]

Well if you would like to come and shoot, I can offer you a chance at our upcoming shoot at Springtown Rod and Gun Club. I would always suggest shooting an enfield before buying one. It is an awful gun for me to shoot, I end up with a bruised cheek for the straightness of the stock!
But if you would like to come out on Sept 10th I can arrange for you to shoot a couple types of muskets

[NJCOP]

Thanks Matt,

I'm a chief of police at a Jersey Shore town and their be no fun until the Summer's over. RE: PA, its a great place to retire. My wife's Aunt and Uncle are thier. The wife and I have property in the Catskill Mountains and I'd like to retire their but NYS taxes can be a bit much and the fact that it snowed 5 inches this past mother's day has my wife not liking the idea so much anymore. I will take you up on the help after labor day.

BobR

[matt]

NJ,
If you dont yet have an enfield when we get together Ill bring one and a springfield so you can see the difference in the stock. I really dont like to shoot the enfields but my wife couldnt get her face down on a springfield stock. Hers is a 2 band.
Matt