First off, many thanks to Brithunter, Sakorick,  etc., for teaching me so much about these rifles.
 
Last week, I bought a Parker-Hale 1200 Super out of the local classifieds.  My goal was to tinker it into a long range deer hunting rifle.  I'd like a rifle that will do the job (If I do mine) out to 400 yds. or so.
 
All things considered, this rifle is in great shape.  There's a small chip or two to the finish, and one spot on the barrel where the bluing is thin.  Otherwise, it's the way it left the factory.  The mark on the barrel is E B over the number 2, with all three enclosed in a circle.
 
My original intention was to find a project rifle and refinish or replace the stock, bed the action, free-float or bed the barrel, etc., and work with it until next November's deer season.  And I wanted something a little different than the popular (and for good reason) Rem. model 700.
 
Does this Parker-Hale sound like the right project for me?  Is the accuracy potential there?  Or am I better off to sell it to someone who would want it in it's current condition and find something else to tinker with?  Any thoughts/recommendations?
 
On another note, I found the Parker Hale 1200 new product review in the July 1968 American Rifleman magazine.  Would I be allowed to post that here, or would copyright issues make that illegal?
 
Thanks for reading!

Hi St. Hogustine,

         Sounds like a nice find :) any chance of photos?

   From your description of the View mark it's of 1979 vintage .

   Now we get to the nitty gritty:-
 

QuoteDoes this Parker-Hale sound like the right project for me? Is the accuracy potential there?

You must decide on exactly what your accuracy expectaions are. P-H barrels are reknowned for the accuracy achievable with them. The 1200TX was built to shoot competition at 1000 and 1200 yards althoguh they didn ahve a heavy barrel.

As yours is the magnum the magazine only holds three rounds than the normal 1200 super which holds four the barrels are the same though and seeign as how those that I have known over the year have shown excellent accuracy, most of them anyway my 6mm rem appears to be the exception that proves the rule :o , I cannot see why you cannot achieve accuracy of 1-2 MOA out at 400 yards providing the throat and crown are good. You might even find it's betetr than that . You might need to check the bedding but they normally shoot very well with the factory barrel pressure point bedding I had a diaster when I free floated one of mine :o  it's now properly bedded again and is capable of around MOA with some factory ammunition at 100 yards even if I didn't achieve it it has been done with my rifle. I must blame my not having achieved it on myself not the rifle.
 

QuoteDoes this Parker-Hale sound like the right project for me? Is the accuracy potential there? Or am I better off to sell it to someone who would want it in it's current condition and find something else to tinker with? Any thoughts/recommendations?

Hmmm well I would as I said check the bedding and I would also give the barrel/bore a good clean so you have a clean slate with which to base your results one and then try it out and see how it shoots in this condition. Then and only then can you decide if it's capable of providing what you want accuracy wise :) . I think it should provide the accuracy your need for your 400 yards goals and I also think it will do so in it's original stock. Being of 79 vintage I expect the workmanship in the bedding and inletting to be good the fly in the ointment could be if someone has tried to improve on it in the past and one never knows until one checks .

So I say check the bedding, clean the bore and then give it a test with some ammuniton, try a few different loads and see how it goes then let us know how it goes :) .

Then if you decide to sell it on it's still in collactable condition and you have only lost a bit of time and used soem ammunition but ahve got to shot the rifle so to my mind a win .. win situation .

QuoteDoes this Parker-Hale sound like the right project for me?

thats a tough question for someone else to answer. Sounds though like you are having second thoughts, maybe that means something.

QuoteIs the accuracy potential there?

Would seem that would be hard to tell unless you shoot it at range. Although, I would trust BH, he knows his parker hales!

QuoteOr am I better off to sell it to someone who would want it in it's current condition and find something else to tinker with?

If you have your mind on "tinkering" with something, might as well use that rifle, you already have it and it is paid for.

QuoteAnd I wanted something a little different than the popular (and for good reason) Rem. model 700.

No matter how many times I read that, I just can't wrap my head around it:shy: ! I would of went with the rem 700 in the first place! But, it is not me buying the gun:shy: .
If you decide to "tinker" with this gun, I am interested in seeing your results. And if you are not sure how to go about "tinkering", there are lots of experienced "tinkerers" here that would be glad to help you out! God Bless.

I have 1200c in 300w/m.shoots 11/2"at 200yds with 180gr remington corelokt.hits the lid from a five gallon pail easily at 400+.felt recoil is low as far as I'm concerned. it looks good,shoots good and feels good what more could a guy want except more time to use it? with my somewhat limited ballistics knowledge I'd have to say it won't need much to be a 400yd deer gun,it still is packing a good punch at that distance.

Ahhh thank you noel for chipping in :smiley: I had forgotten that you have a .300 Win Mag Parker-Hale  and you have answered the question yep P-H's are capable of fine  accuracy.

Thanks for the encouraging words.  Here's a picture of the Parker-Hale in question, as well as a feral hog that wandered into a clearing just before dark on the last day of deer season.  He dropped in his tracks.  So far, PH and I are one for one.

Nice going with a very nice looking rifle

Parker hales are nice rifles....something that i fear we will never see the likes of again.

Nice big piggy, give the rest of the story. Did you load that by yourself?
 
Good to see your PH is living up to the reputation

Make sure you have the guard screws torqued properly....50 inch pounds. The 300WM will crack the stock if you don't. I've repaired several. Regards, Rick.

SakoRick,
 
When I bought the rifle, the front guard screw was "torqued" at about .50 inch pounds.  I removed the trigger guard and action to check the stock and, thankfully, no damage.  It was just a matter of (probably a very short) time before splitsville.
 
Now for "the rest of the story" on that hog...
 
It was my final deer hunt of the season.  I was trying to make the most of it, but the last traces of daylight were fading.  Finally, I saw two hogs step into a small clearing about 160yds. away- the first hogs I've seen this year, and I'm no stranger to the river bottoms.  One blended into the background, but the larger one was dark enough to stand out.  I could barely tell head from tail when I shot.  Wow, what a muzzle flash.  And what a great feeling to see that big dark lump exactly where it was when I squeezed the trigger.  The bullet went in behind the left shoulder and exited out the right orbital socket.  There was no exit hole, just (very few) remains of an eye dripping like a tear.
 
If I knew I would be wrestling with this guy, I would have asked Santa for a tommy lift for Christmas.  I field dressed him, and loading was still almost more than I could bear.  I probably grunted more than he did that day.  Adrenaline and divine grace came in handy.
 
He was a "cut" boar, and is proving to be one delicious dude.

Nice going :D  I am assuming that the P-H 1200 is working out OK then .

He was "cut"?!?!
 
How does that happen with "wild" pigs. Does that mean he was an 'escapee'?
 
Talk about good luck! The size of a boar and the taste of a ... well not boar.
 
Paul

Ahhh Gitano,

     I cannot recall where but I saw a post with photos on one site where they went out and caught and "cut" feral hogs to make them bulk up for later hunting. These "loonies" were wrestling these feral pigs then cutting them before letting them go. Nuts if you ask me.

Amazing!
 
Paul