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Parker-Hale: How Britain Lost One of Its Greatest Gunmakers

Forgotten British Gunmakers

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Parker-Hale was once one of Britain's most influential firearms manufacturers, supplying rifle accessories, sporting rifles, and military shooting equipment around the world.

In this video, we explore the rise of Parker-Hale, its impact on the British firearms industry, and the factors that led to its decline. From Birmingham's gun-making heritage to international recognition, this is the story of a forgotten gun empire.

Topics covered:
• Parker-Hale history
• British firearms industry
• Birmingham gun makers
• Sporting rifle manufacturing
• Rise and fall of Parker-Hale
• Forgotten British companies

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#ParkerHale #BritishHistory #FirearmsHistory

20 Comments

@philipinchina 3 months ago

The UK government has wanted to get rid of private shooting for decades. It's like the death of the thousand cuts.

@WWIIValor-v2c 2 months ago

Excellent documentary! I really appreciated how it showed that Parker-Hale's story wasn't just about losing a military contract—it was about the gradual disappearance of generations of craftsmanship and institutional knowledge. The way you connected Birmingham's Gun Quarter, Olympic competition, military precision, and industrial decline made this one of the most compelling firearms history documentaries I've watched.

@Reddustdiaries 2 months ago

I’m 61 a professional Roo Shooter ..my Dad passed in 2001 ..I still have his safari 243 …..he bought it when I was 14 …I won’t part with it ..

@StephenHall-zx1um 2 months ago

Heartbreaking!
All our rifle and gun manufacturers gone! We were the best in the world at Arms development!

@henrihattingh5165 3 months ago

I had the Safari de lux 30.06 and hunted for more than 20yrs with it

@nevillewalker6299 2 months ago

I was very fortunate as a team member in a 20 man police sniper unit in the UK and my rfile was a Parker Hale. It was still shooting better than I could after 14yrs. I also had two PH sporting rifles for deer stalking and they were the same. Visited the factory a number of times. Huge loss when it all went to ########

@Michael-hm8cs 2 months ago

Politicians and bureaucrats screw everything up

@papajoecooking4425 2 months ago

I’m a 70 yr old male. 1975 my dad gifted me a new Parker-Hale .308 win. made in Midland England. It has been a tac driver since day one. I’ve gotten wild hairs over the year keeping up with my hunting buddies their new optics. No mater the brand scope it still groups tight! I’ll pass it on to my grandson! Thanks to dad and Parker-Hale for my deer hunting harvesting!

@garthharris8721 3 months ago

Can’t go past the early Super Safari or super Delux from the early 60s, have a super Safari in 30/06, just love PH rifles

@adamparker9765 2 months ago

If the military had of known at the time that Accuracy International was just two blokes in a garage with one working rifle slapped together from parts of several incomplete rifles , Accuracy international would never have got the contract.

@stephenland9361 3 months ago

I have one Parker-Hale rifle, the 1200 Super-Clip in .243 Win. Flawless controlled round feed, decent walnut, good chequering, a really good adjustable trigger and all for a good price. It's been my go-to deer rifle for the past 35 years. A very acceptable one MOA with my 100 gr. Nosler Partition handloads and moderate recoil make it an excellent hunting rifle.

@beachcomberbob3496 3 months ago

This sad history is shameful. Another British industry destroyed by government legislation.

@MilitaryCommentary-j2y 1 month ago

Around 1985, the story takes a fascinating turn: “Parker Hale’s Model 85 had met the specification. It had not won the contract.” I find this especially striking because it shows how technical excellence alone doesn’t always determine which company survives; procurement decisions, investment, and institutional support can matter just as much. Do you think Parker Hale could have remained a major British manufacturer if the Model 85 had won the UK military contract?

@Adrian_3006 2 months ago (edited)

Own several sporters, some catalogs from 60s and 70s, and a PH range score book with PH pencil still in the spine. Only centerfire I would really like to see now is a African Magnum which I haven't seen here in New Zealand. Such a shame they closed down. All the kit they produced was incredible back in the day! 😢

@darticulate8751 3 months ago

Welcome to all our real Traitors….our governments both laborious and Con-servative !

@warptoad5168 3 months ago

Forgot mine had a hammer forged barrel same has the CZ. I think my Ruger has a button rifled barrel. Parker Hale barrels were advertised has hammer forged in the late 80's on. They said that 1.5 inches was guaranteed at 100 yards. Not good enough nowadays.

@Byebyebye22-mv3xh 3 months ago

I still hunt a Parker Hale in 30-06 and it's a total tacl driver to 300 yards. It's a lot like me - old but still wonderful....😊

@пырпыр-с6г 2 months ago

its nice video, ill do something like this one day

@steveschainost7590 2 months ago

No mention of Parker-Hale's foray into re-creating the 1858 Enfield rifles. They used the original gages preserved in the Tower of London to re-create the originals, not just build replicas.

@RussellTaylor-n5y 2 months ago

I had many a smith and Wesson revolver from Parker Hale back in the 1980's and early 1990's. It is typical of this nation that succesive governments want to destroy and control every aspect of life. Gun crime is now out of control and yet guns are so heavily restricted to the general public but criminals do not go that route which makes it laughable.