A.G._and_A.J. & A.G. Parker Companies and Parker-Hale

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A.G and A.J. PARKER, PARKER-HALE and "PARKERIFLING"
See also the Parker-Hale CMT rifles , the Parker-Hale Targetscope , the Parker-Hale Dewar rifles and Service Rifle Target Sights

This tube sleeving system was developed by Alfred G. Parker & Co. Ltd., and marketed under the "Parkerifling" tradename early in the Twentieth Century - certainly prior to 1910. The Company was born more than twenty years earlier, in 1880. The firm initially traded from premises in Icknield Street, Birmingham and was joined by Arthur T.C. Hale, who was manager by 1910, around which time they moved to Whittal Street. This address became that of the famous "Bisley Works" subsequently stamped on so many of the company's products. The product range became most comprehensive and included all mannner of especially built target service rifles, sights and ancillaries, imported and other British manufacturers' rifles, cleaning and maintenance paraphernalia, TARGETRY , ammunition and, of course, Parkerifling. A.T.C. Hale became a director at some point prior to 1925. A.G. Parker's son Alfred J. Parker was also working in the business by the latter half of the century's first decade. By 1910, young Alfred was designing aperture sights for the firm and performing remarkably at Bisley with a 'Long' Lee-Enfield fitted with one of his own sights. Alfred served in Belgium and France in the First World War and survived, (unlike John Tippins - son of Luke (L.R.) Tippins , a contemporary armourer himself a fine shot), to return to the family business. Prior to 1928, Alfred left to set up his own company; Alfred J. Parker & Co. Ltd. For many years until recently (the business closed late in 2007), the business was at the "Armoury Works" in Moseley Road on the outskirts of Birmingham city. It was previously at Bath Street Old Schools in Birmingham (the company was still at Bath Street in 1956, but had moved to Moseley Road by the mid Sixties). Here he produced the first Twin Zero rear aperture sight - a folding version. Around 1930, Arthur Hale's involvement with A.G. Parker had reached a significance which led to the change of company name to Parker-Hale; so it has remained to this day. It seems that there must have been some distancing between A.G. Parker and his son and, although their product ranges were quite similar, many identical items were separately named where probably bought in. Alfred offered an equivalent barrel re-lining service for small-bore rifles but, whilst his father's refurbished barrels were stamped on the crown

"PARKERIFLED A.G.P.", .........................Alfred's stampings were simply " RIFLED BY ALFD. J. PARKER".

To the right is an image of the muzzle crown stamping.

The section through the olive used at the muzzle can just be defined.

The A.G.P. Parkerifling acquired a superb reputation for accuracy, entirely well founded. The quality of the sleeves was such that the claim of improved grouping over some new rifles was not unwarranted. Even now, rifles refurbished in this way half a century ago will perform to a high standard, such was the quality of steel and workmanship. A tired barrel could be brought back to very useful life with a significant saving over the cost of a total replacement.

Alongside is an image of a sales display

cutaway of a Parkerifled barrel.

The sleeving joint can be clearly seen.

The company advertisements often carried remarkable testimonials to their workmanship and the success of their rifling system. Copies of such advertisements published over the forty years between 1925 and 1965 are shown below. They make fascinating reading.

This image