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Military Firearm Restoration Corner

Parker-Hale Steel?


ken98k

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I'm getting ready for final assembly of an target rifle I've been building on a Parker-Hale sniper receiver and I'm wondering if I should send the receiver off for heat treatment? It's a quasi-mauser style receiver but I don't know if it is supposed to heat treated like a standard mauser.

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Well, I was able to contact Val Forgett and this was his reply regarding a similar but unfinished casting presently on Gun Broker;

 

"These were made by Yeovil Precision Casting in England out of EN9, they have not been hardened and would need to be."

I tried a small file on couple inconspicuous spots on the receiver and was able to cut, so it's off to the metal processor for this receiver.

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There is a reason I suggested letting some one with a hardness testor test the reciever. A file has a hardness of 52-60 on the rockwell C scale and will cut a receiver with a safe hardness

Thanks, I did not know that!

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Your welcome ken98k.

 

Most of the receivers are tested on the flat area where the mag/trigger guard sets near the front ring. Some older testers need the area tested to be highly polished to get a good test reading. {think like mirror finish)

 

I once read PO Ackley believed a Mauser receiver was safe to build a rifle with if it tested 25 or better on the "C" scale.

 

Now personally that's pretty soft. But a lot of modern firearm receivers have a hardness of 30-40 on the "C" scale.

 

4140 pre-hard has a hardness of 28-34 on the "C" scale. I once heard of a company that made a 700 Remington clone with an advertised hardness of 32-34 on the "C" scale.

 

I hope everything works out

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I have Dunlaps book but I have read others give different numbers that's why I posted 30-40 on the C scale. Old shotguns are soft compared to to modern guns

While heat treating is becoming better most hardness ranges given are based on a certain Application.

 

Example most 4140 pre-hard steel that has a range of 28-34 on the "C" scale is considered the same within that application.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I doubt there is anywhere in alaska that I can get this thing tested so I'm going to send a couple of them to blachards.

I've been watching a show called "Wild West Alaska" It's about Wild West guns in Anchorage. Jim West is the owner and he is building his own lever gun, and they do a lot of custom work. I'd think that they would likely have one.

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  • 1 month later...

Is there any Big machine shops near you? A big machine shop that does pump work should have a hardness tester.

 

If not Is there a company that turns/grinds crankshafts or builds up crankshafts. Contact them they should have a hardness tester

 

Have to be careful going that route. Years ago a business acquaintance ran a machine shop specializing in rebuilding automotive heads. One day as he opened his shop he was greeted by two ATF agents. He was caught with his pants down as he had two D&T jobs sitting overnight on his drill press. He got off easy as ATF gave him a warning and left him an application for a gunsmithing license. A machine shop might be a bit fearful of working on a receiver without proper licensing.

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I don't think there is a problem with working on firearms as long as the owner is there with the firearm. If they are left overnight the must be recorded in your bound book. that's where non-ffl shops run into problems.

 

I finally found a testing lab that primarily inspects welds but they were able to test it.

The machine they used put a very small diamond shaped mark on the receiver and then they measure the mark to determine the hardness. The receiver in question is 40 Rockwell.

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I don't think there is a problem with working on firearms as long as the owner is there with the firearm. If they are left overnight the must be recorded in your bound book. that's where non-ffl shops run into problems.

 

I believe you're right about being left over night.. He claimed he was just doing some work for friends but ATF made a big deal over the receivers being there overnight. ATF wouldn't reveal the source of the complaint but he was pretty sure it was a former disgruntled employee turned competitor.

 

There was a similar case that made the rounds on local talk radio. A Phoenix leather shop mostly involved with shoe repair but also made custom holsters was raided Ninja style by an ATF Swat Team. ATF got involved after the place was burglarized and two local detectives had their pistols stolen. The detectives believing it was an inside job. Accused the owner and an employee of the theft likely put ATF up to it.

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