US Savage No 4 T Rifle……………….(F 957) Reserved.

An interesting No 4 T Variant by Savage for 1942

Just when you think you know all the signs for identifying a certain rifle beyond all doubt, something else comes along which debunks all the rules.  This is that rifle; there is no doubt that this rifle went through the early stages of selection and preparation for the sought after mark.  After one has established the basics with this rifle, the depth of research deepens.  You have to explore further within the story of their evolution to piece together what MAY have been this rifle’s particular path.  Then you can only guess at joining the evidence together to produce a viable explanation.  One thing is certain; all the elements that make up a No 4 (T) are here, its just what order they arrived together and why? That becomes more of a mystery than the norm.  However, the Savage Sniper story is subtly different to the others’ more conventional history.  Savage No 4(T)’s didn’t always collect the same markings and indisputable pointers that the others did. And then, some of them did !

So where to start; Lets look at the basics.  The rifle is a Savage “US PROPERTY” example with a “C” within the serial number.  All the standard parts have matching serial numbers.  The wrist socket, the bolt and the magazine. Serial number being; “OC4335.”   The rifle is chambered in .303 with a matching, detachable, box magazine which takes ten rounds.  Good used patina with high edge wear on all the metal components.  The standard hard enamel “Suncorite” paint, is typically chipped scratched and generally worn over all the surfaces.  While we are talking condition, the woodwork is exactly as it should be, with the correct degree of damage and darkening of patina in all the inaccessible areas.  No attempts to “restore” have assaulted this rifle since the day it was issued.  There is an armoury repair in the top of the buttstock, which would have happened back in the day.  Cheek piece attached with the correct woodscrews and a serious darkening in those inaccessible places where skin oil and grease come together with general grime and form that unmistakable darkening of the surface. (Which we all cherish so !) Fluted handguard, grey metal butt-plate with trap.  Correct leather period sling attached (would not recommend using as will finally come to pieces)  Extra sling swivel mounted on front of trigger guard, WD arrow marked.

The rifle: Of correct specification for No 4(T) donor rifle.  Built by Savage of the USA as part of the Lend Lease program.  Correctly only Mk I rifles were ever selected for sniper conversion.  The sidewall of the action is marked; ” S No4 Mk I / 1942.”  However, and this is one of the strangest things about this rifle there is no “T” which was the last things done at Holland and Holland during the conversion; when the scopes were mounted on the rifle.  As a result of close inspection, I am sure these scope pads were put on at Hollands and have remained undisturbed ever since. Pads show their original stake marks on the three screws fixings on the front pad.  The front pad obscures the “US PROPERTY” marking on the top angled flat of the action wall.  The LHS of the wrist socket is marked with the serial number “OC4335  / F.T.R. / US Flaming Bomb / T R”  The T R was applied during the Sniper conversion process.  Here lies the second anomaly; on the RHS of the action towards the front of the bolt travel you should usually find a small “S” stamped into the small raised flat just above the woodwork line – this is absent.  In the great book of rules this is an absolute must for a genuine conversion, as is the “T”!  So what do we have here?  The work carried out as part of the conversion is definitely armoury work?  It is known that some Savage examples only went so far through the process and then went into storage in cases marked “Without Scope”.  The rifle was selected because it had a five groove bore. Five groove bores out of Savage were unusual.  Yet it is also known that all the Savage T rifles were early serial numbers and all were Mk I’s.  This fits that criteria.  It is also known that very few Savage converted No 4 s actually entered active service during the war and were put into storage and later issued or sold to foreign powers.  This rifle also has the word “ENGLAND”  on the right of the receiver ring – that might help back up the later part of the known information on this particular piece.

There is one other interesting addition to this outfit that might point to later service and that is the scope and bracket.  The scope is itself unusual.  On first appearances one could be forgiven for thinking it is one of the reproduction scopes of late.  In that, it has a smooth black eggshell type finish to the paint.  However read the markings and they say the following: “TEL. SIGHTING / NO 32 Mk II/I / O S.(1650 A)  – struck through. 1400 / 1944 No 15641 / FR(W) 8 – 48”  After the 1400 there should be the letters GA  but it is suspected that they are covered by the top half of the rings.  This then points to the fact that this is a re-worked MkII and we even have the date – August 1948.  Optics are good with original pattern reticule, not the mis-produced reproduction pattern.  Also reassuringly, as with all genuine scopes there is a small amount of debris around the outside of the image.  It is supposed that this rifle was brought out of stores after the war and sent to a foreign power and it was then that it was united with this scope.  A slight spanner in the works then is the fact that the top of the wrist has two other scope numbers stamped into it!  Its at this point that I stop guessing; I have presented the evidence of what lies before me!  These rifles have had such an interesting history, there are all sorts of possibilities as to its origins but I feel certain that the armoury work is original and correct.  The cast iron mount is correctly rough cast, with the 1 inch fixing wheels that have the dimples in the centre which are usually a sign of Canadian build!  The mount has two serial numbers stamped into the outside – one of them is correct the other, non-matching but struck through.

Savage rear sight.  As per the norm with a No 4 T the rear aperture sight has been armoury modified.  The short range battle aperture has been removed and then re-blued.  This was not done aftermarket, as the bluing would be spread over the whole area, in this case it is very specifically the place where the battle sight was mounted.  Then the second armoury modification was dishing the underside of the sight so as to allow the bolt head to be withdrawn without removing the sight.  Once again after the removal it has been finished in the same way.  There are other inspection marks and arrows on the wood work in various place but most interestingly there is a name carved into the RHS of the stock, below the action.  Could it be that a soldier either named his rifle after his girlfriend or someone he met whilst in Theatre.  In the correct light and at the right angle the name “YVETTE” is visible.  An it was put on there a long time ago as it is beneath the patina spoken of before.  Perhaps a romantic link to occupied France….who knows?

A very interesting and quite rare version of the famous and now highly collectible version of the No’ 4 (T) ready to take a place in any serious military rifle collection. Good bore – original barrel.  Mechanically fine.  This could be one of the “partially converted ” which were never paired with scopes until much later on.

Stock No’ F 957

£ 5995. (Reserved)

Scout Sniper Telescope available at:

By Sword and Musket » Telescope Scout Regiment Mk II S

 

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