Help with Savage No4mk1* with 0C0### serial

[Surpmil]

Roger Payne is correct. The rifle in question should have NO YEAR as it is a very late production, likely just before they closed down their No.4 rifle production room line in June 1944. There would be 0C and FIVE numbers after the C. The late Charles R. Stratton covered this in his book “British Enfield Rifles Volume 2 Lee-Enfield No. 4 and No.5 Rifles” “For Collectors Only” page 168. “After 99C, Savage went to an (sic) 0C prefix with a 5-digit number following … highest observed serial number is 0C63036.” (I corrected the error as the books has the letter “O” instead of number “0” shown in both cases before the “C”)

The No.4 Mk.I* made by Stevens-Savage changeover came into production at Stevens-Savage by the 12Cxxxx serial number range. I only track sniper conversion serial numbers, with 12C6308 being the lowest No.4 Mk.I* by Stevens-Savage, so I cannot give a more precise number for the changeover.

I have a 1941 Stevens-Savage, serial number OT820, that was converted to No.4 Mk.I (T) at R.S.A.F. Enfield and has the distinctive R.S.A.F. inspection mark on top of the front scope pad, usually only found on ex-Trials 1931 & 1933 dated rifles converted to No.4 Mk.I (T).

So either done at Enfield or very early H&H work using up parts left over from Enfield's run? I'm inclined to think the former as would the inspector's stamp be put on a pad that was incomplete until screwed and sweated to the rifle body and then machined in situ? Seems much less likely than the stamp indicating the inspector's approval of the fitting and finish machining once on the rifle body.

This might help to explain some of the odd and unfinished early rifles: leftovers from the end of RSAF Enfield's production which were never passed on to H&H for completion, or which H&H perhaps declined to complete for some other reason?