“Unissued/New Savage No4?

I have 2 Savage built No4 Mk1* rifles that I acquired long ago.
One has the usual markings plus a British proof stamp and “England” stamped on the receiver. It is in very good condition but obviously has seen some use over the years. The majority of components are marked with the Savage “S”. It doesn’t appear to have ever been FTR’d.
The second rifle is 100% Savage with only the slightest “storage wear”. There are no stamps/markings on it other than what it left the factory with. It appears to be unissued/new. I’m wondering how a rifle produced at the height of the war didn’t get put to use. Any ideas where it was stored away for so many years? Pretty sure I bought it around 1993. The only clue may be the sling, I think it’s original but can’t know for sure. It is marked with 1942, the Savage square S and the Canadian C with broad arrow.

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Originally Posted by Thunderstreak

I have 2 Savage built No4 Mk1* rifles that I acquired long ago.
One has the usual markings plus a British proof stamp and “England” stamped on the receiver. It is in very good condition but obviously has seen some use over the years. The majority of components are marked with the Savage “S”. It doesn’t appear to have ever been FTR’d.
The second rifle is 100% Savage with only the slightest “storage wear”. There are no stamps/markings on it other than what it left the factory with. It appears to be unissued/new. I’m wondering how a rifle produced at the height of the war didn’t get put to use. Any ideas where it was stored away for so many years? Pretty sure I bought it around 1993. The only clue may be the sling, I think it’s original but can’t know for sure. It is marked with 1942, the Savage square S and the Canadian C with broad arrow.

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I have one in the original cardboard shipping box.
I have seen both Savage's and Long Branch No4 rifles consecutively numbered in shipping crates.

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Originally Posted by Thunderstreak

I’m wondering how a rifle produced at the height of the war didn’t get put to use.

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We did lots of #4 rifles over time, bead blasted and parkerized and sold them at various sources. They appear new as yours. You ask how did it not get issued? Odds are it was and used lots. If we did lots of them, we were only one small shop. Lots of guys made old rifles look new. Sounds more like a rifle that's been all matched up, including the sling.

Definitely sounds like a possibility that it was redone at some point. Did you go to the trouble of scrubbing proof marks, replace bolt heads, barrels, etc.? It’s usually pretty easy to see where stamps have been removed/ground off unless a lot of time was spent to conceal the work.

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Originally Posted by Thunderstreak

Did you go to the trouble of scrubbing proof marks, replace bolt heads, barrels, etc.?

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No scrubbing of marks, the bolt heads were done as required and barrels WERE juggled a bit. We had enough stuff to select back then, a few years back. This is where you get parts that have been reparkerized that look new...but are actually WELL used. A bolt head can be done and then lapped on a hard Arkansas stone to give that mirror bolt face. No major dings? Good to go.

I’ll post some pictures later this week. What makes me think this one may be original is the lack of any proof, acceptance or ownership marks other than what was done at Savage.

Minty examples of Savage No.4's do exist. I've had several including one in the original shipping carton. Remember that Savage produced more than most manufacturers combined. Many of the mint condition rifles, both Savage and Long Branch were imported from New Zealand where they were stored unused for decades. There were also Savage rifles imported by Interarms in the early 1990's from South Africa that were in new condition except most had dinged and scratched woodwork from rough handling.

A few pictures of the rifle in question.
Only the original stampings on the metal, no extra acceptance or proof markings.
On the butt socket: serial number, “B” and a poorly stamped flaming bomb.
On the receiver: US PROPERTY and “S No4 MkI*”
Serial numbers on the bolt and magazine.
Savage “S” on all components.
Nothing else!

Sorry, cell phone pics, not the best quality!

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...e9d494_z-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...7c10ea_z-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...84ca22_z-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...4ea98a_z-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...7181d2_z-1.jpg

I have a Savage No.4 Mk1 serial sub-1000, that was set up by H&H but never scoped. After that it apparently went into storage and was never issued.