A Decent Savage Mk.I

These have always been among my favorites and a challenge to find. I think this one has seen more being bashed about than being fired. It has a beautiful 5 groove mirror bore and the grey finish is almost completely intact, less the bands and other small bits I've neglected. Could definitely use a little wool and oil in some areas. Wondering if the LB cocking piece was changed out later...

Perhaps some folks can post some pics of more Savage Mk.I's ?

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I like that a 1942 rifle with 42 as the last two digits in the serial cool as.

Congrats on taking such nice pictures, Spike.

I think I like All these rifles!

Would a 1942 originally have had the pressed sight guard? I have a 1943 and it has the milled type. (Mk 1*)
Thanks for showing it!

Richard.

Hello Richard, and Thanks!

I have a 2C Mk.I also and it has a stamped sight guard. I am not aware of Savage having produced the milled front sight guard and as far as I know, they were the only manufacturers of the stamped/pressed guard. Check for any markings on yours that may tell who made it.

One of my ongoing restoration projects is 0C469.

You know my views Spike........ There's something about a rifle that's a bit battered and care-worn when you see an armoury full of them. It speaks volumes and does it matter if something ain't 'factory'. I bet the user didn't care when he was using it in some sticky situation sat in a water filled ditch somewhere.

And hey.......! Something I always wanted to ask...... Will you put up that nice pic of you shooting the Thompson gun so I can use it as a screen saver for a few months - when Alpaca Andy's half track comes down!

Nice Rifle Spike/David
Thanks for all the pics. Nice to see the original color too.

With the FR (Factory Repair IIRC) on the stock, inevitably something was changed that needed more than a simple field repair. Have you determined what was repaired?

I have a 1944 Savage/Stevens with FR on the butt stock (with Inspector's initials and the date 12 - 44 stamped underneath the initials) -- it now sports a American walnut stock (so evidently the birch original was replaced) and a replaced bolt (from a 1943 Savage/Stevens). Probably a good assumption it was post-D-Day rifle that got whacked in battle.
https://www.milsurps.com/vbpgimage.p...5&d=1441062502
Note the repair in lower right corner of the pic -- seems to indicate this butt stock came off another rifle that had been damaged. Just as Capt. Laidler tells us: Armourers just grabbed the next good (used) part in the bin, fitted it to the rifle being repaired, and moved on to the next one.

Question: did any of the factories set up a remote facility in France after the D-Day invasion to do "Factory Repair" on the continental side of the channel, or was everything shipped back to the UK for repairs?

It would have been many months....., I'd say 6 months or so, before a large base type workshop facility would have been established somewhere rear of the front line. Probably in an existing captured Wermacht workshop facility. In fact the old very large Base workshop used by the Canadian and British Army at Wetter was a former German Army tank workshops. In fact it retained most of the old/elderly craftsmen as its first employees.

That rifle looks like it's had a rather large ding routed out and replaced with an inletted piece of wood. Yep, patched a few like that, especially Brens!

Seaspriter... I suspect the bolt head and cocking piece but I couldn't say for sure. Everything else looks as it should and is correct. I noticed in the close up of the bolt head that the extractor spring end is broken... I guess I should replace it but I'll bet it works fine as is.

Peter... I will have a look on my old hard drives for the photo your asking about.

Dave, Are you sure the barrel isn't a six groove? If it's a five groove, It's likely been replaced. Savage only made six and two groove barrels. Your 7Cxxxx rifle is early enough that it may still retain an original six groove barrel. My 6Cxxxx Mk.1 rifle still has one. The grey finish on the body is Dulite blue over sandblast prep as original.