Did Savage No4 go to India?

[brnom2]

I have recently acquired my 3rd No4 and hoped to get some advice - its Savage made, and I have only ever had exposure to English made units, and generally only ex 1960's OZ Fullbore target rifles at that. If my following questions have been covered before can some kind contributor please direct me to where. Anyway its a 1942 Mk 1* serial 29CXXXX, that externally is in very used/abused condition, although the barrel seems very good condition and I suspect was re-barrelled at some stage, before going into storage before I got hold of it (I hope to clean it up a bit and use for service rifle comp) Were Savage No4's ever issued in India? as my rifle seems to bear some work that make me think so. Firstly, It has a "ishy" screw - although there is absolutely no indication of any cracking in the fore wood to warrant it, it appears to have been fitted by bubba's retarded cousin - very rough to say least. Secondly the bedding consists of a roughly fitted sheet metal plate between the 2 rearmost lightning cuts. It has also had the draws replaced, but poorly as one is cracked.

Information

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[browningautorifle]

From what we can gather, #4s were generally issued after the war and where they went was luck of the draw. I believe they were issued everywhere and anywhere. Perhaps Canada and England culled out foreign rifles after WW2's big turn in but that was when things like Israel was needing guns and Suez cranked up...lots of time for rifles to go travelling. That's just two troubled areas. Big marketers like Interarms are responsible for scattering these to the four winds. India using a Savage? Sure, why not?

[Ridolpho]

According to "India's Enfields" by R.W. Reynolds, "Although India never officially adopted the Rifle, No. 4, thousands of these weapons were used in the China-Burma-India theatre of operations during WW2........". He claims "over 100,000 are still on issue today (2000)". He also suggest Savage rifles were acquired in large numbers. As to the "Ishapore screw", I believe I've read posts on this forum that suggest they're not purely an Indian thing. They are, in any case, potentially a very good thing- I have a ratty old No. 5 whose forend was unquestionably saved by the screw after both the draws area and the wood around the front triggerguard screw fell apart. Brnom2- try to post some photos of your rifle.

Ridolpho

[limpetmine]

I have a scrubbed No. 4 Mk1*, which has been remarked with their own numbers. If it weren't a Mk1*, I don't think you could identify what it started life as. It looks to be a Long Branch, but for sure it's taken a spill from the ugly tree.

According to "India's Enfields" by R.W. Reynolds, "Although India never officially adopted the Rifle, No. 4, thousands of these weapons were used in the China-Burma-India theatre of operations during WW2........". He claims "over 100,000 are still on issue today (2000)". He also suggest Savage rifles were acquired in large numbers. As to the "Ishapore screw", I believe I've read posts on this forum that suggest they're not purely an Indian thing. They are, in any case, potentially a very good thing- I have a ratty old No. 5 whose forend was unquestionably saved by the screw after both the draws area and the wood around the front triggerguard screw fell apart. Brnom2- try to post some photos of your rifle.

Ridolpho

[Beerhunter]

During WWII, my father was issued a No.4 in England before he was sent to India/Burma. When he got to India, he was told that he wouldn't need it: "Then they took it off me and gave me a bloody big knife instead!"

[browningautorifle]

Peter has stated the Ishy Screw was an English thing, except the Indian arsenals did way more. Yes, they still have #4s and FNs too, almost any footage you see about them will show a mix of these...

[Beerhunter]

I'd be careful saying the the Indians have FNs. IIRC the India claimed that the rifles that they designed only looked like FN FALs and so they did not owe FN any royalties.

As to Indian No.4s, one often used to see Indian police carrying SMLEs and 2As, I don't recall many, if any No.4s.

[5thBatt]

I'd be careful saying the the Indians have FNs. IIRC the India claimed that the rifles that they designed only looked like FN FALs and so they did not owe FN any royalties.

As to Indian No.4s, one often used to see Indian police carrying SMLEs and 2As, I don't recall many, if any No.4s.

Ishy action - Indian style, part II

[Peter Laidler]

Some amazing photos there 5th Batt! Like that tell us occasionally. They might be nominally non-aligned but they're our only true allies in that area

[5thBatt]

Bonny on GB has done a couple of threads on this & has supplied some good info on Indian use of the LE.
Here's part 1
Ishy Action - Indian style