Salvaging my Savage No4 Mk1/3 (F)

[dseder]

Well, hopefully not too destroyed. I want to bring some respect back to this girl -correcting some things her previous owner did.

First - just your standard Savage No4 Mk 1/3, stock cut back and some interesting "modifications". From this angle, she doesn't look too bad.



First, it appears that the barrel has been cut behind the bayonet lugs. I'm fine with that, I believe I should be able to remove this atrocity of a front site and put the original back on. I'm unfamiliar with using solder - is this a type that I can carefully remove with a propane torch? Or definitely a gunsmith in order?



Biggest question/concern, is the bolt head slot - I'm not sure if it has had material removed, or if it wore this way. In some instances the bolt head will bind on this. When I replaced the bolt with another, it seemed to run a lot better. Maybe just get a new bolt head and polish what is there? Could material be added to build this back up?



And just for your entertainment - he even modified the magazine. Obviously this can be replaced



Thanks again for your wisdom!
Don

Information

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[dseder]

I ran across Alan Enfield's post about the Savage and Long Branch having a chamfered bolt head due to this space. It looks like I have the wrong bolt head first of all, so I need to replace this. I don't see a number on the actual bolt head - does this mean it is a "0"? Is there a way to measure these with a micrometer?

[Seaspriter]

Biggest question/concern, is the bolt head slot - I'm not sure if it has had material removed, or if it wore this way

I compared the bolt head slot on your pic with my FTR Savage Mk1/3 (F). It appears there has been some material removed just rear of the slot. There was a thread about a year ago on this problem where a chip from the slot had caused binding. IIRC, the solution suggested was to weld a small bead then grind it down to original specs.

Good luck with the front sight. Did Bubba cut the barrel down too, or is it original length? It looks like the poor imitation of a Parker Hale sight was brazed on, not silver soldered. Brazing is a far higher temperature, closer to welding. I will leave it to the more informed members as to whether you should reheat the muzzle to remove it (possibly warping the barrel) or cut it off and grind the remnants.

Good luck

[Peter Laidler]

Without putting too fine a point on it, the body and barrel of your rifle are finished, knackered, kaput, dead......... The bolt head guide slot is far too far gone to be built up - as is the barrel. I know everyone means well, but you'll need more than good luck. You need a miracle.

[dseder]

When I hear "you'll need a miracle" I hear a new challenge (But I do recognize your experience and know that you are correct)

I did drag out my all original Savage No4 MkI* and sure enough the bolt head was chamfered. It worked beautifully in the action with no binds. With the bolt head in the position to the rear of the slot, the bolt stayed on track nicely. I'm going to get the correct bolt head for this rifle and just baby it until/if it becomes totally irreparable.

Given the state of this barrel - would you all shun me if I played around and made it a "tanker" version?

Anyone like me to send them the magazine for their museum/collection?

[martins8589]

AA "Tanker" version sounds like a great project for the rifle.

[vintage hunter]

I'm going to get the correct bolt head for this rifle

Just chamfer the one you have now with a needle file. There's more to swapping bolt heads than just screwing one off and another on.

[Seaspriter]

would you all shun me if I played around and made it a "tanker" version?

When you've got lemons, make lemonade! Turn this baby into something you can appreciate and is your personal work of art. My "doomed LB sniper reborn" resulted in having a left-over shortened barrel and a messed up receiver that had been attached to the donor barrel. I will be building a tanker carbine out of the remnants. The finished product will be a better result than a pile of parts.

[dseder]

Just chamfer the one you have now with a needle file. There's more to swapping bolt heads than just screwing one off and another on.

I was studying that tonight - I think I can at least try - if it get's mucked up then at least I'm in the same boat, right?

---------- Post added at 11:00 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:58 PM ----------

I was envying that LB sniper - awesome and really enjoyable thread! I look forward to seeing you post your tanker carbine!

[Peter Laidler]

The strange thing about this chamfered bolthead thing is that it doesn't seem to feature in any of our official literature and to be truly honest, I'd never even heard of it until I came onto this forum! You'd have thought that the bible would have pointed it out or the modification instructions might have or the parts list in relation to Ml1* or 1/3 rifles etc etc. But no...., nothing! We could and regularly did repair chipped boltway guides but yours has gone beyond any salvation. Just my opinion of course, based on nothing more than limited experience over a couple of years............... And a chamfered bolthead ain't going to repair it - or make it better either!