The serial numbers at Savage started at 0C1 and went to 99C9999 before changing over to 0C00001 as stated above by PL. The rifles in my collection range from from 0C37 (rifle #37 - 1941 No4 MkI) to 0C54632 (rifle #1,054,632 - 1944 No4 MkI* - near the end of production) and they are all marked US PROPERTY. A member of this forum owns 0C1 and I have seen pictures of it and it is also marked US PROPERTY. I obviously have not seen all 1.2 million +/- rifles made by Savage, but I do know that the first rifle off of the line (0C1) to one of the last to come off of the line (0C54632) were all marked US PROPERTY.