22LB mag in a 1942 Savage No4 Mk1*

[Stigmata]

The buttstock currently on your rifle is of British manufacture.

Thanks David. I had some suspicions with the buttstock as it had no Stevens/Savage markings on it like the rest of the wood. I guess I have something else to look for at the gunshows this year. At least the sling swivel is S marked.

[Peter Laidler]

On a personal note, as an Armourer as opposed to a concourse collector type car enthusiast I wouldn't let something like a butt by a different maker worry me. Probably done by an Armourer somewhere in the world changing the original medium butt for a smaller/longer one. Picked up the first one off the shelf, tried it, good tight fit in the socket taper. A good whack with the rawhide mallet, see where it is tight on the taper, adjust with the rasp, fit again, get it dead right with a file, make good, adjust the gap and then tighten up. Fit butt plate, adjust edges and off you go

As I often say, probably monthly, in all my time on the bench as an Armourer, starting as an apprentice in 1963, I never, ever saw an Armourer go into a box or tray of spare parts with a view to selecting certain manufacturers markings etc etc. One MIGHT have of course, but I missed it if he did........ Just my view of course

[SpikeDD]

Peter, I agree. In your line of work, there would have been no way you could have been even slightly anal. I can't imagine an armorer bent over a parts bin digging for a correctly marked part. Although, I would have liked to have been a fly on the wall during an inquiry from a supervisor of production observing said armorer doing that.

Anyway, we anal collectors have the luxury of doing these things, if so desired, yes, I am one of them, but I wholeheartedly understand your position on the matter.

[Peter Laidler]

I only say these things tongue in cheek Spike - as people expect now. But it highlights a serious point which is this. We often read of collectors collecting up all, say, BSA parts for their BSA made No5 or No1 rifle for example. But when they have made it up, I bet the same are telling ohers that it's all identical, matching factory parts and as-factory new. Nothing could be further from the truth. It's certainly not original whatever choice of words they care to put on it. Just one of my hobby horses.

To be truly honest, when it came to the old No2 .38" pistol, we really did have to look for manufacturers parts, believe me! The notion that AM parts were going to make your life easy if you were rebuilding 10 Enfield made revolvers was destined to make a bad day worse! And vice-verca.......

[Stigmata]

I am definetly heeding your words of wisdom Peter and am doing my best to "preserve" rather than "restore" this No.4. This rifle hung over a wood stove for a lot of its existance which dried out the wood but fortunately did not crack it. Following some of the fine posts in this forum, I lightly cleaned and applied linseed oil to the stock as directed. I prefer to keep the honest dings and scrapes as this is the character of a war-time firearm. The metal was in great shape with only light corrosion.

Besides the .22 magazine installed, the rifle appears to be in its original configuration as it would have been when it was retired from service.

[stencollector]

It's a C No.7Mk.1 .22 trainer magazine case with a regular .303 follower installed. The trainer magazine had a special single loading ramp follower with a hole at the rear for the spent cases to fall into the case. Other than that and the 22 marking, the mags are identical.

Not exactly the same. The mags manufactured/modified for the Cno7 have the front ears cut back so the ramp fits up between them. I'm not certain the Cno7 mag bodies will work if the platform is changed to .303. I also note a slight difference in the rear right ear, but it could just be a manufacturer's difference.

[SpikeDD]

I am definitely heeding your words of wisdom Peter and am doing my best to "preserve" rather than "restore" this No.4. This rifle hung over a wood stove for a lot of its existence which dried out the wood but fortunately did not crack it. Following some of the fine posts in this forum, I lightly cleaned and applied linseed oil to the stock as directed. I prefer to keep the honest dings and scrapes as this is the character of a war-time firearm. The metal was in great shape with only light corrosion.

Besides the .22 magazine installed, the rifle appears to be in its original configuration as it would have been when it was retired from service.

I also do the same, in regard to Peter, and he is right about particular parts being collected up to "restore" a rifle that may have very well left the hands of it's last armorer that way. In most cases, it's impossible to tell what parts a rifle left a factory with on it's last visit. I've been extremely particular about the rifles I've collected over the last 25 years and apart from a couple of sporter rifles I bought and restored, I haven't had to many instances where I felt the need to change a rifles parts to "correctly" match. That's not to say that I wouldn't but I would use the knowledge acquired over many years to make an educated decision about it. I have been guilty of changing some handguards and buttstocks for a better color match along with a few bands hear and there but I wouldn't consider myself a "serial" restorer.

[Brian Dick]

Right you are stencollector. The rounded feed lips are squared off slightly to allow the loading platform to spring up in alignment to the chamber. A small observation I didn't notice before. Thanks for that.

[breakeyp]

There is a fellow at the Michigan shows selling .22 marked No.4 cases with normal No.4 followers installed. I will ask him next time I see him if he put them together or they came that way.

I was able to talk with the man selling .22 No.4 magazine cases with .303 followers/spring at a show today. He confirmed that he bought the cases without followers and added the followers from another source.

[Stigmata]

I was able to talk with the man selling .22 No.4 magazine cases with .303 followers/spring at a show today. He confirmed that he bought the cases without followers and added the followers from another source.

Thanks breakeyp. I wonder where the .22 followers went.