Savage No4 Mk1* manufactured pre DDay

[browningautorifle]

Manufactured pre DDay and in good shape, I'm posting a friend's rifle for some feedback. He's asking if it's original finish on this Savage arms #4...It looks like it to me. Some of you may remember seeing this rifle already.

[Alan de Enfield]

it looks to me like the tie-strap across the rear of the forend is either broken off, falling out the other side, or missing completely.

[tiriaq]

The tie strap rivet seems to be missing.
Savage production ran from 1941 until the summer of 1944, with over a million rifles being manufactured. This is the 955,680th rifle made. Certainly 1944 production, probably pre D-Day, if that matters.

[browningautorifle]

the tie-strap

Yes sir it does. Noted.

probably pre D-Day,

Thank you.

Do either of you want to comment on the finish? Parkerizing should be correct finish for this particular one?

[Garandrew]

The tie strap rivet seems to be missing.
Savage production ran from 1941 until the summer of 1944, with over a million rifles being manufactured. This is the 955,680th rifle made. Certainly 1944 production, probably pre D-Day, if that matters.

I bought a pin in the UK hopefully easy to fix?

[CINDERS]

Top front fore wood has moved forward contacting the front sight protective ears block.
I think there was a mod to put a center punch dint on the rear of the band so it went into the slot of the top wood and would only move till it contacted the end of that, me I just used a very thin bit of cork under the top of the band or you could use shim stock as I did not like the idea of dinting the band.
The flaming bomb on the receiver is interesting pretty sure my two 1942 No.4 Savages have not got that on them, it appears to have a correct gap at the wrist socket to butt.
PL said the 303 rifle butt's are a wedge type fit and if you have no gap then the recoil will eventually start chipping the wrist where it contacts the socket.
Has the think its Marzak(?) butt plate same as my No.4's which is pretty standard.

Only thing I'd do is put an adjustable singer sight on it as the 300 yard opening is for use with the bayonet attached if not attached it is a 400 yard zero, the adjustable rear sight makes it far more useable on the range they are fairly cheap as well.
A nice looking rifle the "0" bolt head is a good start as well still it may pay to H/S it.

[browningautorifle]

I think there was a mod to put a center punch dint on the rear of the band so it went into the slot of the top wood

A bit of a "V" actually. Yes, I've seen those.

The flaming bomb on the receiver is interesting pretty sure my two 1942 No.4 Savages have not got that on them

You should have a look again and see...

[BurtonP]

The metalwork finish looks slightly odd to me, but with the amount of wear that's accrued over the top I'm guessing it's original.

[Brian Dick]

Savage No.4s were finished at the factory with Dulite blue. The body can be deceiving since they were sandblasted giving the finish on the body a Parkerized look. You can tell PDQ by looking at the barrel finish under the handguards. If it's got a very slight polish to it, the finish is original. If the barrel is Parkerized, then it's an obvious refinish. It's hard to tell in the pictures. The metal appears to be Parkerized but I could be wrong.

[browningautorifle]

The metal appears to be Parkerized

Me too.