Savage No.4 (t)

[Micheal Doyne]

It's a real No4MkI(T) which has been centre bedded - that's likely the source of the Fulton's markings.

In it's previous life, it was a target rifle, probably Service Rifle "A"

On early guns pads were NOT staked.


No that is a standard inspectors marking which is found on all? Savage No4 rifles.

I would like to see better pictures of the rings, but I think they are Roger's.

that is very interesting regarding the t there being normal for a savage, I have not see that mentioned before.

I also think it is one of Roger's early mounts, here is the photo that made me think it was....

Attachment 112408

[GeeRam]

Interesting would you put a top shooter plus scope at £3.5, I was rather assuming top shooter was about £1000 so with scope, and pads I was assuming £2,500.

Repro/replica 4T are now in the £2-2.5k range if sold by a dealer, and a un-messed with miss-matched real 4T without any accessories is in the £3.5-4k range now if its an OK shooter, so this is in realty somewhere between the two. For someone that wants good shooter but not a replica, this is ideal, especially if they want something to compete with. Its worth more than £2.5k IMHO, and is certainly worth £3k......but how much more than £3k depends as ever on how much someone wants exactly what this is.

---------- Post added at 09:51 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:43 AM ----------

It's a real No4MkI(T) which has been centre bedded - that's likely the source of the Fulton's markings.

In it's previous life, it was a target rifle, probably Service Rifle "A"

On early guns pads were NOT staked.

I think this is most likely what happened.
Post war it lost its scope and bracket, and ended up at Fulton's and was modded for Service Rifle comps (surely it would be Service Rifle B though if centre bedded and regulated by Fultons as SR A would be stock military spec...?) It probably was fitted with a PH aperture sight as well?
Someone has then later acquired a bracket and scope and removed the PH sights and refitted the scope.

[Micheal Doyne]

would any one happen to know when Roger made his first serise of mounts?

---------- Post added at 04:56 AM ---------- Previous post was at 04:55 AM ----------

would any one happen to know when Roger made his first serise of mounts?

Yes it would be SR B with that bedding.

[Roger Payne]

Morning chaps. Sorry, I'm a bit late.
I would agree with Lee Enfield, Gee Ram & others. It is a genuine Savage Mk1 4T. Whilst one can't be absolutely certain, I would have expected such an early rifle to more than likely have exited the factory when new with a six groove barrel, so the replacement barrel may reflect a rifle that had a hard service life & was carried out by the military, but could just as easily have been done by the trade. The bolt body is the original matching body. The wood looks original too, & certainly looks like birch, though extensively sanded & altered to the centre-bedding configuration. It does look to have a target shooting history, although PH5c type sights usually foul the rear pad, so I'm not clear what the sighting arrangements would have been..........not that it really matters to Michael.

The bracket is indeed from one of my earlier batches & is likely one I sold to another dealer as I have not cleaned up, bead blasted, parkerised & suncorited the surface. It appears to have been painted over the rough cast finish, just as I get them back from the machinist. Incidentally, I started getting them made during the winter of 1989/90. I think the first sales were in early 1990. I note as well that the tie plate at the back of the forend has been replaced by a long slender bolt. This seems to be quite common on target shooting 'tuned' No4's. It is also of course a feature of the hung trigger, although I doubt it is here, & is probably just a target shooting mod.

Another potential factor I would consider, & I know that one can't read too much on precise bolt head lengths judging by the number stamped on it, but the number is very roughly indicative of a progression in length. You have the original bolt body in that rifle, yet someone has had to fit a '3' bolt head to get it to headspace satisfactorily. It may mean that you have a limited scope for further increments if it is already, or at some point approaches, headspace limits. One can often get round this by finding a more generously proportioned bolt body, but in doing so one ruins the originality......Just a thought.

It's worth what you can get it for, but I think it is a little dear at 4k bearing in mind its issues. It is a real one, but it may need rebolting in the not too distant future, the wood is buggered about with, the scope is honest but a mis-match, & the bracket is a repro. I would have thought 3k to 3k+ was nearer the mark........but that's just my tuppence worth.

[Micheal Doyne]

Cheers all for your input! I have decided to make the guy an offer, which is rather below his asking price. I have a suspicion it will be to low, but I will let you know how it goes.
All the best

[Micheal Doyne]

Well it’s mine, once we have completed the paperwork.

[snipershot1944]

Good for you. They tend to multiply. Make some room in the gun safe.

[Surpmil]

Black light in a dark room might show what the original scope number on the "thinned" wrist was.

The crossbolt with a strip of wood instead of the tieplate is taken from the Model C trials rifle I believe.

One has to wonder what the point was, given that there was no gap or slot to permit the bolt to actually pull the sides of the forend in, as there is on the Mk2 & 2/1 rifles.

[Roger Payne]

You mean it's about as much use a tXXs on a fish?!?%

[Micheal Doyne]

Interesting, I assume Fulton fitted it as part of the the regulation. I have no idea what is going on in the lower fore-stock as I don’t intend on taking it off at least until I’ve shot it, and even then not unless I have reason.

Thanks Surpmill, I will give that a try. You can make the numbers out a bit better in the flesh, they look like 8461, 9461 or 2461....

Additionally there is a chest with it which I am test to see and only found out about after agreeing to buy it , apparently it is “falling to bits” but who knows maybe a label survives..

Out of interest do we think the lower fore stock is original?

The wood has been varnished, and is now a trifle chipped in places, leaving dry patches. I personally don’t like varnished wood.

I assume the wood in service would have just been oiled as per normal and the varnish is a post service addition. Assuming that to be the case and given the varnish is comming away and exposing rather dry wood I would like to strip it back. However I done what to remove more of the markings, thoughts?