A few accurizing questions about a Savage No4 mk1*

[cthulhudarren]

I have a Savage Enfield No4 Mk1* from '43 (or '44 depends on who you ask) serial 60C and it is in very good condition. I have recently been on an accurizing kick, but don't want to bubba the rifle. I have a few questions that I have not seen addressed (have the 2012 accurizing book by Roger Wadham) and would like to ask here.

I've been paying close attention to the fore-end, and normally it does not have any space between it and the wrist face. But if I strongly push the fore-end towards the muzzle while it is fitted but not screwed in, it moves a very slight amount. The draws appear to be in good shape, but would it be a good idea to perhaps put a very thin brass shim in the draws to push the fore-end into more solid contact with both the receiver lugs AND the wrist face?

Also, the metal cross strap on the fore-end is recessed a bit from the butt surface of the fore-end. So there is a slight gap there, can I and should I shim the strap with aluminum so that it is flush with the butt surface?

Third, the fore-end cut out for the safety is not sufficient for the safety to not touch the fore-end at all. Should I sand the fore-end cut out for the safety so that there is no contact between the safety and the fore-end?

Thanks!

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[Peter Laidler]

If you can push the fore-end back and forth the draws are worn. The only repair sanctioned by the UK MIlitary for this is to cut out, patch and refit them - carefully. There is a detailed illustrated description of how to do this.

The tie strap at the rear of the fore-end can be recessed. It is just a tie strap and nothing else.

You could scrape a small sliver of the fore-end away to clear the safety catch/locking bolt spring if it is worrying you unduly.

We don't do a lot of packing out with coke can shims or other things like credit card plastic packing on this particular forum although I understand that other forums do encourage these 'repairs'

[Seaspriter]

Savage Enfield No4 Mk1* from '43 (or '44 depends on who you ask) serial 60C

Your Savage Enfield was produced about June, 1943. You can date a Savage Enfield to within a month based on these extrapolated production dates:

Jan 42 0C3800
Feb 42 1C1500
Mar 42 2C5000
Apr 42 6C4500
May 42 10C0000
Jun 42 13C4500
Jul 42 17C1000
Aug 42 20C7500
Sep 42 24C4000
Oct 42 28C0500
Nov 42 31C7000
Dec 42 35C3500
Jan 43 39C0000
Feb 43 43C6500
Mar 43 46C6500
Apr 43 49C9500
May 43 53C6000
Jun 43 57C2500
Jul 43 60C9000
Aug 43 64C5500
Sept 43 68C2000
Oct 43 72C8500
Nov 43 76C5000
Dec 43 80C0000
Jan 44 84C5000
Feb 44 89C0000
Mar 44 93C5000
Apr 44 97C5000
May44 0C50000
Jun 44 0C63000

Robert