Dating a Savage

[30Three]

Gents, could anyone help me work out the approximate production date for a Savage No4mk1* serial number 97C85XX.
Thanks in advance.

Information

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[limpetmine]

1944. Late year.

[82Trooper]

I went thru this process a few years ago with my own Savage model. Mine was a South African re-import.
Along with my serial #, it was marked "1942" on the wrist socket. My quest was to confirm that 1942 was the manufacture date
I could not find a single comprehensive on-line resource that spelled out the dates, so I read everything I could find.

Not pretending to be an expert on any level, but here is what I learned, and believe to be accurate....
Savage produced rifles under the Lend- Lease program from July 22, 1941 until June 22, 1944.
The serial numbers began with a 0C1XXX.
The C stands for "Chicopee Falls"..where Savage was located.
If you remove the "C", you get the sequential, numerical number for your particular piece.
Yours is #9785XX. This makes it the 978,500th piece produced by Savage.
For reference, in approximately April, 1944 Savage hit the 1 millionth mark for production. At this point, there are 5 digits after the "C ".
(The actual one millionth Savage was presented to Brig. General Guy Drewry 18 May 1944.)
The last Savage was produced 22 June 1944.
While an inexact process, I would believe that your number indicates either a late 1943 or early 1944 production date.
Maybe others can chime in to verify (or dispute!) my thought process.
I hope this was helpful.
Mike

[breakeyp]

A minor correction: The first production Savage is serial number 0C1 as it sets in my gun cabinet.

[82Trooper]

I corrected my original post.
And the fact that you are in possession of that rifle is incredible.
Thanks.

[Roger Payne]

I dated one or two rough & ready girls in my youth.......real savages.....!


Addendum: FWIW I'd go with very early 1944, too. As they only marked them with the year of mfr & not both month & year, & had anyway stopped during 1943, it'll always be a bit of a guesstimate, working back from production figures. It would fit in nicely with para-dropping in the run up to D-day.

[CINDERS]

So others may benefit in relation to Savage production figures on the No.4 & 5 Rifle productions No.'s whilst not gospel and always subject to new information it will give some an idea of when their rifle was possibly made;

1941 ~ 0C (a)
1942 ~ 0C to 40C
1943 ~ 40C to 84C (b)
1944 ~ 90C to 0C6xxxx (c) (d)

a. Savage production during 1941 was only a few thousand rifles.
b. Rifles in this number range are not dated. It is assumed they were made during 1943.
c. After 99C, Savage went to a 0C prefix with a 5-digit number following.
d. Production ceased in mid-1944; highest serial number is 0C63036.

Like said there is always something out there to be discovered about wartime production and vagareties so it pays to keep an open mind but this will help copied from Strattons book on the No.4 & No.5 rifles 2nd Edition Revised.

[30Three]

Thanks Gent's. this rifle does not have a date stamp on the wrist. But going by your information; and 3years production at around 27.500 rifles a month. I estimate that it's probably Feb/March 1944.
This rifle belong's to a friend of mine. It does not show any sold out of service or civilian proof's. I suspect it may be one of the thousand's of rifles dropped to the French resistance; but unfortunately we do not know any of it's history, so that's speculation only. But would explain the lack of marking's.

[Bob Womack]

Chocolate and flowers as usual, but handled with a chainmail glove.


Bob

[gravityfan]

A minor correction: The first production Savage is serial number 0C1 as it sets in my gun cabinet.

OMG. 0C1. What condition is it? Any chance of some photos, I'd love to see it.