US property restoration

[Montgomery]

Recently, I found a no 4 US PROPERTY sporterized. Eveyrhing is find on it and nothing have been disturb less the wood wich have been cut. No rust, piting and blue is very acceptable. I plan (in the few months) to put it back to its original configuration. Good idea? I know almost nothing about the lend lease during the years 1941 to 1943. Should I try to found Savage forend and hand guard?

Thanks for your help!

Information

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[Brian Dick]

Restore it to British MoD specification with Parkerizing and paint. Many British rifles had the U.S. Property stamp linished clean during FTR. I just restored one here and I'm heading on the range to test fire it today now that it finally stopped raining and the sun's out.

[HOOKED ON HISTORY]

I'm heading on the range to test fire it today now that it finally stopped raining and the sun's out.

Glad for that I was just before loading my children(read rifles) onto the ark (read my boat) but we got a reprieve.

[Brian Dick]

It's windy so drying out PDQ but I still had to don the Bean boots on my range which is in a fairly low spot.

[Sunray]

"...Many British rifles had the U.S. Property stamp..." When the Savage contract ended, all remaining rifles, parts and machinery was shipped to Canadian Arsenals - Longbranch. The rifles were subsequently issued to CF units. Had one on my MIU long ago.
Problem with restoring milsurps is that there are no stock sets left by any maker. Finding a Savage stock will be expensive and difficult. However, try Western Gun Parts then Gunparts Corp, Stateside.

[Brian Dick]

Sarco has Savage No.4 wood sets.

[Peter Laidler]

Sorry to be contradictory Brian, but I have to say that I have never seen the US property marks removed from a UK FTR rifle. I'd say that the FTR programme would have done them all - or none! I'd also think that it would be prohibited for us to hide that marking.........

[mrclark303]

Thats an interesting wider point Peter ...
Considering we only fairly recently finished paying our war debt to the US, I wonder what the official position was regarding the Savage "US Property" No4's?

We paid on the good old 'never ever' for a very long time!

[bigduke6]

Interesting point John, I remember walking out of the Birmingham International many years ago, with a brand new US PROPERTY marked No4 (deactivated) don't know where they come from but where mint condition..... never issued for sure, date would be around 2000-2002. Dealer was shifting quite a few at the time.

[mrclark303]

I don't think they converted too many Savage No4's to MK2 (No4 1/3).

Lend lease ... Now there's an interesting anorak subject.

Some items like Jeeps, C47's etc seemed to remain in use. Other aircraft, Coastal Command Liberators, B17's, plus tactical air force Mustangs and Thunderbolts etc were removed from service very quickly.

Quite a few scrapped here in the UK and the Far East, rather than flown back to the US.

What about the Thompsons, I know we purchased our 1928A1's directly, but the M1A1's were all lease.

Thousands of Lend Lease Garands went straight to store, looks like a lot of Savage No4's did too Geoff.