Probable Service information about a Savage No 4 MK 1*

[Brian Dick]

I'll happily chime in and say that I stick to my observation that the US Property stamp has been removed. The US ordnance bomb acceptance stamp was also standard. I've seen a few in 30 years from new in the carton to shagged out junk. They were all marked starting at 0C1. It's just a bog standard Savage that's been neatly reworked IMHO. The original Dulite blue was not too durable so almost all that saw service with the UK and Commonwealth got refinished post WWII providing they saw substantial usage. I have one here now that was a "lunch box" variant with no serial numbers and in minty condition that also sports the US Property stamp. I'd guess that the bodies were marked before they were breeched up and finished. An interesting observation is that the bodies were sandblasted first so many think they are Parkerized as the Dulite takes on a greyish color when applied on a sandblasted surface. The finish on the original .303 Savage barrels has a very light polish and if you take a look at the barreled body of an original rifle there is a distinct contrast in the colors between the body and barrel but it's the same Dulite blue finish. Having examined hundreds, I'm also looking for the walnut stocked variants which we've been told many times do exist but they don't! All of the Savage woodwork I've examined over many years is good old birch.