Savage Arms .303

[morph007]

Hello all,

As I'm a huge Savage Arms fan and I have a .303 slot open I've been on the look out for a good quality WW2 Savage Arms .303 lend/lease rifle. Unfortunately there's not
many out there, but I wondering if anybody has any experience of these particular Enfield variants.

As it's going to be my first .303 I'm wondering if anybody could give me some advise on what to look out for.

Thanks,
M

[bnz41]

Found a few for sale from the expensive to the cheap beaten up. You have a pm.

[Gaz]

Just like any other No.4 Enfield, really. Obviously the "US PROPERTY" stamp is unique. The Mk.1* variants are less fiddly than the Mk.1s thanks to the deletion of the bolt head release catch, but other than that it's just another .303.

Watch out for splodges of red paint on the locking lug housing inside the receiver, on the left-hand side. Or the marking "ZF" painted anywhere on the rifle. Either is fatal (rifle condemned in service, in the case of the red paint because of worn locking lugs, or for ZF it's an armourer's "beyond local repair - return to factory" marking) as is the lettering "DP" painted or stamped anywhere (rifle condemned to drill purpose use only). Not safe to fire if marking present.

If you ignore the ignorant Americans on this forum link and only read the bits quoted from Peter Laidler you won't go wrong. http://forums.gunboards.com/showthread. ... ith-a-clue

[ovenpaa]

Peter Laidler, yes I do recall asking a question regarding the No32 Mk1 transition to MOA drums and his reply was 'buy my book' so I did, only to find it did not answer my question. Good marketing ploy I guess.

[rufrdr]

Ignorant American chiming in here...the Savage was a quality build and if in good shape is equal to any #4 production rifle. I prefer the Mk1 to the Mk1* because I've been reading of more action failures from the bolt head cutout chipping and allowing the bolt head to pop out of the slot. The designer of the * modification probably never considered that the rifles would still be in use so many decades after production. I've owned but one Savage Mk1, the rest have been Mk1*s and all have been fine rifles. Near unissued Savage #4s still turn up here in the States although the number being found is dropping off. I bought one from Interarms way back in the mid 70s with NZ markings, unissued and only test fired. I took care of that in short order!