Enfield-Rifles.com Homepage
Forum Home Forum Home > Enfields > Enfield Rifles
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed - No.4 rifle -Property of USA?
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Events   Register Register  Login Login

No.4 rifle -Property of USA?

 Post Reply Post Reply
Author
Message
Hammer View Drop Down
Newbie
Newbie
Avatar

Joined: November 17 2025
Location: Hampshire
Status: Offline
Points: 4
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Hammer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: No.4 rifle -Property of USA?
    Posted: November 17 2025 at 1:24am
Good day all.    Can you help with the potential story behind this rifle?
Not mine but owned by a friend.   Outwardly a standard No.4 and in excellent condition.   Except that is marked Property of the USA on the body of the action.   And has the No.4T cheek rest fitted.    No scope, a previous owner has fitted a side mounted BSA micrometer sight.
My theory is one of a batch of No.4T transferred to the USA for them to fit their own scopes and use as sniper rifles?
I would appreciate your views.

Thanks.

Back to Top
Shamu View Drop Down
Admin Group
Admin Group
Avatar
Logo Designer / Donating Member

Joined: April 25 2007
Location: MD, USA.
Status: Offline
Points: 20510
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Shamu Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 17 2025 at 11:37am
 Does it have the scope mountig pads on the left side receiver wall?
Very simple! Either a U.S made (Savage), or Canadian made (long branch) rifle that was set up to be a sniper, but probably never mated to a scope. You can tell which from the letter in the serial number!
 "C" was Chicopee falls, Mass made by Savage-Stevens.
"L"  by Long Branch Arsenal, Ontario, Canada.

The "U.S. PROPERTY" marking was a political boondoggle allowing neutral American made weapons to be "Lend/Leased" to the U.K. without violating The Neutrality act!

"Lend-Lease, formally the Lend-Lease Act and introduced as An Act to Promote the Defense of the United States (Pub. L. 77–11, H.R. 1776, 55 Stat. 31, enacted March 11, 1941),[1][2] was a policy under which the United States supplied the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, France, the Republic of China, and other Allied nations of the Second World War with food, oil, and materiel between 1941 and 1945. The aid was given free of charge on the basis that such help was essential for the defense of the United States.[2]

The Lend-Lease Act was signed into law on March 11, 1941, and ended on September 20, 1945. A total of $50.1 billion (equivalent to $690 billion in 2024 when accounting for inflation) worth of supplies was shipped, or 17% of the total war expenditures of the U.S.[3] In all, $31.4 billion went to the United Kingdom, $11.3 billion to the Soviet Union, $3.2 billion to France, $1.6 billion to China, and the remaining $2.6 billion to other Allies. Roosevelt's top foreign policy advisor Harry Hopkins had effective control over Lend-Lease, making sure it was in alignment with Roosevelt's foreign policy goals.[4]

Materiel delivered under the act was supplied at no cost, to be used until returned or destroyed. In practice, most equipment was destroyed, although some hardware (such as ships) was returned after the war. Supplies that arrived after the termination date were sold to the United Kingdom at a large discount for £1.075 billion, using long-term loans from the United States, which were finally repaid in 2006. Similarly, the Soviet Union repaid $722 million in 1971, with the remainder of the debt written off."

Don't shoot till you see the whites of their thighs. (Unofficial motto of the Royal Air Force)
Back to Top
Zed View Drop Down
Special Member
Special Member
Avatar
Donating Member

Joined: May 01 2012
Location: France
Status: Offline
Points: 6460
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Zed Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 17 2025 at 11:57am
It could just be a lend lease rifle that was returned to the USA, and had a cheek riser and dioptre rear sight fitted for target shooting.
If it was a No4T rifle, it would be marked as such and, as Shamu mentioned, it should have fittings for the scope bracket.
Some photos of the markings and both sides of the receiver would be helpful.
It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice!
Back to Top
DisasterDog View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: February 21 2025
Location: Brewery
Status: Offline
Points: 256
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote DisasterDog Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 17 2025 at 1:06pm
Many Savage (T) rifles were never fitted for the scopes themselves, but had the bases mounted.  This one sounds like just a standard No.4 that someone added the riser to, to go along with the diopter.
Back to Top
Hammer View Drop Down
Newbie
Newbie
Avatar

Joined: November 17 2025
Location: Hampshire
Status: Offline
Points: 4
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Hammer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 18 2025 at 5:43am
Thanks all.    No, no scope pads.   I would go with post service fitting of cheek rest, myself.  But wasn't aware No.4's were manufactured in the USA.  Should it have Savage markings?
Back to Top
Shamu View Drop Down
Admin Group
Admin Group
Avatar
Logo Designer / Donating Member

Joined: April 25 2007
Location: MD, USA.
Status: Offline
Points: 20510
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Shamu Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 18 2025 at 8:11am
The most obvious one woiuld be the serial number with the #C#### serial number format. There may well be "square "S" marking stamps, looks almost like a number "5"
Don't shoot till you see the whites of their thighs. (Unofficial motto of the Royal Air Force)
Back to Top
DisasterDog View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: February 21 2025
Location: Brewery
Status: Offline
Points: 256
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote DisasterDog Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 18 2025 at 9:09am
Savage actually made more No.4s than any other manufacturer.
Back to Top
Hammer View Drop Down
Newbie
Newbie
Avatar

Joined: November 17 2025
Location: Hampshire
Status: Offline
Points: 4
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Hammer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 18 2025 at 10:01am
Thanks all.   Problem solved.  I will pass it on to the owner.

Peter.
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Forum Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 12.07
Copyright ©2001-2024 Web Wiz Ltd.