If you ask JC he will say it is a R because Savage only produced EG's and R's at that time. There is no information on the subject in the logs so we will have to go on what we can see.
War time production was around 11,000 99's in 1941, 1942 and 1945. That is a pretty steady run. Production dropped way down to 2000-3000 range in 1943 and 1944. I think they might have stopped production early 1943 and started again late 1944 vs. just slowing production.
The rifles I have info on with early R forearms are all in the 1942 range. The R/T rifles are in the 1944-1945 range.
Savage only printed one catalog during the war years but I have price sheets from 1942, 1945 and 1946 all showing that they were selling EG's and R/RS'. I couldn't find a 1943 or 1944 price sheet to verify but I would guess the R was in there, also.
I think the R/T was either created using blank T forearms that were on hand or it was the original intended relacement design for the early R. I've seen no R's from 1946-1948 with a couple late 1949 then full production in 1950.
The R/T, or what ever you want to call it, was produced. There are too many to be lunch box rifles. I suggest we just accept them for what they are. This is what's great about the Forum. Without the combined input from the group they would still be just odd ball rifles that eveyone was afraid to own because they were not known to be "factory".
