.

I know a gunsmith in Boise, Idaho, who is very good at that type repair.

Post your serial number( first four digits and XX) You may have one of 1800 94s issued to troops at Ft. Vancouver for guard duty during WWl.

.

 

Serial # for 94

The first 4 numbers for the 94 are ~~~8493XX. Any information is greatly welcomed.

Ronin

 

.

Your gun's serial number is within the group purchased by the army about 1917 and issued to troops on the west coast. Most aircraft of the time were made of Spruce wood from the Spruce forest of the area along the coast so the wood was vital to the war effort. Several Army units were given the duty of guarding the spruce forest. All military firearms were being shipped to Europe to support the war so the Army purchased 1800 Winchester Models 94 in 30-30 cal to arm the spruce forest guards. These Winchesters have become known as the "Spruce Guns" because they were issued to the spruce forest guards.

Enjoy your unusual Winchester.

.

 

I'd ceratainly look into the costs for a repair from a competent gunsmith. The NRA magazine had a good article two months ago on the 94's purchased by the Government. Never made it into combat, and as noted above were given the name Spruce Guns because the men carrying them were patrolling the Pacific Northwest forests from bud guys who might set fires to destroy that asset.

 

One of those US marked 94s recently sold on the west coast for $1800. A carbine in average condition, for a "Spruce gun". Your gun is worth repair but it must be done correctly or it's worthless.

.

 

Give Alan Harton a holler. From what I hear, he's pretty awesome on the welding/refinishing. There are some pics somewhere of a Colt he did, where he welded to fill in the pits, and it looks new.

 

Give Alan Harton a holler. From what I hear, he's pretty awesome on the welding/refinishing. There are some pics somewhere of a Colt he did, where he welded to fill in the pits, and it looks new.

Why do you think we have ever heard of Alan Harton?

.

 

Well, I'm assuming you've heard of google, and a simple websearch would find his site.

 

.

I found his webb site,.....under construction. Found Mr. Quinn's webb site, GunBlast.com, he has a glowing report on Mr. Harton. So now I know.

.

 

I think the spruce guns have the little" flaming bomb" stamp also,"us" stamp could mean several different things.

 

I don't understand your post, what are you talking about?

.

 

Ditto. What you talkin' 'bout, Willis?

 

Spruce Guns

I assume you know the winchester army ordinance stamp that is a little flaming bomb?I read at the winchester collectors site that the guns that were sent to the west coast to secure the work of the lumbermen cutting spruce all had that mark.

 

.

Did you read the rest of this thread? Yes, they were all marked with the ordinance stamp and "US", all 1800 of them, even mine and the one Ronin has.

.

 

yes I read it but I didn't see where the ordinance stamp was mentioned and when you said you didn't understand my reply i thought you might not be familiar with it. The guns were not sent to "Guard the spruce forest" the were sent to the signal corp to keep the peace with the lumberjacks that were rebelling for shorter days and a dollar a day more pay but you probably knew that.Doesn't sound like much to ask for such hard work does it. What I was getting at is that some low life dealers stamp carbines with the "US" and try to pass them off as spruce guns but the ordinance stamp is harder to fake.i believe Madris mentions this in his book.

 

[URL="http://

[/URL]

Looks like this.

 

cool thanks for the pic,I wonder how many are left around out there in someone's closet?

 

.

Razor,

you are correct, however, part of the signal's duty was indeed to guard the spruce forest to prevent saboteurs from burning the forest. Yes logger rebellion was part of it but protection of the forest was the main objective.
Those rifles are out there somewhere, all 1799 of them.

.

 

I live on the North Olympic Peninsula and sometimes hike remnants of the railroad built by the Spruce Division. The commander of the division was skilled at human relations and saw to it that the loggers had improved working conditions, the companies made reasonable profits and the government got their spruce. The soldiers worked side by side with the loggers and earned their wages. This is deer and elk country and I have to believe that these Winchesters put meat in the mess hall. Whenever I'm at a gunshow or gunshop I always look at the well used saddle ring 1894's. I showed mine to two local dealers who never noticed the markings or didn't know what they meant until I showed them. These were sold surplus after WWI and most were probably treated hard after the war. Mine had soft wood where the tang mates with the buttstock. I coated the mating areas with about ten or so layers of Krazy Glue and it soaked in and built up a hard layer and now the stock fits solid without over tightening the tang screw. The glue dries hard and clear and doesn't look like a repair. I figure the markings about double the value. I have seen obvious fakes on Gunbroker though. I hope to find another one.

 

That's amazing,what better rifles to put meat on the table and help with national security. I thought I read somewhere that it wasn't until the last few years that the history of these guns was documented.I'd sure like to find one.I'm new to this forum site but sure do like chatting with fellow winchester lovers.

 

.

I am looking for another one for a fellow collector, so if anyone has two many of these guns let me know.

There is a good article on the history of these gun on the Winchester collector forum by our WACA president Rick Hill, a collector himself. For more info go to this link.

http://www.winchestercollector.org/guns/w-mil.shtml

I did a google search on Winchester spruce guns and google gave my own post on this forum. How is that for search engine failure?

Grins,

Jim
.

 

Contact Mike Hunter of Hunter Restorations.

 

Hello All,
Nice to see your posts and would like to share some interesting info on a gun I have. I have a Winchester 94 # 839412 with the flaming bomb and US markings and I grew up near Ocean Shores of Washington, about 20 miles from where the soldiers were protecting or keeping the peace of the loggers of the spruce. It has been in my family as long as I can remember as I had to prove myself in the safety to my dad deer hunting when I was about 8, working from a pellet gun, 22 cal to the 30-30 and eventually being able to carry the 30-30 on my own, and eventually manning my own stump. Always saw the markings and my dad said that this gun was used up near Pacific Beach with the military back in WW 1 There used to be a Naval Base there as I can remember... Hard to believe someone would try and duplicate the true history of these 1800 rifles. Thanks

 

That is why I love lurking on this site, I am constantly learning something new. Thanks and keep up the good work.

 

I have been a collector and researcher of antique guns, knives and ammo for 45 years now and I would like to offer some advice. Have a copitent quyalified gunsmith do the work but PLEASE for the sake of history, DONT restore or rebuid or refinish this historic gun. Leave the scratchs, dents, dings, and abrasions. These are this guns service stripes. Every mark can tell a story. If refinished all the history has be removed forever. Take pride in the inperfections as you own a rifle that has been there, done that and got the scars to prove it. Then get an accurate written history of this gun.