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November 24, 2023
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A good friend of mine gave me a 1894, it was stamped J.C 17 and has a serial number of 839269. Looking to find as much information as I can about it. I have ordered a few books and waiting for the, to get here when I found this site.
April 15, 2005
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Hello Roger,
Go thank your friend (again) for giving you that Model 1894! You now own what appears to be one of the 1,800 “Spruce Guns”. The serial number identifies it as a March 1916 production Winchester Model 1894. The “J.C. ’17” marking on the bottom of the receiver frame below the serial number identifies it as a U.S. Government purchased “Spruce Gun” (see the attached pictures).
Can you send me pictures of this gun? Does it have any other ordnance markings stamped on the top of the frame ring or in the butt stock?
Bert – [email protected]
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
November 24, 2023
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[Image Can Not Be Found]Awesome! I know very little of these “spruce guns” just what I learned from little researched last night. I am trying to figure out how to post pictures of this gun to the site. Do you have a email I can send them to you at?
March 31, 2009
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Roger, see Bert’s post. He gave you his email.
November 24, 2023
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I see you pr email at the bottom of your reply I just sent two emails with pictures. I will take better pictures tonight when I get home from work.
November 24, 2023
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I would love to find out anything and everything I can about this gun. The history of old firearms really fascinates me. This is the first one I have owned with any real significant history behind it. Thank you for all the info. Is this one that you knew of existing or a new one to the registry?
November 24, 2023
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This 1894 does not have any ordinance or US stamping in the top, not sure if that adds or takes away from it. I will be keeping this gun and passing it on to my kids, but any idea on the value of it? I would like to offer my buddy something for it even though he insisted on giving it to me. He said I appreciated it more then him, it was also given to him years ago.
April 15, 2005
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Roger Bohan said
I would love to find out anything and everything I can about this gun. The history of old firearms really fascinates me. This is the first one I have owned with any real significant history behind it. Thank you for all the info. Is this one that you knew of existing or a new one to the registry?
Roger,
I did not have it documented in my research survey before this morning. Please send the pictures to my email address – [email protected]
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
March 31, 2009
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Roger, send pictures to Bert. He can answer all your questions.
November 24, 2023
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Did you not get my emails? I sent two both with pictures and I will take better ones tonight when I get home. Interested in hearing about the condition of the 1894, and the other markings on it.
my email is [email protected]
June 26, 2013
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Hi Roger,
The Summer 2005 edition of the Winchester Collector magazine (pages 15-20) has an excellent article about the Spruce Guns. See below link.
https://winchestercollector.org/magazines/200506/16/
Don
April 15, 2005
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Roger Bohan said
This 1894 does not have any ordinance or US stamping in the top, not sure if that adds or takes away from it. I will be keeping this gun and passing it on to my kids, but any idea on the value of it? I would like to offer my buddy something for it even though he insisted on giving it to me. He said I appreciated it more then him, it was also given to him years ago.
Most of the “J.C. ’17” marked Spruce Guns do not have the “U S” and flaming ordnance bomb stamped on the top of the frame ring, but many of them do have a “rack” inventor number stamped into the wood of the butt stock (see the attached picture).
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
April 15, 2005
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Roger Bohan said
Did you not get my emails? I sent two both with pictures and I will take better ones tonight when I get home. Interested in hearing about the condition of the 1894, and the other markings on it.my email is [email protected]
I have attached an edited copy of the picture you sent…
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
November 24, 2023
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I will have to ask my friend more questions about the gun, he never shot it and it was given to him years ago. I will look for that number in the stock when I get home and get some better pictures of it to email you. I do not remember seeing a number stamped in the stock but honestly wasn’t really looking there either. Thank you for your help. How many are you up to in the registry so far?
April 15, 2005
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Roger Bohan said
I will have to ask my friend more questions about the gun, he never shot it and it was given to him years ago. I will look for that number in the stock when I get home and get some better pictures of it to email you. I do not remember seeing a number stamped in the stock but honestly wasn’t really looking there either. Thank you for your help. How many are you up to in the registry so far?
Your Spruce Gun brings the total to (281) that have been documented thus far.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
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