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Spruce Gun Archival Materials
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May 23, 2025 - 4:52 am
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Here are a few specific documents I found while digging through Spruce Production Division archives in Seattle. The discussion about broken parts and being “nearly obsolete” is amusing, as was the quiet ordering of new parts. Note the replacement with Krags in the fall of 1918 in preparation for training men with a manual of arms more suitable for overseas duty. Also note the purchase of several hundred thousand additional rounds of 30-30 in early 1918. Screenshot_20250522-213045.pngImage EnlargerScreenshot_20250522-213100.pngImage EnlargerScreenshot_20250522-213130.pngImage EnlargerScreenshot_20250522-213149.pngImage EnlargerScreenshot_20250522-213207.pngImage EnlargerScreenshot_20250522-213236.pngImage Enlarger

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May 23, 2025 - 6:12 am
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Those are great finds in the archives.  Thanks for posting them! Cool

Bert

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May 23, 2025 - 3:08 pm
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Bert H. said
Those are great finds in the archives.  Thanks for posting them! Cool

Bert

  

I second that!  Very cool.

Don

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May 26, 2025 - 4:37 pm
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Thanks guys. I keep hoping to find serial number records, but never do, but there are so many cool things to see in those files it makes up for it. Plus I’m almost certain any records are going to be buried in College Park NARA with either Vancouver Ordnance Officer records, or possibly with Benicia Arsenal. There are also sales records of Division property at Seattle I’m going to tackle soon, but that’s a long slog through logging equipment and such. 

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May 26, 2025 - 5:11 pm
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Not sure if you knew this, but the old Loyal Legion of Loggers and Lumbermen union hall located in Portland has been converted to the Loyal Legion Beer Hall.  Click on the link below and scroll through the photos and you’ll see a photo of the original metal sign that used to hang on the outside of the building.  My wife and I stumbled across it by accident when we went there for lunch one day and saw the sign on the wall above the booth we were seated at.  Sure would love to have that sign…

Don

https://loyallegionbeerhall.com/portland/#slide0

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May 26, 2025 - 5:25 pm
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It’s been on my list to visit next time I’m in Portland for awhile. Next month I’m going to Eugene to go through General Disque’s papers but won’t have time to stop. 

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May 26, 2025 - 6:48 pm
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openwire said
Thanks guys. I keep hoping to find serial number records, but never do, but there are so many cool things to see in those files it makes up for it. Plus I’m almost certain any records are going to be buried in College Park NARA with either Vancouver Ordnance Officer records, or possibly with Benicia Arsenal. There are also sales records of Division property at Seattle I’m going to tackle soon, but that’s a long slog through logging equipment and such. 

The lack of serial number records is one of the primary reasons why I have so diligently surveyed them.  Currently I have (291) confirmed Spruce Guns documented in the survey (as well as (34) confirmed or suspected fake Spruce Guns).  If you ever do find an inventory list of the Spruce Division arms, that would be awesome!

Bert

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May 27, 2025 - 2:26 am
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I talked with Bert earlier today, and mentioned some additional Spruce Winchester documents I hadn’t uploaded I’m adding here, mostly ordnance returns at Vancouver. This should settle the question of if the JC 17 guns were part the 1800 though, as they only list 1800 guns in inventory. There is also a telegram requesting some rifles be sent to a logging camp (I have no other context) and some largely self explanatory discussions about armed guards with revolvers elsewhere 

 

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May 27, 2025 - 5:49 am
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Which one of the documents lists or shows the “1,800” number ?

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May 27, 2025 - 6:57 pm
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Bert H. said
Which one of the documents lists or shows the “1,800” number ?

Bert

  

One I apparently forgot to upload from my phone because I missed it. Screenshot_20250526-185306.pngImage Enlarger

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May 27, 2025 - 8:11 pm
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openwire said

Bert H. said

Which one of the documents lists or shows the “1,800” number ?

Bert

  

One I apparently forgot to upload from my phone because I missed it. Screenshot_20250526-185306.pngImage Enlarger

  

Please send a copy of the photo file to me via email – [email protected]

Bert

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May 27, 2025 - 8:14 pm
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Done. Hopefully this weekend I can pull all my correspondence together from multiple trips to NARA that mention the Winchesters and have a single folder. I’ve just not done it yet. 

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May 28, 2025 - 1:27 am
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deerhunter said
Not sure if you knew this, but the old Loyal Legion of Loggers and Lumbermen union hall located in Portland has been converted to the Loyal Legion Beer Hall.  Click on the link below and scroll through the photos and you’ll see a photo of the original metal sign that used to hang on the outside of the building.  My wife and I stumbled across it by accident when we went there for lunch one day and saw the sign on the wall above the booth we were seated at.  Sure would love to have that sign…

Don

https://loyallegionbeerhall.com/portland/#slide0

  

Quite the bourbon selection, some we don’t see in these parts. May not be a good time to be a logger but it’s a great time to be a bourbon afficianado.

 

Mike

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May 28, 2025 - 4:43 pm
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Seems there are a lot of craft distillers everywhere.  I had to try one while in Greeley.  Even Jack Daniels makes some for export only.  On one of my trips there one of the workers who collects the bottles gave me quite a complete history on the various bottles he had collected. 

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