U.S. Military guns......

[RM Vivas]

Here some photos of my Spruce Gun along with some photos of the Spruce Soldiers. I have a couple books that are about these soldiers as well.

In the one photo you can see the US and flaming bomb on the receiver

There are quite a few fakes out there, but I believe of the 1800 or so that were shipped to these fellas, about 210 or so have surfaced so far.

To my knowledge, the current keepers of the Spruce Gun list are Bert Hartman and Rick Hill of the WACA

I am not heavily involved on WACA so not sure if they have the same info or it was passed along to them??





















I have a large number of these LLLL (Loyal Legion of Loggers and Lumbermen) pins around.....

Both of my 94's lack the US stamping and Ord logo, but have the JC '17 stamp which I see is absent on yours.

Different contracts/shipments?

I'll have to dig out the photos I have and put them here.

Best,
RM Vivas

 

[AJ]

I collected M1 Carbines. Had one of every manufacturer. The M1A1's were the real deals. Down to one now, my Uncle bought it for $20.00 in the 60's.

 

[Narragansett]

Thanks for posting Tom.

I only have one Winchester M1917 from back in the day when they could be ordered for 8.00 delivered.

The M97 trench gun is nice. I have a riot gun

As for Johnson Automatics, I worked for an electrical contractor in the 70's. Our shop was directly across the street from Johnson's old plant. I did a fair amount of work in that plant. You could go to the back of the building and kick around in the sand and find spent 06 shells from testing

 

[RM Vivas]

I have two M1894 SRC .30WCF carbines.


Neither is stamped with a U.S. nor an Ordnance logo.


They are both stamped J.C. ’17 above the serial numbers. The two I have are #839404 and 836508.

I received a call from a friend of mine who had an antique store that someone had brought in an old 94 and when I went to look at it, it too was stamped J.C. ’17. We were unable to make a deal for it, but I was able to shoot images. I was gun #836529. Interestingly, it had a number stamped on top of the stock.

I did go through my files and came across several pages of correspondence between Carl Heinrich, Bruce Canfield, Franklin Mallory and a couple other fellows trying to pin down to origin of the Spruce carbines. Eventually they got it figured out!

Best,
RM Vivas

 

[THREEDFLYER]

Those guns are all in the proper serial number range to be spruce Guns however, you really need to make sure that Bert Hartman at the Winchester collectors has those numbers and can give you positive verification. He’s the keeper of records currently on surviving Spruce Guns if you need his contact, let me know.

 

[Dvus]

I love the smell of old military guns in the morning...at the range. I have picked up a few here and there and shoot them all.
Colt SAA Cavalry from 1875
Colt SAA "Artillery" from 1882
S&W 1875 Schofield first model converted to "Express Gun"
Colt M1911 from 1918 (100% original, never "re-arsenaled")
1943 S.A. M1 Garand (original)
1945 S.A. M1 Garand (correct)
1945 S.A. M1 Garand (CMP refurb)
1955 HRA M1 Garand (original)
1956 IHC M1 Garand (original)
1942 S.A. M1 Garand (National Match)
1944 WRA M1 Garand (ceremonial rifle, nickel plated)
WRA M1 Garand (original) still looking for!

 

[cruiserdan]

1939 Gas Trap M1 Garand.

 

[THREEDFLYER]

Robert,

Bert Hartman tells me that all of the J. C. '17 guns you have shown are already on his Spruce Gun survivor list....he was wondering if you might be kind enough to email me a copy of your list so he can compare notes???

Also, anyone interesting in the Winchester Spruce Guns or any Winchester might want to check out the WACA forum....and possibly become a member!!

Forum | Winchester CollectorWinchester Collector

 

[luvsmiths]

I love the smell of old military guns in the morning...at the range. I have picked up a few here and there and shoot them all.

1943 S.A. M1 Garand (original)
1942 S.A. M1 Garand (National Match)
1944 WRA M1 Garand (ceremonial rifle, nickel plated)

Would love to see them all, but these specifically!

 

[AJ]

This belongs to a friend.........

 

[cruiserdan]

1943 M1903A4 Remington.

 

[cruiserdan]

Original configuration National Postal Meter M1 carbine. Very few carbines escaped post war upgrade/rebuild.

 

[THREEDFLYER]

I owned several M1 Carbines in the past but have only my National Postal Meter at the moment. And if memory is good it is in original condition.

I purchased this a while back from another SWCA member and he picked it up back in 1967 in New York for $65.00

He also purchased the 1911 WWI pistol that I purchased from him in the Seattle area back in 1964 for $45.00 and it is also in original condition.

 

[cruiserdan]

I owned several M1 Carbines in the past but have only my National Postal Meter at the moment. And if memory is good it is in original condition.

I purchased this a while back from another SWCA member and he picked it up back in 1967 in New York for $65.00

He also purchased the 1911 WWI pistol that I purchased from him in the Seattle area back in 1964 for $45.00 and it is also in original condition.

Your NPM has been through a post war rebuild/upgrade. It has the adjustable rear sight and bayonet lug. It probably also has a rotary safety. I can't tell for sure about the safety from your photo. It may also have a 4-rivet handguard.

Original carbines have a 2 position rear flip sight (like an M16A1 or SP1 Colt AR15), a 2 rivet handguard, a pushbutton safety and no bayonet lug.

 

[THREEDFLYER]

Your NPM has been through a post war rebuild. It has the adjustable rear sight and bayonet lug. It probably also has a rotary safety. I can't tell for sure about the safety from your photo. It may also have a 4-rivet handguard.

Original carbines have a 2 position rear flip sight, a 2 rivet handguard, a pushbutton safety and no bayonet lug.

Copy that, I wish I could get a few more at that $65 price!

Another friend told me that he remembers the Post Office would have surplus guns for sale and you could buy a 1911 or 1911A1 for about $25 each.

 

[cruiserdan]

Copy that, I wish I could get a few more at that $65 price!

Another friend told me that he remembers the Post Office would have surplus guns for sale and you could buy a 1911 or 1911A1 for about $25 each.

The DCM and NRA had screamer deals after the war on some cool stuff. A guy could buy a minty-fresh 1903A3 for about 20 bucks in the 1950s. I have one of those that my father-in-law got back then. It is literally brand new.

 

[Ματθιας]

I have a couple of US marked Remington 11s. One is a "Sportsman" aerial trainer with a Cutts compensator/choke. The other is a non numbers matching Remington 11 riot with factory 20in barrel.

There was a US marked Savage 720 that I missed in an LGS - I waited too long.

 

[NewLiberty]

I had the privilege of attending on the the CMP's Advanced Maintenance Courses for the M1 Garand last month. The course is taught by their custom shop gunsmiths, and you build up a Garand during the course.

This is a 1943 Springfield Armory receiver, with a mix of other parts and new barrel/stock set. So, limited collector value, but it was hitting the black at the 600 yard line down at the CMP Talladega range.

 

[AJ]

I had the privilege of attending on the the CMP's Advanced Maintenance Courses for the M1 Garand last month. The course is taught by their custom shop gunsmiths, and you build up a Garand during the course.

This is a 1943 Springfield Armory receiver, with a mix of other parts and new barrel/stock set. So, limited collector value, but it was hitting the black at the 600 yard line down at the CMP Talladega range.

Nice looking rifle. Still worth $1000+.

 

[Jebus35745]

Nice stash of guns Tom, you certainly know which ones to buy. Good thread also.

AJ, your friend has a bunch of guns in that room. Larry