Manufactured in 1916 with the standard two-line address/patent date, nickel steel, and caliber marking on the barrel. The three-line model and trademark information is on the upper tang. The underside of the receiver has the serial number stamped above "J.C. '17". "J.C." might stand for U.S. Captain James Van D. Crisp, who was assigned as Disbursing Officer, representing the Finance Dept. of the Equipment Division of the Signal Corps at Vancouver Barracks on October 28,1917. This carbine does fall into the 835,000 to 853,000 serial number range (corresponds to manufacture dates accepted in the Madis publications of 1918-1919) of observed Model 1894 carbines purchased by the U.S. Government and issued to enforcement personnel securing the Pacific Northwest forests during WWI, also known as "spruce guns". The timber located in the region was considered vital to the war effort. This example lacks the U.S. markings seen on many other spruce guns, as is typical of the very first of these carbines acquired by the Signal Corps. Fitted with pinned blade front and folding ladder rear sights and mounted with a smooth gumwood forearm and straight grip stock with a carbine buttplate. A saddle ring stud is mounted on the left of the receiver with the saddle ring absent.

Very fine, retains 85% plus of the original blue finish with a few scattered small patches of light surface oxidation on the barrel and magazine and some light thinning on the bottom of the receiver. The wood is also very fine with some scattered light handling marks. Mechanically excellent.