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LOT 1308
Rare Vickers-Armstr
ongs Ltd.
Pedersen Self-Loading Semi-Automatic Rifle with Clip and Ammunition Box - Serial
no. 106, 276 cal., 24 inch round bbl., blue finish, walnut stock. Originally conceived by John Pedersen in 1924 and developed into the
1930s, the Pedersen self-loader was the strongest competitor to John Garand’s rifle for adoption by the U.S. Army as their first self-loading
infantry rifle. Both were originally developed around the Pedersen-designed .276 Pedersen cartridge to have a more compact, lightweight and easy-shooting operation than a .30-06 gas
or recoil driven rifle, with the Pedersen using a novel delayed blowback toggle lock system (often compared to the Luger Parabellum system). While a novel weapon, and somewhat prescient in light
of later efforts to introduce small bore high velocity infantry arms, Pedersen’s cartridge was met with mixed response by the Army, which had concerns about lethality and the use of waxed cartridges to aid feeding and extraction, as well as the logistics burden of fielding infantry units with .276 caliber rifles and .30-06 caliber machine guns. The .276 failed to displace the .30-06 as the main infantry cartridge, and Garand scaled up his rifle to handle the larger round, in turn making history with what was officially adopted
as the M1 Garand rifle in U.S. military service. While not closing the deal with the U.S. Army, the level of interest
shown to Pedersen’s design intrigued other nations eyeballing a semi-auto upgrade, leading to talks with the
Imperial Japanese Army and the United Kingdom, the latter leading to a partnership with Vickers-Armstrongs
Ltd., though in the end the British opted to stick with the Short Magazine Lee-Enfield bolt action rifle, shelving
the semi-automatic question until after World War II. Pedersen rifles and carbines were made in limited
quantities and earmarked for (often deliberately harsh or destructive) government testing, making surviving
examples rare in any condition. Blade front sight, absent adjustable peep rear sight, with the deeply cut half-
fluted barrel protected by a ventilated steel handguard. Bayonet lug located on bottom of the front barrel band.
The top of the chamber is stamped with a circled “C/2”, with “PEDERSEN SELFLOADER PA/VICKERS-ARMSTRONGS
LTD.” on the left side of the receiver and the serial number on the right. A set of small “Lion” proofs are present on the receiver and the
bolt, the latter fitted with a “SAFE” and “REDY” marked crossbar safety. The smooth pistol grip stock is ventilated along the bottom and
fitted with an enlarged magazine floorplate to accommodate an en-bloc clip, with a pair of sling swivels and a checkered steel buttplate.
Includes an original Pedersen 10-round en-bloc clip and a full 20-count box of 1929 dated Frankford Arsenal .276 Pedersen cartridges.
CONDITION: Very fine, retains 80% original blue finish with scattered light to mild freckling, and an absent rear sight assembly. Stock is fine as re-oiled, with
numerous scattered light scratches and dents. Mechanically excellent. Clip is fine, ammunition box is good.
Estimate: 8,000 - 13,000
Automatic Carbine, Serial Number “X97” - Serial no. X97, 30 Carbine cal., 18 inch
round bbl., blue finish, walnut stock. A seldom seen example of a World War II era Inland Division presentation
grade M1 Carbine that was manufactured by the Inland Division of General Motors Corp. During the start of M1 Carbine
production, the General Motors Inland Division designated a specific block of serial numbers that were intended to be used as
experimental receivers. At the end of the war, these “X” prefix serial number blocks were built up as presentation gifts for senior members
of the military and executives within the General Motors Corporation. It is estimated that approximately 100 of the “X” serial numbers were
set aside, with only a handful of other examples having come through Rock Island Auction in the past, making any example highly sought after by advanced collectors. Features a “10-43” dated Inland
barrel, winged blade front and two-position flip peep rear sights, type II barrel band, “IO” flat top bolt, “PI” type V slide, “INLAND” milled trigger housing, “HI” hammer, “R.I.” marked sear, serrated trigger shoe,
unmarked push button safety, and “EI” magazine release. Fitted with a smooth, highly figured, walnut high wood stock with “IO” marked inside the sling cutout, topped off with a “IO” marked deep groove, two rivet
handguard. A piece of tape in the channel of the stock is marked “US-M1-X97-THIS GUN IS/THE PROPERTY OF/MAJOR LEON E. SMITH USA/INF. RET. 4 CANNOT BE SOLD”. This example correctly lacks any U.S. Government acceptance proofs. Includes an “AI” marked magazine, web sling, and oiler.
CONDITION: Excellent as embellished and built up by General Motors Inland Division as a presentation grade M1 Carbine, retaining 97% plus high gloss blue finish with softened receiver and barrel markings, minor spotting/brown patina on the rear sight assembly, plum coloration to the trigger housing, and limited minor handling marks. The stock is also excellent as varnished with attractive grain and limited handling evidence. Mechanically excellent. It would be difficult to improve on a presentation grade M1 Carbine such as this!
LOT 1309
Rare and Desirable Presentation Grade U.S. Inland M1 Semi-
286 Estimate: 5,500 - 8,500