Page 293 - Demo

Page 165-166 of Brophy’s book “The Springfield 1903 Rifles” has a chronology of main events during consideration by the U.S. of the Pedersen Device and states “April of 1921 The last experiments with ammunition for the device were conducted at the Frankford Arsenal.” A hand-numbered upside down “20” is visible on the front surface of the cocking knob. This Pedersen Device, marked as such, could have possibly been a test piece made for the aforementioned Frankford Arsenal ammunition experiments. The included 40-round magazine is stamped with the manufacturer’s code “OCL”. The M1903 Mark I rifle has the special receiver with oval ejection port, special
first variation two-lug magazine cut-off (reference page 155 of Brophy’s book “The Springfield 1903 Rifles”) and special sear. The correct Mark I stock has the indentation below the oval receiver ejection, “RA-P” arsenal overhaul stamp on the left wrist, and a circled “P” proof. The receiver is roll-stamped with the “MARK I” designation, and the barrel is dated “SA/(flaming bomb)/11-18”. Absent standard M1903 bolt. One absent retaining pin in the rear of the Pedersen device. Also included with the group is a World War I era M1907 sling, “SA” 1918 dated parkerized bayonet, and canvas wrapped scabbard with name “R.L. DAWSON” handwritten in black ink.
CONDITION: The M1903 Mark I rifle is very fine as arsenal overhauled
and retains 95% arsenal parkerized finish. The replacement rear sight retains most of its refinished
blue finish with scattered moderate pitting. Stock is fine as lightly sanded and re-oiled with some light scratches and light handling wear. Mechanically excellent, although absent standard rifle bolt as mentioned above. The Pedersen Device is also fine, retains 90% original parkerized finish with some very light pitting on the cocking knob. The rare magazine is excellent overall and retains 95% original parkerized finish with a few very small patches of light pitting. The Pedersen Device mechanically functions fine when installed in rifle, one absent retaining pin in the rear as mentioned above. Included magazine pouch is very fine. Included bayonet is fine, retains 97% refinished parkerized finish with some patches of mild pitting concentrated at the end of the blade, and the scabbard is also fine with some light wear and handwritten name as mentioned above. This is a solid representative example of an extremely rare and very desirable Mark I Pedersen Device with an equally rare 40-round magazine, magazine pouch, M1903 Mark I rifle, bayonet and scabbard. The Pedersen Device is one of the most desirable of all U.S. martial arms accessories, and no advanced collection of M1903 rifles or U.S. Military arms is truly complete without a Pedersen Device.
Provenance: The George Moller Collection.
Estimate: 18,000 - 27,500
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