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LOT 3300
Scarce Vickers-Armstrong Pedersen Self-Loading Rifle - Serial no. 131, 276 cal., 24 inch round bbl., blue finish, walnut stock. Originally conceived
by John Pederson in 1924 and developed from 1924 into the 1930s, the Pedersen T1 self-loader was the strongest competitor to John Garand’s T3 rifle for adoption by the U.S. Army as their first self-loading infantry rifle. Both were 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 beefed up his T3 to handle the larger round, in turn making history with the M1 Garand rifle. 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-Armstrong, though in the end the British opted to stick with the Short Magazine Lee-Enfield, 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 examples rare in any condition, and a high condition one even more so. Blade front and adjustable peep rear sights, 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 “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(sic)” 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 style clip, with a pair of sling swivels and a checkered steel buttplate. CONDITION: Excellent, retains 90% original blue finish with some areas lightly thinning to a smooth brown patina, minor handling and cycling marks overall, and some patches of light pitting on the buttplate. Stock is very fine with defined edges and some light to moderate scratches and dents. Mechanically excellent. This Vickers-Armstrong Pedersen self-loading rifle would make a fine addition to any advanced military arms collection! Estimate: 8,000 - 11,000
LOT 3301
U.S. Springfield M1D Garand Semi-Automatic
Sniper Rifle with Scarce One Inch Mount and Weaver
K4 Scope - Serial no. 1465901, 30-06 Springfield cal., 24 inch round bbl., parkerized finish, walnut stock. This
Springfield Armory M1 Garand rifle was manufactured March 1943 and subsequently arsenal modified to M1D configuration.
The rifle is fitted with a blued Weaver K4 60-B telescopic sight with single post reticle in the very scarce 1 inch M1D mount. Acquired
in lieu of the more standardized M84 scope, the K4 was “commercial off-the-shelf” equipment purchased in relatively limited numbers, and
documentation on their purpose and use is scant. It’s speculated that they may have wound up in Vietnam, and reports suggest that they may have been
meant for the National Guard to use in event of an “urban unrest” scenario. Springfield M1D barrel dated “1 53” with scope mounting block. “-12-SA” trigger housing, “-12SA” bolt,
“SA” relief cut operating rod. The replacement walnut stock is wearing a boxed “SA/EMcF” (Earl MacFarland) inspection cartouche and crossed cannons cartouche stamped on the left wrist, and encircled “P” proof mark on the bottom of the pistol grip. The M1D was the standard Army sniper rifle from the mid-1950s until the late 1960s. M1D rifles remained in the inventories of some Army National Guard units and Special Forces groups until the early 1990s. Includes an olive drab green canvas sling, Hart Mfg. Co. M2 clamp-on cone flash hider, and K Line leather cheek pad.
CONDITION: Very fine as arsenal converted to M1D configuration, retains 97% arsenal parkerized finish. The refurbished stock is fine as re-oiled, with some scattered scratches, a patch of bullet tip dings from an en bloc clip being packed concentrated on the left below the receiver, a moderate scratch on the left of the buttstock, and a nice mostly visible cartouche. Mechanically excellent. Scope is excellent, retains 98% original blue finish with a small patch of light scratches on top of the tube, and crisp optics. Included cheek piece is fine.
Provenance: The Steven Preston Military Collection.
Estimate: 3,000 - 4,500
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