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LOT 1399
Extremely Rare Pre-World War II Japanese Pedersen Experimental Semi-Automatic Rifle Serial Number 8 with Sniper Scope Base - Serial no. 8, 6.5 mm cal., 22 1/2 inch round bbl., blue finish, mahogany stock. This is an exceptionally rare pre-war Japanese semi-automatic rifle that was manufactured by the Koishikawa (Tokyo) Arsenal for the Japanese Test Trials in 1935. There were approximately 24 of these Pedersen rifles designed and manufactured in total: 12 with the shorter length (22.5 inch) barrel, such as this one, and 12 with the longer (26.5 inch) barrel. A similar example is pictured and discussed in “MILITARY RIFLES OF JAPAN” 2nd Edition by Honecutt. At the time, the Japanese had been following the U.S. Test Trials and noted some of the various designs. In 1932, after teaming up with the Vickers Company in England to produce the “toggle-bolt” mechanism, Mr. Pedersen traveled to Japan to demonstrate his
rifle in the hopes of gaining foreign sales. General Yoshida, who was in charge of manufacturing at the Tokyo Arsenal, was impressed with the Pedersen rifle design and chose to copy it. He redesigned the mechanism to fire the 6.5 mm Japanese cartridge, and instead of the original 10 round magazine, he designed it to only hold five rounds. This design was also submitted in the 1936 test, but all testing on a semi-automatic rifle was halted when hostilities broke out between the Japanese and Chinese forces in July 1936 near Peking. The testing program was eventually reinstated in 1942/43, but it was so late in the war that the Japanese abandoned all earlier designs and decided to convert existing M1 Garand rifles to the Japanese 7.7mm round and eventually designed their own version of the U.S. M1 rifle. As mentioned this is one of just 12 Japanese Pedersen rifles ever manufactured in the shorter barrel length, with this rifle being serial number 8. There are no factory or arsenal markings as it was a “trials/test” rifle; however, the top of the receiver, rear section of the toggle mechanism, rotary magazine, and underside of the stock all have the serial numbers “8”. It is fitted with excellent offset front and rear sights with the rear sight fully adjustable for windage and elevation. The left side of the receiver has a separate large sniper scope base attached with eight individual screws and two taper pins. There is no scope mount or scope, but the base itself is similar to the base used for the later Experimental Type 38 sniper scope and mount, of which only a handful were actually produced. It has a full length stock with eleven perforated holes or vents along the underside and a short top handguard. The stock has side mounted sling swivels and a cupped sheet metal buttplate. The right side of the buttstock has several small Kanji markings that may designate this as a test rifle. It is beautifully machined with a super smooth action that is blued on the outside and has an “in the white” arsenal finish on the inside. It is complete with an original cleaning rod.
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SIMILAR EXAMPLE PICTURED AND DESCRIBED IN THE BOOK MILITARY RIFLES OF JAPAN BY HONEYCUTT