GUN FALL 2015
The live portion of this session begins on Monday, October 5, 2015.
RARE FIRST PRODUCTION VICKERS MANUFACTURED PEDERSEN MODEL PA SELF-LOADING RIFLE.VickersPedersen PA26.276MODERN; C&RCal. .276. It has a tapered 24″ rnd bbl with bridge mounted partridge style front sight & a micrometer elevation & windage adjustable rear sight. This unusual rifle uses the Borchardt/Luger style toggle & link system with a 10-rd M-1 Garand style magazine which protrudes below bottom of stock. Left side of receiver has usual Vickers-Armstrongs Pedersen marking with a British proof at left rear side & “C/2″ in a small oval over chamber area. Bbl is very unusual in that about half the length from receiver forward has very deep spiral cooling vanes underneath a perforated steel hand guard. Mounted in a 1-pc semi-pistol grip walnut stock with grasping grooves & a Krag style split front band/bayonet lug secured with a screw & a machined bbl band at about mid-point secured with a spring keeper. Top band has a stacking swivel with sling loops on middle band & stock. It has a coarse checkered, stamped sheet metal buttplate. Entire bottom of forestock has ventilating grooves & holes.
John Pedersen, famous for his “Pedersen Device”, began development of this unusual self-loading, design after the turn of the last century, with patents dating as far back as 1913 and 1915. As his design evolved during WW1 and after, he eventually sought to sell it to the US Army as a replacement for the 1903 Springfield. The first 25 production rifles were submitted for testing by the U.S. Government in 1922 but was ultimately rejected with the now venerable M1 Garand being adopted in 1938. The subject rifle, SN 26, represents the first production rifle made. CONDITION: Very Good Barrel and receiver show better than 85% of the orig blue finish with light scattered pitting,with the bands and trigger guard showing slightly better. The magazine shows slightly more blue, retaining approx. 90%. The 1-pc butt stock assembly is very good with some light handling marks throughout but nothing to detract from its overall presence. Mechanics are crisp, and the bore is very lightly frosted but with very strong rifling. 49370-2 WD5 (10,000-15,000)