Semi-automatic rifle developed by firearms inventor John D. Pedersen to compete with the M1 Garand rifle circa 1939. Following the Army decision to develop the .276 semi-automatic rifle invented by John C. Garand in 1931 rather than the Pedersen T1 Autoloading Rifle, John Pedersen developed the GY Self Loading rifle. The GY rifle was chambered for the .30-06 cartridge and combined features of the M1 Garand and Pedersen T1 rifles. The GY rifle had a gas cylinder, hand guard, operating rod and rotating bolt that were similar to the M1 Garand rifle. The rifle retained the en-bloc clip, spiral-ribbed barrel, drum rear sight and stock with grasping grooves and cooling vents that were features on the T1 Pedersen rifle. The barrel receiver and other components have a dull-military blue finish. The stock and handguard are oil-finished black walnut. The left side of the receiver is marked with the serial number "5" followed by the legend: "PEDERSEN SELF-LOADING RIFLE/MODEL GY CAL.30.U.S." in two lines. "GY5" is stamped on the top of the operating rod. "P" is stamped on the top of the receiver. The top of the bolt lug is stamped "P/5". Very limited information is available on the Pedersen GY rifle. Author Bruce Canfield discusses the rifle briefly on page 190 of "THE M1 GARAND RIFLE". He states that John Pedersen developed the GY rifle circa 1939 and submitted the rifle to Springfield Armory for testing in 1943. Canfield states that only two examples of the GY rifle are known; serial number 3, located in the Springfield Armory Museum and an un-identified rifle located in a private collection. The Springfield Armory identifies their rifle as: "Experimental Model G-Y Rifle Garand Type, made by Pedersen, Circa 1939".

Excellent plus, totally original. This rifle retains 98-99% of the original military blue finish. Wear is limited to cycling marks on the bolt and left side of the receiver and some very minor spots of surface rust on the edges of the buttplate. The rifle has storage grease in the magazine well and in the bore. The stock and forearm are in nearly new condition and have not been oiled. The black walnut has raised grain with sharp edges and shows only very limited handling wear. This is a unique example of what was probably the last attempt to a submit an alternative to the M1 Garand rifle to the Ordnance Department and one of the last firearms developed by inventor John D. Pedersen. This extraordinary rifle would be the stand-out piece in the most advanced collection of U.S. Military firearms. This is the finest example of this type of rifle that we have ever offered at auction.