This is an extremely rare early semi-automatic prototype rifle that was developed by firearms inventor John D. Pedersen. It was originally designed 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 both the M1 Garand and Pedersen T1 rifles. The GY rifle had a gas cylinder, hand guard, operating rod and new "telescoping" rotating bolt. The rifle retained the en-bloc clip, spiral-ribbed barrel, drum rear sight and walnut stock with grasping grooves and cooling vents that were features on the T1 Pedersen rifle. This rifle has been further modified by the incorporation of a "stripper clip" guide on the left rear side of the receiver. The left side of the receiver is marked with the serial number "4" followed by the legend: "PEDERSEN SELF-LOADING RIFLE/MODEL GY CAL.30.U.S." in two-lines, and "GY4" is also stamped on the top of the operating rod. The top of the bolt lug is scribed "P/4", and the top of the receiver is stamped with a single "P" firing proof. The barrel receiver and other components have a dull-military blue finish. The stock and handguard are oil-finished black walnut. 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 this example serial number "4" which is from the Robert Bretherton Collection. Included with this rare rifle is a photocopy of a document from when Robert Bretherton purchased this rifle directly from John Pedersen's son, Eric, in 1988.

Very fine with 90% of the original blue finish overall, edge and high spot wear, and blue loss on the top of the bolt body, the telescoping bolt body and left side of the receiver opening where the stripper guide was polished and spliced in, obliterating some of the markings. The stock and handguard are both in very fine condition with a nice, dark, walnut color overall and slightly more rub marks on the sides of the buttstock. Mixed with some minor scratches. Mechanically excellent. This is a solid representative example of a very rare early prototype rifle.