Page 337 - Auction84-Book1

Historically Significant, Serial Number 4 Pedersen GY Rifle; Paramount to the Development of U.S. Semi-Automatic Rifles
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The barrel receiver and other components have a dull- military blue finish. The stock and handguard are oil- finished black walnut. Includes a leather sling and U.S. “SA 1908” bayonet with scabbard. 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, including serial number 3, located in the Springfield Armory Museum. 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.
CONDITION: Exceptionally 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. Provenance: The Robert Bretherton Collection; The George Moller Collection.
Estimate: 35,000 - 55,000
THIS SIGNIFICANT PROTOTYPE SEMI-AUTOMATIC RIFLE WAS PURCHASED DIRECTLY FROM THE PEDERSEN FAMILY IN 1988.
Collector’s Fact
According to author Bruce Canfield, only two Pedersen GY rifles are known. Serial number 3, located in the Springfield Armory Museum, and this rifle, serial number 4.