Page 352 - Auction84-Book1

LOT 587
Extremely Rare U.S. Springfield Armory Pedersen Semi-Automatic T2 Test/Trials Rifle - Serial no. 2, 276 cal., 24 inch bbl., blue finish, walnut stock. This is an extremely rare example of the original Pedersen “T2” series toggle lock mechanism test rifle that was developed in the 1930s as a test rifle model for the British Government. The original T1 series rifles was developed by John D. Pedersen
350
Outstanding and Scarce Pedersen T2 Trials Rifle Submitted to the British Government
in the early 1920s, and it eventually competed against the M1 Garand in the late 1920s and early 1930s; however, the M1 Garand (T3 series rifle) was chosen instead of the Pedersen design. This example like the US Military test model featured a retarded blow-back, toggle-jointed mechanism similar in functioning to the Luger pistol firing the same new .276 Pedersen cartridge. John D. Pedersen was an firearms designer, engineer and innovator in his own right, having developed the WWI era 1918 Mark-I Pedersen Device which was designed to convert an M1903 rifle into a semi-automatic rifle, a concept way ahead of its time. His overall theory was that a semi-automatic battle rifle was the way of the future and that they should be easier and lighter to handle, shooting a lighter weight cartridge that developing less heat and recoil. It was this same concept that lead him to design the famous Pedersen Device noted above. Using that theory, he had developed the radically designed .276 Pedersen cartridge firing a much lighter cartridge and bullet than the 30-06. This cartridge was tested along with his toggle-jointed mechanism shown here against the M1 Garand rifle in the 1930s. He is also credited with developing the “en-bloc” cartridge clip design, with the only flaw being his clip was unidirectional (ie it had to be inserted in one direction only) while the John Garand designed clip was reversible allowed it to be inserted from either direction.