*RARE SPRINGFIELD MODEL 1903 MARK I WITH VERY RARE MARK I PEDERSEN DEVICE.

SN 1169261. Cal. 30-06 & 30 Pedersen. Rifle is standard 1903 Mark I with replacement 24″ bbl marked “SA 10-29”. Receiver has usual markings with the ejection port slot milled in the left side. Trigger is orig Mark I with disconnector. It has standard sights with Buffington rear sight. Mounted in a replacement 1-pc walnut stock with checkered steel buttplate with trap containing an orig nickeled brass cleaning kit. Stock is without the Pedersen ejection port cutout. Accompanied by an orig Remington Model 1918 Mark I Pedersen device, SN 28347. Also accompanied by an orig Rock Island Arsenal green canvas pouch for five Pedersen 40-rd magazines, marked on one side “R.I.A. / 7-19” and contains two orig magazines along with a Pedersen tool and a spare Pedersen bbl with the ejector from this device, which is missing the retaining pin. This rifle has the orig Pedersen trigger, the orig sear and orig type II cutoff. This device was developed under a secret program at the Springfield Armory in 1918, the brainchild of Mr. J. D. Pedersen of Remington Firearms. The idea was to turn the standard bolt action rifle into an automatic rifle by simply removing the bolt and installing the device and magazine. Apparently between Jan and Dec 1918, under contract from the US Government, Remington Arms produced about 65,000 of these devices against an initial order of 100,000 devices, referred to as “Mark I Pistols”. The order also included 1,000,000 magazines and 8,000,000 cartridges. In September 1918, the authorization was processed for Remington to manufacture an additional 500,000 “Mark II Pistols” to fit the 1917 Enfield rifle. In November 1918, the Armistice was signed and in December the order for Mark II Pistols was suspended. March 1919 the order for Mark I Pistols was reduced to 65,000, which was delivered to the US Government along with 1,600,000 magazines and 65,000,000 cartridges. Tests continued throughout 1919 and in November the Mark I devices were offered to various commands for riot duty and sub-caliber application, which offer was rejected. At that point, 101,775 Mark I rifles and 65,000 devices were put into storage. The last experiments with ammunition for the devices were conducted in April 1921. Everything remained in storage until March 1931 when the device was offered to the Navy and Marine Corps and was rejected. In April 1931, 64,873 devices and 60,000,000 rds of ammunition were destroyed. Between 1937-1938 the 1903 Mark I rifles that were in storage had their special parts removed and were re-classified as Model 1903 Rifles. Obviously, a number of devices escaped destruction, although the sheet metal carrying cans are more rare today than the devices themselves. Equally obvious there were a number of rifles which were not completely restored to orig 1903 configuration, as found here. This project was conducted by the military and Remington under the most stringent security, however, in the summer of 1945 there was a complete Model 1903 Mark I Rifle and Pedersen device discovered in the reference collection of Rheinische Westfallian Sprengstoff (RWS), A.G. Nurnberg, Germany which had been in the collection for over a quarter century “THE SECRET HAD LEAKED”. PROVENANCE: The Collection of Marion E. Williams. CONDITION: Bbl and rear sight sleeve retain most of their orig grey/green Parkerized finish. Receiver retains most of its black case hardened finish. Trigger guard and floorplate are a black oxide finish. Wood is sound with numerous nicks, scratches and dings and retains most of its orig finish. Mechanics are fine. Bright shiny bore. The Pedersen device shows rust on the bolt around the ejection port, otherwise retains most of its black oxide finish on the bolt body and rear shroud. The solid steel block attached to the bolt carrier retains about 60% Parkerized finish. Magazines appear to be new and unused with a couple small spots of rust around the lips on each one. Spare bbl and tool are fine. 49287-2 JR C&R (10,000-15,500) – Lot 3503

Auction: Firearms - October 2015

Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

Image	Lot	Price	Description
	3503	$29,900.00	RARE SPRINGFIELD MODEL 1903 MARK I WITH VERY RARE MARK I PEDERSEN DEVICE. SN 1169261. Cal. 30-06 & 30 Pedersen. Rifle is standard 1903 Mark I with replacement 24″ bbl marked “SA 10-29”. Receiver has usual markings with the ejection port slot milled in the left side. Trigger is orig Mark I with disconnector. It has standard sights with Buffington rear sight. Mounted in a replacement 1-pc walnut stock with checkered steel buttplate with trap containing an orig nickeled brass cleaning kit. Stock is without the Pedersen ejection port cutout. Accompanied by an orig Remington Model 1918 Mark I Pedersen device, SN 28347. Also accompanied by an orig Rock Island Arsenal green canvas pouch for five Pedersen 40-rd magazines, marked on one side “R.I.A. / 7-19” and contains two orig magazines along with a Pedersen tool and a spare Pedersen bbl with the ejector from this device, which is missing the retaining pin. This rifle has the orig Pedersen trigger, the orig sear and orig type II cutoff. This device was developed under a secret program at the Springfield Armory in 1918, the brainchild of Mr. J. D. Pedersen of Remington Firearms. The idea was to turn the standard bolt action rifle into an automatic rifle by simply removing the bolt and installing the device and magazine. Apparently between Jan and Dec 1918, under contract from the US Government, Remington Arms produced about 65,000 of these devices against an initial order of 100,000 devices, referred to as “Mark I Pistols”. The order also included 1,000,000 magazines and 8,000,000 cartridges. In September 1918, the authorization was processed for Remington to manufacture an additional 500,000 “Mark II Pistols” to fit the 1917 Enfield rifle. In November 1918, the Armistice was signed and in December the order for Mark II Pistols was suspended. March 1919 the order for Mark I Pistols was reduced to 65,000, which was delivered to the US Government along with 1,600,000 magazines and 65,000,000 cartridges. Tests continued throughout 1919 and in November the Mark I devices were offered to various commands for riot duty and sub-caliber application, which offer was rejected. At that point, 101,775 Mark I rifles and 65,000 devices were put into storage. The last experiments with ammunition for the devices were conducted in April 1921. Everything remained in storage until March 1931 when the device was offered to the Navy and Marine Corps and was rejected. In April 1931, 64,873 devices and 60,000,000 rds of ammunition were destroyed. Between 1937-1938 the 1903 Mark I rifles that were in storage had their special parts removed and were re-classified as Model 1903 Rifles. Obviously, a number of devices escaped destruction, although the sheet metal carrying cans are more rare today than the devices themselves. Equally obvious there were a number of rifles which were not completely restored to orig 1903 configuration, as found here. This project was conducted by the military and Remington under the most stringent security, however, in the summer of 1945 there was a complete Model 1903 Mark I Rifle and Pedersen device discovered in the reference collection of Rheinische Westfallian Sprengstoff (RWS), A.G. Nurnberg, Germany which had been in the collection for over a quarter century “THE SECRET HAD LEAKED”. PROVENANCE: The Collection of Marion E. Williams. CONDITION: Bbl and rear sight sleeve retain most of their orig grey/green Parkerized finish. Receiver retains most of its black case hardened finish. Trigger guard and floorplate are a black oxide finish. Wood is sound with numerous nicks, scratches and dings and retains most of its orig finish. Mechanics are fine. Bright shiny bore. The Pedersen device shows rust on the bolt around the ejection port, otherwise retains most of its black oxide finish on the bolt body and rear shroud. The solid steel block attached to the bolt carrier retains about 60% Parkerized finish. Magazines appear to be new and unused with a couple small spots of rust around the lips on each one. Spare bbl and tool are fine. 49287-2 JR C&R (10,000-15,500) – Lot 3503 Auction: Firearms - October 2015 Please Note:* All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

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*RARE SPRINGFIELD MODEL 1903 MARK I WITH VERY RARE MARK I PEDERSEN DEVICE.