Pedersen Device @ Gun Show

[DMark]

Yup! Just sitting there on a table mounted in a correct 1903 MkI Springfield at the Bill Goodwill gun show at the fairgrounds this past weekend.

At first I figured that China had begun making fakes of what has to be the holy grail of 1903 Springfield vaporware. When I asked the owner he said it was the real deal. I was getting ready to whipout a copy of my 03FFL when I asked how much he wanted for it.

He had already turned down one offer of $40,000!

On Well...., I did get to hold it for a few brief minutes.

[Reservoir Dog]

I had never heard of a Pedersen Device before. Had to do my research.

Great invention, and a great piece of history! I would be interesting to see one in action. Can you still get ammo for that thing?

Edited May 23, 2011 by Reservoir Dog
spelling

[1gewehr]

Ammo is rare and generally considered a collector item. It used a special cartridge that looks like a short .30 carbine round. The French actually liked the cartridge and adopted a modified version of it as their service pistol cartridge as the 7.65 Long. The Springfield 1903 MKI rifles are not really scarce, and are easily recognized by the oval ejection port on the left side of the receiver. Every now and then you find the 40rd magazines for sale as well as the tan canvas pouches for the magazines.

The US Gov't made over 100,000 of the devices, and in the late 1920s decided to destroy them all (except a few for museums and reference). The accessories (mags, pouches) were sold as surplus which is why they can still be found. A few enterprising individuals saved some from the bonfire, and these are the ones in private hands.

If someone did make a replica, I'd grab it in a heartbeat if I could afford it!

[Mike.357]

There was one at a Knox gunshow a while back. Had to be the same guy. While I know I will never shoot or own one at least I got to shoulder it. A real piece of firearms history.

[Guest coldblackwind]

I still haven't actually laid eyes on it, but it was there a few months ago. He wants $50,000 I was told at the time from a 3rd party that had asked him.

[Lances4803]

He's been shopping that rifle for years at shows all over the US.

He's in the ballpark for a sale (maybe $5,000 to $10,000 too high), but it will eventually sell.

A friend has one out in Utah and has developed a whole display with it as the centerpeice.

[peejman]

I'd never heard of it, though google has educated me. Neato.

[Caster]

I've seen a couple. There was one being fired at Knob Creek about 12 years ago. What I don't get is why no one has made one for a Mosin in 7,62 Tok? tel me you wouldn't buy one of those!!

[Jasongar8]

My buddy was there the day that dealer bought it. A old man just walked in off the street and he was lucky enough to be the first person to spot it and know what it was. He has had it for 6-7 months. He had it up at Knob Creek trying to sell it.

[Guest coldblackwind]

My buddy was there the day that dealer bought it. A old man just walked in off the street and he was lucky enough to be the first person to spot it and know what it was. He has had it for 6-7 months. He had it up at Knob Creek trying to sell it.

Out of curiousity, any idea what he got it for? That sounds like one of those situations where he ended up with a stupid deal on it.

[dlm37015]

i was there too about 15 feet away .he bought a 1917 enfield and an ibm 30 carbine along with the springfield for 2,500 but i would have bought it if it had made it to me.the owner of the gun was very famous in ww2 he was tge first gi to cross the remaining bridge across the rhinde cant spell it .and later in life became a chief of a police dept.yes dan will get his 60,000 for it i sold a mag 2 years ago through dan for 2,500 ammo is hard to get as well .thats one of the reasons i go to gunshows every weekend ,m

[Jasongar8]

Out of curiousity, any idea what he got it for? That sounds like one of those situations where he ended up with a stupid deal on it.

Just like dlm said, I was told that Dan gave $2500 for the three guns. I knew it was the 1903 with the Pederson's device and a M1 Carbine, but didn't know the other gun. I was told that Dan wanted $50k for it but that was a few months ago.

[Garufa]

That guy should be publicly flogged. There is a difference between making a few dollars off a sale and outright robbery. I hope the old-timer that sold the guns knew what he was doing. Chances are he did not.

[bajabuc]

You sell it to me, I'm buying junk. I sell it to you...you're buying antiques.

[Guest brandon_pitt]

Yea that aggravates me too. Highway robbery is different from a deal.

[dlm37015]

i was there he paid the man what he ask for it he didnt beat him. dan the machine gun man is a very good person as well as a good person to do buisness with

[K191145]

I saw R. Lee Ermy shoot a Pederson Device on his old show Mail Call, the ammo was WW1 era of course. It fired all rounds with no malfunctions, I was impressed that such a strange/old device with such old ammo would work that good. I no longer worry about storing ammo for long peroids of time.

[Warbird]

I had very little knowledge of these until a couple of months back. They are pretty neat. A man I knew brought one out to play with a bit, when we were shooting the Gatlin Gun, which is fun itself. He told us all about it, though half of it I can't even remember now. So let me correct myself. I still know very little about them, but more than I knew a few months ago.

Edited June 9, 2011 by Warbird