This is an extremely rare example of a U.S. Army, Springfield Armory Model T3E2 semi-automatic rifle that was manufactured in January 1931. The U.S. Ordnance Board had been in the process of conducting testing and evaluating to select a new semi-automatic service rifle from 1922 through July 1929. After completion of all testing in July the 1929, The Service Rifle Selection Board issued their report in the fall of 1929 and of the candidates that actually completed all the testing requirements, only two candidates were recommended by the board the; T1 Pedersen rifle and the T3 Garand rifle. In their report they noted both candidates had numerous areas of superiority as well as several areas of defects. Based on the final report their recommendation was that the Chief of Ordnance proceed with the manufacture of an additional "20 T3 Garand rifles in caliber .276, eliminating the noted defects in the boards report and also improving the design. Additionally the board recommended that an additional “pilot” T3 Garand rifle be manufactured in “.30 Caliber”. The first model was designated as the T3E1, this was the first series of rifles that eliminated the earlier deficiencies and the second series of rifles completed showed the improvements and were designated the Model “T3E2”, which is what we have for sale here. This exact rifle is serial number “15” and is actually pictured in the excellent book “The Gas Trap Rifle” by Pyle on page 51. This beautiful rifle shows the start of the many of the early designs that evolved into the “Gas Trap” series of m1 rifles and eventually the standard M1 Garand Rifle.
This is an incredibly rare example of a prototype Pedersen Model GX self-loading (semi-automatic) rifle bearing serial number “1”. This rifle was developed by firearms inventor John D. Pedersen in the late 1930s. Following the Army’s decision to stop development of rifles chambered in .276 Pedersen caliber, and to instead continue further development of John C. Garand’s rifle design in .30-06 Springfield caliber following early 1930s service rifle trials as opposed to John D. Pedersens T1 toggle lock rifle, John D. Pedersen subsequently developed a new rifle design with intent of again competing against the, then officially adopted, M1 Garand rifle; in spite of losing to the Garand rifle and frustrations over claims that some of his patented designs were stolen and used by the government in the M1 Garand rifle.
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’s 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.
