It’s not every day you see a gun as rare and historically significant as this for sale! Rock Island Auction is selling a British Pedersen rifle, an early American selfloader design and direct competitor to the early Garand. What’s more, Ian of Forgotten Weapons has been given the envious chance to take a look at the gun and tell us a little more about it:

I have one minor nit to pick with Ian’s history – the Garand at the point of its trials against the Pedersen rifle still retained the gas trap muzzle device of the early design. Early production Garands would retain this method of operation, until they were retrofitted for a more modern gas port shortly before World War II.

If I had enough spare change to buy a brand new entry-level sedan, you bet I’d pick this one up for myself!