| Pedersen device, officially US Automatic Pistol, Caliber .30, Model of 1918 | |
|---|---|
| Type | Semi-automatic rifle |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1918–1931 |
| Used by | United States Army |
| Production history | |
| Designer | John Pedersen |
| Designed | 1917 |
| Produced | 1918—1920 |
| No. built | 65,000[1] |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 2 lb 2 oz (0.96 kg) empty 3 lb 2 oz (1.4 kg) loaded[1] |
| Cartridge | .30-18 Auto (7.65×20mm Longue) |
| Action | Simple blowback |
| Feed system | 40-round box magazine |
The Pedersen device was an experimental weapon attachment for the M1903 Springfield bolt action rifle that allowed it to fire a .30 caliber (7.62 mm) pistol-type cartridge in semi-automatic fire mode.[2][3] The attachment was developed to allow an infantryman to convert "their rifle to a form of submachine gun or automatic rifle" in approximately 15 seconds.[2][3]
Production of the Pedersen device and modified M1903 rifles started in 1918.[3] However, World War I ended before they could be fielded.[2][3] The contract was cancelled on March 1, 1919, after production of 65,000 devices, 1.6 million magazines, 65 million cartridges, and 101,775 modified Springfield rifles.[2][3][4]
The devices, magazines, ammunition and rifles were subsequently placed in storage,[2] and declared surplus in 1931.[4] When the United States Army decided they did not want to pay the cost of storing the devices, nearly all of the stored devices were destroyed except for a few examples kept by the Ordnance Department.[1] Fewer than 100 Pedersen devices escaped ordered destruction to become extremely rare collectors' items.[1]