Summer 2026 Premier Firearms & Militaria Auction
August 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, & 9th, 2026
This auction will feature an outstanding collection of items spanning multiple categories including Modern, Military, Sporting, & Antique firearms & militaria! Below is just a small grouping of select highlights from the massive offering to be featured in this upcoming sale!
HIGHLY SOUGHT AFTER VICKERS-ARMSTRONG 276 PEDERSEN SEMI-AUTO MILITARY RIFLE
| Cal. 276. | S# 89. | Bbl is 23 7/8″. | 26-22/RW |
This scarce rifle was designed by John D. Pedersen to use the .276 cartridge and was developed to compete with the Garand rifle in hopes of its adoption by the US Army. Both the Pedersen and Garand rifles were initially chambered for this cartridge. The .276 cartridge has an external hard wax type lubrication in order to function with the delayed blowback Pedersen rifle. Ultimately the decision was made not to adopt the Pedersen package but to stick with the 30-06 cartridge already in service. The Garand design was scaled up to accept the 30-06 and the Pedersen cartridge and rifle were not adopted. Around 1929 the Vickers-Armstrong firm in England tooled up to produce these rifles but they were not adopted by the British Army. A number of countries tested the rifle and its cartridge including China, Portugal and Japan. The rifle is marked on top of the receiver with a “C2” in an oval. Serial number is located at the right rear. Left side of receiver is marked “PEDERSEN SELF-LOADER PA / VICKERS-ARMSTRONG’S LTD.”. The action is a delayed blowback hinged vertically reminiscent of the system used by the Luger pistol. A fully adjustable aperture rear sight is mounted on the rear of the receiver. Blade front sight. The bbl has spiral flutes between the receiver and the lower band and has a ventilated sheet metal handguard. Rifle has a vertical feed magazine utilizing a 10-rd en-bloc clip. The walnut stock features a shallow pistol grip, grasping grooves and series of holes and slots underneath the forend to help with the bbl cooling. All steel furniture, stamped cup type buttplate. UNATTACHED ACCESSORIES: wooden crate; approx. 18″ x 9 1/2″ x 15″ tall from Frankford Arsenal marked to contain 1680 balled cartridges. “CAL. .276”. Case markings on top include shipping from “COMMANDING GENERAL ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND MARYLAND TO MR ERNEST NEWTON IN LOS ANGELES”. Crate contains its original metal liner which has been opened. Crate contains no other items. Group also contains five 20-rd sealed paper boxes. The tan boxes with red stripe from Frankford Arsenal dated 1929 and are marked as to caliber and ammunition type. Boxes have wear, small tears and partially loose end flaps. PROVENANCE: Military Museum Collection of Shooters Outpost, Hooksett NH. CURIO GUN
