Editing Pedersen device (section)

==History==
[[File:M1903 Pcu.JPG|thumb|300px|right|Modified M1903 Springfield with ejection port on the left side of the receiver to accommodate a Pedersen device]]
[[File:Kit for Pedersen Device.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Kit for the Pedersen device, including bolt, scabbard, and magazine pouch]]
[[File:7.65mm Longue ATS 1948 Cartridges.png|thumb|.30-18 Auto, also known as the [[7.65×20mm Longue|7.65mm Longue]]]]
Prior to the United States' entry into World War I, [[John Pedersen (arms designer)|John Pedersen]], a longtime employee of [[Remington Arms]], developed the Pedersen device. His idea was to dramatically increase the firepower available to the average infantryman. His final design replaced the bolt of a modified Springfield M1903 rifle with a device consisting of a complete firing mechanism and a small "barrel" for a new .30 caliber pistol like cartridge.

In effect, the "device" was essentially a complete [[Blowback (firearms)|blowback pistol]] minus a receiver-grip using the short "barrel" of the device to fit into the longer chamber of the M1903 rifle. The mechanism was fed by a long 40-round magazine sticking perpendicularly out of the rifle at a 45-degree angle to the top right, and could be reloaded by inserting a new magazine. Each magazine had cut-out viewing slots facing aft so the rifleman could observe the number of unfired rounds remaining. The system required an ejection port to be cut into the left side of the M1903 rifle's receiver and the adjacent [[stock (firearms)|stock]] cut away to allow clearance for spent cartridges being thrown from the action. The sear, trigger, and magazine cut-off also required modifications which did not limit the ability of Mark I receivers to function in the normal bolt-action mode.<ref name=nra/>

Pedersen traveled to [[Washington, D.C.]] on 8 October 1917 to conduct a secret demonstration for Chief of Ordnance [[William Crozier (artillerist)|General William Crozier]] and a selected group of army officers and congressmen. After firing several rounds from what appeared to be an unmodified Springfield, he removed the standard bolt, inserted the device, and fired several magazines at a very high rate of fire. The evaluation team was favorably impressed. To deceive the enemy, the Ordnance Department decided to call it the '''US Automatic Pistol, Caliber .30, Model of 1918'''. Plans were put into place to start production of modified Springfields, which became the '''US Rifle, Cal. .30, Model of M1903, Mark I'''. The Army placed orders for 133,450 devices and 800,000,000 cartridges for the [[Plan 1919|1919 Spring Offensive]]. General [[John J. Pershing]] requested 40 magazines and 5000 rounds of ammunition be shipped with each device and anticipated an average daily ammunition use of 100 rounds per device.<ref name=nra/> The use of the Pedersen device in the 1919 spring offensive was to be in conjunction with the full combat introduction of the [[M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle]] (BAR.)

The US Patent Office issued {{US Patent|1,355,417}}, {{US Patent|1,355,418}}, {{US Patent|1,355,419}}, and {{US Patent|1,355,420}} to Pedersen for his invention. The United States Army paid Pedersen $50,000 for rights to produce the device and a royalty of 50 cents for each device manufactured. The Army paid for all necessary machinery required to manufacture the device, and Remington received a net profit of two dollars for each device and 3 cents for each magazine.<ref name=nra/>

A '''Mark II''' Pedersen Device was also designed for the [[M1917 Enfield|M1917 "American Enfield"]] and a similar prototype was made for the Remington-produced [[Mosin–Nagant#United States|Mosin–Nagant]]; neither of those were ever put into production.<ref>{{citation|title=Hobbies|publisher=Lightner|volume=75|issue=7–12|page=151|year=1970|quote=In addition, one prototype unit for use in the Nagant rifle and three experimental units for the Enfield rifle were built.}}</ref>