John Douglas Pedersen (May 21, 1881 – May 23, 1951) was a prolific arms designer who worked for Remington Arms, and later for the United States Government. Famed gun designer John Moses Browning told Maj. Gen. Julian S. Hatcher of U.S. Army Ordnance that Pedersen "was the greatest gun designer in the world".
He designed several successful sporting guns for Remington, including the novel
Model 51 pistol, the Model 10
pump-action shotgun and the Models 12, 14, and 25
pump-action rifles. He collaborated with John Browning to design the
Model 17 pump-action shotgun. The Model 17 was a trim,
20-gauge shotgun that was later redesigned and made in three highly successful
forms: the Remington Model 31, Browning BPS, and
the Ithaca 37. Today, Irwin-Pedersen M-1 Carbines are among the rarest versions of the M1 Carbine and as such, I-P Carbines usually command premium prices in collector's circles. General George S. Patton owned a Remington Model 51 and was thought to favor the weapon and is seen in many photos of the era wearing it as his personal sidearm. During World War II, John Pedersen's attempts through the Irwin-Pedersen Arms Company to mass-produce M1 Carbines for the U.S. military failed. Reckless became the first horse to participate in a Marine amphibious landing, was promoted through the ranks from private to corporal to sergeant, and at the war's end was shipped to Camp Pendleton, California, where she lived out her retirement as a beloved mascot.
References
Most of the information about the Irwin-Pedersen Arms Company came from Larry L. Ruth's book: "War Baby! The U.S. Caliber .30 Carbine," Collector Grade Publications, Cobourg, Ontario, Canada 2001.
Information concerning Pedersen family history comes from family records, photographs, the oil painting, genealogical research, death certificates, and other documentation in the possession of the Pedersens' granddaughter.