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We recently lost a fellow member from New Zealand, Mike O' Hanlon.
He wanted me to share his words and a picture he sent with the Sten guys.
"In the Australian War Museum I found what they call an "Owen Gun". This is a rare sub machine gun the Ozzies invented and built themselves to fight the Japs in the jungles of New Guinea. It's described as the Ozzie version of the Sten Gun."
Cheers. Mike
Trying to load the Damn picture !!
Attachment 112066
Nice to see an Airborne Bike there too>
I recall the last Owen dewat I was offered in this city back in the '70s was $400 then. Sten dewats were about $30. I simply couldn't afford it.
Jim,
I had never seen a OWENS before Mike sent me this email / pictures.
But I'd of give a years wages to have been there with him.
Charlie-P777
I’ve always liked the Owen but never found one in the UK. The vertical mag is very Brenesque.
There is WWII online footage of the Owen being tested where they completely submerge the gun in a mud hole in the ground slosh it around then pull it out while it is still oozing copious quatities of mud and rip off a complete mag in full auto. I think Lysaght produced the Owen back then there is allot of contraversy about this weapon I have the book here somewhere on the Owen gun. My B/Inlaw was given one in VN but they then gave him an F-1 which rusted in 24 hours he hated it so swapped it out for a L2A1 and was much happier....
Here is the book from my shelves.
The Owen may look a bit eccentric, but were wary ahead of the Sten and its bastard oz cousin, the Austen.
One of the biggest features was the magazine; not just because it was on top, but because it was double column, double feed. This made the mags easier to fill and reduced "stripping' fore during cycling.
The Austen was basically a Sten tarted up with MG-34 grip panels, an uncomfortable folding stock swiped from the MP-38 and a one-piece-cast mag housing. Marginally better than a Sten, but heavier.
The Owen is certainly more pleasant to shoot.
As for the later F-1; The best part of that was the Sterling-designed magazine.
I've hand filled a Sten mag a few times in a pinch and it isn't pleasant. The Owen mag was miles ahead. The F1 mesmerized me when I saw them because I was the only troop that knew their history. I was glad I didn't have to use one though, I got the M60.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bruce_in_Oz
It made infinate sense didn't it, that a magazine feeding rounds into a chamber from above was always going to work well, however, the Sterling did the same job as long as you rested the springs in your mags once a week.
Best weapon for CQB in the world, loved it;)
The only one I've ever seen and inspected is in Warminster... Despite its somewhat ungainly looks,surprisingly compact and pointable.Quote:
Originally Posted by Brit plumber
Just for you Gil, from my NZ issued collection.....Quote:
Originally Posted by Gil Boyd
Very Nice John, I'll be looking for a Sterling and a L1A1 Deac at some point, to go in to the FFR Land Rover I bought.
Thanks for the picture! The Owen is my favorite WWII SMG. I've got a parts kit, and am slowly working on "cloning" it as a legal (in US) 16" barrel semi-auto.
I know the bayo mount and finned barrel don't really belong on the same gun, but I couldn't resist those fins, and every SMG needs a bayonet. :lol: (even though it won't mount with the 16" barrel - some day I might file for the short-barreled-rifle paperwork).
A lovely example John of one of the best SMG's of all time, really envious. It was my best friend for quite some time and never missed a beat even in the worst conditions :thup:
Cheers guys, I cosmetically rebuilt if from a real dog a few years ago. It's deactivated, but done with a 'light touch' to old spec in 1989, so cocks, clicks and strips...
---------- Post added at 12:24 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:21 AM ----------
Excellent, best of luck with the project and keep us posted.Quote:
Originally Posted by Archilochus
I know of a UK Owen project currently underway, using some original parts to build an inert display example...
Extremely rare beasts north of the equator!
Can't you move the bayonet lug forward like the Johnson automatic rifle? Transverse pin on the barrel and all should work right...you likely won't need it for CQB...Quote:
Originally Posted by Archilochus
Archi:
Your kit appears to be the remains of a post WW2 Mk2/3 upgraded gun.
These had the "supplementary" safety catch that rotated around the body tube to block forward travel of the bolt assembly
Thanks for the ID! Wish the kit had come with that extra safety catch. It's always difficult to replicate a part without having one in hand.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bruce_in_Oz
I've been trying to figure out what might have been soldered into the rear section of the stock. All around the rim of the rear section are remains of a solder bead. So far I've found no info on what might have been there. Any ideas?
I might end up doing that. I'll have to mock it up and see how it looks.Quote:
Originally Posted by browningautorifle
Archi:
The late-pattern "safety was a pretty simple piece of rolled sheet metal and should not be too hard to fabricate; it will make a VERY positive manual "hold-open on a closed-bolt build.
The tube fragments to the right of the mag and its housing appear to be firstly, the front locating piece for the "lower" housing.there should be a small but robust "tab" on the front of the "lower" that is inserted in that slot.
The rear attachment point for the "lower" is a threaded hole in the rear-most internal "collar, the one that supports the bolt extension and against which the main (botl) spring actsHard to tell what the other bit is..One of the "cheese-head" screws the SHOULD have come with the parts kit is used for this.
As for the "end cap"; the entire bolt assembly is pretty much stuffed in via the front of the receiver tube (BEFORE you mount the "quick-release" barrel). The catch is that you need to CAREFULLY remove this cap from the rear of the receiver tube to install the cocking handle on the bolt extension. The end-cap is supposed to be "firmly affixed" to the rear of the receiver tube. It is, meant to be removable. The "fingers' on the end cap are slightly sprung and there SHOULD be a small, radiused flange around the extreme rear of the tube. The cocking handle should have a small, serrated brass "button. This needs to be pulled out to allow the cocking handle to slide onto the bolt extension and then the plunger is released to lock into the appropriate hole.
Find an on-line copy of the original "user handbook" for more details.
Fun point: when this rear-mounted safety is rotated into the "SAFE" position, its handle / detent plunger housing blocks the view between the rear and front sights.
Probably a major drama building a "linear-striker system for a closed-bolt version, perhaps a "hammer" mechanism could be "adapted" into the lower housing. Looks like an interesting challenge.
Have fun and keep us posted.
One of the biggest features was the magazine; not just because it was on top, Owen is certainly more pleasant to shoot.
Always found the Owen to be a hipster weapon. No sighting just point and spray, which was ideal for the jungle and CQB. IMHO
Follow the first fall of shot and bring the rest of the magazine up to the target(s):madsmile:
That's Cool it has a good camo and it looks like it's good at shooting.