F1 SUBMACHINE GUN

[Gil Boyd]

Interest weapon:

An SMG not heard or seen much except in Australian hands was the F1.
It started life in 1962 as the X3 and went into production as the F1. It was to be a direct replacement for the popular Owen SMG and to keep the all familiar top loading magazine.
It was felt by the Australian Ministry of Defence that it would benefit all Commonwealth fighting units if a vertical loading curved magazine, that was used on the British Sterling and the Canadian C1 in the horizonal preference, should be used and therefore versatile to fit all three weapons.
The F1 was a 9mm, with a muzzle velocity of 366m, weight 4.3kgs and a rate of fire 600-640 rounds per minute.
Two pictures of the F1 and the last one showing the popular Owen gun it was founded from.

Information

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[browningautorifle]

Only time I used them was when I went to Canungra in '77, we trained on them and of course they were issue to the drivers of the M 113s. We didn't carry them though. I thought they were a bit strange even though I knew they would be a direct descendant of the Owen.

[Gil Boyd]

Fairly crude battle sight, but I suppose one has to remember it was for CQB anyway.
It was hard enough keeping the old SMG clean in the jungle, I bet that F1 was a pig, what with rain pouring straight down through the mag housing lips??

[mrclark303]

The only Owen I have ever seen is the example at Warminster (do they have an F1 Peter?), they are exceptionally rare pieces in the UK and surprisingly compact!

[Paul S.]

The F1 wasn't a bad bit of kit when you knew what is was for (CQB and snap shooting) and used it accordingly. They were fun to use on the 'sneaker courses'. Most shooting with it was done in the same manner as depicted with the Owen Gun on post 1 -- butt tucked into the armpit, with the upper arm 'clamped' tightly into the side.

One has to remember that the Owen was a contemporary of the STEN and Austen which, in the early days had a wee problem with feeding 100% reliably. The whole idea of the top loading magazine was to gravity assist feeding and to facilitate going prone.

The Armalites pretty much replaced the F1 for infantry scout use before the change from SLRs to F88s.

[browningautorifle]

what with rain pouring straight down through the mag housing lips

That was a bonus, the garbage all fell out when it was operating. It was no worse than the Sterling/SMG C1 to clean. Many recognizable parts. Difference being the FN pistol grip.

The Armalites pretty much replaced the F1 for infantry scout use

That's what we used.

[muffett.2008]

I have some good memories of the SPUDGUN, great bit of kit and extremely accurate, as was it's predecessor the Owen.
Both those SMG's were my first Skill at arms badges, went on to compete in BISAM with the F1............the opposition teams used to marvel at the size of the holes in the targets, double taps gave one in the centre and one in the shoulder every time.

As to snap shooting, we used to shoot trap with a scattergun as instinctive training for competitions, using the overhand grip, the F1 was a natural for left handers............we used to get that good, we could print a smiley face on a figure target.
Those were the days.
Attachment 86233

[Peter Laidler]

We had Owens and F1's but I don't remember seeing F1's for long at all, maybe a year at most. Because we also had AR15's and the first M-16's and the SMG's were culled quite quickly as were the Sterlings that the poms had (I think the KSLI were the last poms to leave in 1968) and AR15's ruled the roost. I am sure that the 8 RMR of the FMA (Royal Malay Regt/The Federation of Malaya/Malaysia Army) had some on loan and one of the Inf Trg Sgts from the Mil Trg wing was pushing them for sales. Someone remind me whether there were any foreign sales...... I know that NZ had some with a view to sales but they also had AR15's so the F1 went by the bye. It was overtaken by events. I have a picture somewhere taken by the P&PR / press and public relations scivers during the regular keep-you-on-your-toes military training days crossing a river with an Owen on the approach to the jungle walk where the targets pop up left and right and you let fly while you crap yourself and the DS throw thunderflashes. Did you do these Muffer? I don't think we ever had one of these 'walk - watch and shoot' ranges in England unless you had or saw one Gil

[browningautorifle]

these 'walk - watch and shoot' ranges

We did lots, but then we have room. We call them movement boxes...

[Paul S.]

We had Owens and F1's ... AR15's ruled the roost. ... jungle walk where the targets pop up left and right and you let fly while you crap yourself and the DS throw thunderflashes. ... these 'walk - watch and shoot' ranges ...

Exactly. The AR 15s weighed about the same, was about the same size and a 5.56 mm round has more of a punch than a 9 x 19 mm.

'Walk - watch and shoot ranges' - AKA 'sneaker ranges'.

Peter, I have a Pom Close Quarters Shooting Infantry
Training Pamphlet from circa 1961 - all of about 15 or 20 pages somewhere amongst my 'old junk' as the wife calls it that details the training, qualifications (SMG, SLR, LMG & GPMG) and how to build a sneaker range.