The Owen Submachine Gun sported a highly utilitarian appearance - certainly not the most beautiful firearm ever made. However, it was very functional, robust, reliable and required little training to operate with any level of effectiveness. The Owen was a simple weapon with simple construction, allowing for the mass production that the burgeoning Australian military required. Design was essentially a tubular, featureless receiver capped by a removable barrel assembly. The stock was skeletal to save on weight and construction material though some versions were also fitted with an all-wood stock and others with a "mutt" design featuring both wood and a metal frame. The lower portion of the receiver was "hollowed out" to which a simple pistol grip and trigger unit was affixed. The magazine feed was set across the forward upper end of the tubular receiver and fed by a vertical spring-loaded magazine (an early form utilized a drum-style magazine but this was later dropped in favor of a detachable box). This installation made for a very reliable feed mechanism for the cartridges therein were aided by both the magazine spring itself and gravity - the detachable box magazines fed 32 x 9mm cartridges in succession. There was a forward pistol grip for a firm two-point hold and this further showcased finger grooves for basic ergonomics. The barrel was rather nondescript and an early form showcased cooling fins at the base near the receiver though this design element was later dropped. Interestingly, the barrel was also designed to be "quick-changing" which prevented overheating under heavy sustained fire conditions - a design quality more akin to light machine guns than submachine guns. Sights were iron in their design and offset to the side of the receiver, this forced by the position of the vertical magazine. The firing action was the typical "blowback" system utilizing an open bolt. The internal compartmentalized arrangement of the receiver was such that it kept the integral components clear of debris that would have otherwise impeded the function. Overall, the Owen SMG weighed in at about 9lb and sported a 32 inch running length with a near-10 inch barrel assembly. Rate-of-fire was listed at 700 rounds per minute with a muzzle velocity of 1,380 feet per second and an effective range out to 135 yards.
Once accepted into service - and deliveries from Britain of Sten guns less likely - production of the Own SMG began out of the John Lysaght facilities and this was further bolstered by involvement of the Lithgow Small Arms Factory to which over 50,000 total examples were ultimately produced from a span of 1941 to 1945. The full production rate was limited to 2,000 units a month simply because the Australians lacked the facilities to produce more. The initial batches were hampered in their use for the promised ammunition supply was of the incorrect caliber. After logistics were settled, Australian soldiers could make effective use of their Owens against the Japanese, the weapon proving its inherent value across the often unforgiving nature of the jungle environment. The weapon was also seen in various camouflage paint schemes to reflect the fighting environment in question and some were also witnessed with short bayonets added alongside the barrels. The weapon was perfect for the close-range fighting required of Australian troops against the fanatical Japanese who often charged positions in suicidal actions. Additionally, special operations elements could utilize the more compact design in their clandestine missions or for scouting enemy positions prior to assault. Regardless of the abuses brought upon the Owen frame, the gun - more often times than not - refused to quit and earned her the nickname of "Digger's Darling". The gun could be dropped in rivers, lathered in mud and take on dust - only for its firing action to remain as new. In time, the forces of neighboring New Zealand were also using the weapon and the Owen gun even caught the interest of the United States, United Kingdom and the Netherlands. It is said that within the Australian Army, soldiers preferred nothing less than their homegrown Owen SMGs for, if the system held one fault, it was in her generally heavy overall weight that surpassing that of her contemporaries. However, a sure two-hand hold and use of the shoulder stock helped to alleviate such a fault.
All told, the Owen was produced in just two distinct forms - the basic model designated as the Mark 1 (1/42) and appearing in 1943 and the wooden butt model designated as the Mark 1 (1/43) appearing in 1943. The Mark 2 was to be a simplified production version but only appeared in prototype form by war's end. The US Army in Australia contracted for 60,000 Owen submachine guns themselves but the request was never fulfilled due to a lack of Australian machinery infrastructure and raw war materials.
With World War 2 coming to a close by September of 1945, the Owen SMG continued to soldier on in the post-war years. When full-scale fighting erupted on the Korean peninsula in the North invasion of the South, the Owen SMG went to war with Australian forces once more. In 1952, many Owens were completely rebuilt to help extend their service lives and a longer bayonet was added. Australian involvement in the Vietnam War also brought the Owen back into play, the old girl not a stranger to jungle warfare.
Amazingly, the "little submachine gun that could" survived her various global conflicts and served with Australian forces until the 1960s to which it was ultimately replaced by the F1 Submachine Gun series entering service in 1963. This weapon also saw service in the Vietnam War with Australian forces, utilized the 9x19 Parabellum cartridge, made use of a vertical magazine and served up until 1991.
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