Owen Gun
Lithgow Small Arms Factory · Submachine Gun · Discontinued · 1942
Also known as: Owen Machine Carbine, Digger's Darling, Owen SMG
Overview
The Owen Gun is a select-fire submachine gun chambered in 9x19mm Parabellum, produced by Lithgow Small Arms Factory since 1942. Featuring a 32-round magazine capacity, this submachine gun offers generous firepower for duty use and home defense. Safety features include manual safety, grip safety, reflecting modern design standards that prioritize safe handling and operation. With over 113 years of firearms manufacturing experience, Lithgow Small Arms Factory brings established expertise in metallurgy, machining, and quality control to every product in their lineup, ensuring each firearm meets the standards expected by today's demanding market of knowledgeable shooters and professionals.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 4210 g (148.5 oz) |
| Weight (loaded) | 4815 g (169.8 oz) |
| Overall Length | 806 mm (31.73") |
| Barrel Length | 247 mm (9.72") |
| Height | 133 mm (5.24") |
| Width | 32 mm (1.26") |
| Action Type | Blowback |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 32 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 421 m/s (1381 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 481 J (355 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 135 m (148 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 200 m (219 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 700 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Rifling Twist | 254 mm (10.00") |
| Number of Grooves | 6 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 9x19mm Parabellum · primary · 9mm NATO — also known as 9mm Luger, 9mm NATO, 9x19mm
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic, Full Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety, Grip Safety
- Features: Top Mounted Magazine, Quick Change Barrel, Offset Sights, Bottom Ejection, Tubular Receiver, Open Bolt Operation, Select Fire
Variants
- Owen Gun Mk I-42 — Wire Stock
- Owen Gun Mk I-43 — Wooden Stock
- Owen Gun Mk II — Prototype
Service history
Operators
- Australian Army · adopted 1942 · as Owen Machine Carbine
- Royal Australian Navy · adopted 1942 · as Owen Machine Carbine
- Royal Australian Air Force · adopted 1942 · as Owen Machine Carbine
- New Zealand Army · adopted 1943
- Dutch Korps Speciale Troepen · adopted 1945
- Rhodesian SAS · adopted 1950
Conflicts
- World War II (1942-1945)
- Korean War (1950-1953)
- Malayan Emergency (1948-1960)
- Vietnam War (1962-1973)
- Rhodesian Bush War (1964-1979)
Production
Estimated total produced: 50,000 · Production years: 1942-1945
Approximately 2,000 units produced monthly at peak production. Manufactured at John Lysaght Newcastle Works and Lithgow Small Arms Factory.
Origin
Country of origin: Australia
Designer: Evelyn Ernest Owen
Discontinued: 1945
Notes
The Owen Gun's top-mounted magazine configuration was initially considered eccentric but proved ideal for jungle conditions-gravity ensured reliable feeding and dirt naturally fell away from the bottom ejection port rather than jamming the mechanism. Comparative testing by the Australian Army against the British Sten and US Thompson SMGs involved harsh trials in sand, mud, and water; the Owen was the only weapon that remained fully serviceable. The weapon cost approximately $30 to produce and could be manufactured at a rate of 2,000 units per month. The design was so successful that General Douglas MacArthur requested 60,000 units for Southwest Pacific Area Command, though this order could not be fulfilled due to resource constraints. The Owen was replaced by the Australian-designed F1 Submachine Gun in 1963.
Background
Designer Evelyn Owen was a self-taught firearms enthusiast with no formal engineering training who began developing the gun at age 16. When he presented his prototype to the Australian Army in 1939, it was rejected as a 'gangster's gun.' The design was rediscovered by chance in 1940 when neighbor Vincent Wardell found Owen's prototype in a bag and recognized its potential, ultimately saving the project and giving Australia its most successful indigenous weapon.