Russe11

The wooden box for my Owen gun arrived Friday. I have so far covered the lid with recruiting posters, photos and newspaper clippings and have lined the inside with craft foam.
Thought I would share this poster:

What other country would have needed a poster to ask people to stop surfing and fight a war?
 
AIF incidentally was Australian Imperial Force. It was technically a separate entity to the army as the Australian constitution up until 1944 did not allow the army to be used outside of Australian territory.

There is bound to be someone able to pick you up. It never hurts to ask, thats why most WW2 games will have a thread for asking about car shares etc. Being a rather niche activity, you will find that WW2 airsofters are even more friendly and helpful than normal airsofters.

Hmm, a Goliath would be cool

It's for using. Between my Sten and Owen gun, I have British and Aussie impressions covered. I also have an SMLE which I need replacement mags for (hopefully they will be available in May). Now I just need a period suitable sidearm.
If we win this AI competition, there will be £500 to spend at Firesupport between the 2 of us so I may get a revolver:
http://www.fire-support.co.uk/product/marui-m19-4inch-revolver
Then I am definitely finished on buying guns... for a bit.

I waited until she was finished before posting these pics. It just makes it easier to read not having it come in stages.
Many people think the Owen is an ugly gun, its certainly not the most aesthetically pleasing design. I think though that it is an example of ingenious design. It could beat any other WW2 SMG for reliability due to having a separate chamber for the cocking handle (so dirt cannot get to the bolt via the cocking handle slot), vertical mag (gravity assisted feeding) and part of the shell ejection mechanism was built into the magazine (the part that gets dirty when firing gets removed every 30 rounds). The Vertical mag also means that you can change mags whilst prone, without the magazine catching on jungle vegetation (a major flaw with the Sten's design).
 
Evelyn has incidentally been entered into Airsoft International's friendly fire competition for custom airsoft guns.

I don't think you're causing an issue. There are just a few legal considerations involved that you may want to consider.
On the other hand, I can see no reason why you can't go to a local airsoft site and have some fun with the gun if it takes your fancy. You never know, it may turn out to be something you enjoy. You never know, you may bump into him one day and be able to shoot him with his own gun

I don't get my hands on her until the end of Feb
I just don't want to risk a courier and pay the shipping costs when I will be meeting Dadio at the next WW2 game anyway.

Compare with the real Steel:

I was given the choice of whether to have the cooling fins. Later versions didn't have them and I knew they would be fiddly to do so I said I was not fussed which version was made. It would seem Dadio wanted to make cooling fins
The fins were a gradual process of getting the diameter of the fins and the spacing right.
What I was not expecting was a functioning barrel release catch. Dadio claims it was just the simplest way to join the gun together, I think he was just having waay too much fun building this
The magwell came next. My original idea had been to take the magwell from the Sten and re-use it. This would save building a new mag release catch. dadio preferred to make a new one with the mag around the other way so that it could tilt forward slightly as it does on the real gun.

A whole new mag release catch was fashioned, utilising a groove found on MP40/Sten mags that up until now had no purpose. This catch now matched the appearance of the mag release on the real gun.
Kinda starting to take shape.

Back in October I posted asking for someone willing to make me an Owen gun on both this forum and on ww2airsoft.org.uk.

I eventually got 2 replies but the 1st reply was from Dadio on ww2airsoft.org.uk and having seen some of his earlier creations I knew he would do a decent job. The plan was to use the ASG Sten as the basis for the gun and by the beginning of November, one had been ordered and work started.


It was found that the Sten hop up could be modified to take a vertical mag and still use the large housing that the Sten hopup sits in. This is the key feature of the Sten design that causes much annoyance to the WW2 german airsofters as it makes the hop up very consistent.
The next stage was to make the cutouts in the main tubing to fit the gearbox. The gearbox of the Sten is a modified version 7 gearbox (as you would find in an M14 but full auto only).
Next the barrel was threaded for a new compensator. The 1st compensator was too short.

The second attempt was better.

Back in October I posted asking for someone willing to make me an Owen gun on both this forum and on ww2airsoft.org.uk.

I eventually got 2 replies but the 1st reply was from Dadio on ww2airsoft.org.uk and having seen some of his earlier creations I knew he would do a decent job. The plan was to use the ASG Sten as the basis for the gun and by the beginning of November, one had been ordered and work started.


It was found that the Sten hop up could be modified to take a vertical mag and still use the large housing that the Sten hopup sits in. This is the key feature of the Sten design that causes much annoyance to the WW2 german airsofters as it makes the hop up very consistent.
The next stage was to make the cutouts in the main tubing to fit the gearbox. The gearbox of the Sten is a modified version 7 gearbox (as you would find in an M14 but full auto only).
Next the barrel was threaded for a new compensator. The 1st compensator was too short.

The second attempt was better.

I was given the choice of whether to have the cooling fins. Later versions didn't have them and I knew they would be fiddly to do so I said I was not fussed which version was made. It would seem Dadio wanted to make cooling fins
The fins were a gradual process of getting the diameter of the fins and the spacing right.
What I was not expecting was a functioning barrel release catch. Dadio claims it was just the simplest way to join the gun together, I think he was just having waay too much fun building this
The magwell came next. My original idea had been to take the magwell from the Sten and re-use it. This would save building a new mag release catch. dadio preferred to make a new one with the mag around the other way so that it could tilt forward slightly as it does on the real gun.

A whole new mag release catch was fashioned, utilising a groove found on MP40/Sten mags that up until now had no purpose. This catch now matched the appearance of the mag release on the real gun.
Kinda starting to take shape.

Back in October I posted asking for someone willing to make me an Owen gun on both this forum and on ww2airsoft.org.uk.

I eventually got 2 replies but the 1st reply was from Dadio on ww2airsoft.org.uk and having seen some of his earlier creations I knew he would do a decent job. The plan was to use the ASG Sten as the basis for the gun and by the beginning of November, one had been ordered and work started.


It was found that the Sten hop up could be modified to take a vertical mag and still use the large housing that the Sten hopup sits in. This is the key feature of the Sten design that causes much annoyance to the WW2 german airsofters as it makes the hop up very consistent.
The next stage was to make the cutouts in the main tubing to fit the gearbox. The gearbox of the Sten is a modified version 7 gearbox (as you would find in an M14 but full auto only).
Next the barrel was threaded for a new compensator. The 1st compensator was too short.

The second attempt was better.

Back in October I posted asking for someone willing to make me an Owen gun on both this forum and on ww2airsoft.org.uk.

I eventually got 2 replies but the 1st reply was from Dadio on ww2airsoft.org.uk and having seen some of his earlier creations I knew he would do a decent job. The plan was to use the ASG Sten as the basis for the gun and by the beginning of November, one had been ordered and work started.


It was found that the Sten hop up could be modified to take a vertical mag and still use the large housing that the Sten hopup sits in. This is the key feature of the Sten design that causes much annoyance to the WW2 german airsofters as it makes the hop up very consistent.
The next stage was to make the cutouts in the main tubing to fit the gearbox. The gearbox of the Sten is a modified version 7 gearbox (as you would find in an M14 but full auto only).
Next the barrel was threaded for a new compensator. The 1st compensator was too short.

The second attempt was better.

There was someone recently asking what his webbing was worth so he could sell it to raise money for a gun. Can't find the thread atm

If the site has a facebook page, post on there. Facebook is a great tool for getting groups together. Don't worry about going on your own, everyone will be friendly, especially if you remember to ask them about their guns etc

My new HK 416 888 with all its extras on
 

 

Okay, I don't actually take delivery until 28th Feb so these are not my pics, but my Owen gun is finished!!
Meet Evelyn:

 
This earlier photo shows how she strips down for storage:

 
Internally it's an ASG Sten Mk2 with a modified hop up. That means a modified ver7 gearbox. It takes MP40/Sten magazines. The entire hopup/barrel assembly can be removed using the barrel release catch, as you would on the real steel gun.
The Owen gun was the Australian equivalent of the Sten or the M3 Grease gun. It featured a vertical mag as this allowed mags to be changed whilst prone. The Sten also allows easy mag changes whilst prone but a mag in the side of the gun makes it more likely to catch on vegetation. A vertical mag also improves feeding. Unlike other submachine guns of it's era, it has the cocking handle in a separate section of the receiver from the bolt. The bolt will jam if dirt gets to it and the slot for the cocking handle is the most likely place for this to happen. This is the reason for the removable front end, as to strip it you have to take the bolt out from the front. In trials it was pitted against the Sten, Thompson and some german submachine guns, after immersion in sand and mud only the Owen would still fire. The design was not as cheap and easy to produce as the Sten, but Australia was in a very different position to the UK in that they were more self sufficient in terms of raw materials and their factories were not getting bombed.
Incidentally Evelyn Owen was the guy who invented it, hence my choice of name for this gun.

Yeah, cos the rest us us guys who run around the woods playing soldiers at weekends are totally mature and stuff!

Okay, I don't actually take delivery until 28th Feb so these are not my pics, but my Owen gun is finished!!
Meet Evelyn:

 
This earlier photo shows how she strips down for storage:

 
Internally it's an ASG Sten Mk2 with a modified hop up. That means a modified ver7 gearbox. It takes MP40/Sten magazines. The entire hopup/barrel assembly can be removed using the barrel release catch, as you would on the real steel gun.
The Owen gun was the Australian equivalent of the Sten or the M3 Grease gun. It featured a vertical mag as this allowed mags to be changed whilst prone. The Sten also allows easy mag changes whilst prone but a mag in the side of the gun makes it more likely to catch on vegetation. A vertical mag also improves feeding. Unlike other submachine guns of it's era, it has the cocking handle in a separate section of the receiver from the bolt. The bolt will jam if dirt gets to it and the slot for the cocking handle is the most likely place for this to happen. This is the reason for the removable front end, as to strip it you have to take the bolt out from the front. In trials it was pitted against the Sten, Thompson and some german submachine guns, after immersion in sand and mud only the Owen would still fire. The design was not as cheap and easy to produce as the Sten, but Australia was in a very different position to the UK in that they were more self sufficient in terms of raw materials and their factories were not getting bombed.
Incidentally Evelyn Owen was the guy who invented it, hence my choice of name for this gun.

Yeah, cos the rest us us guys who run around the woods playing soldiers at weekends are totally mature and stuff!

I don't think you're causing an issue. There are just a few legal considerations involved that you may want to consider.
On the other hand, I can see no reason why you can't go to a local airsoft site and have some fun with the gun if it takes your fancy. You never know, it may turn out to be something you enjoy. You never know, you may bump into him one day and be able to shoot him with his own gun

Okay, I don't actually take delivery until 28th Feb so these are not my pics, but my Owen gun is finished!!
Meet Evelyn:

 
This earlier photo shows how she strips down for storage:

 
Internally it's an ASG Sten Mk2 with a modified hop up. That means a modified ver7 gearbox. It takes MP40/Sten magazines. The entire hopup/barrel assembly can be removed using the barrel release catch, as you would on the real steel gun.
The Owen gun was the Australian equivalent of the Sten or the M3 Grease gun. It featured a vertical mag as this allowed mags to be changed whilst prone. The Sten also allows easy mag changes whilst prone but a mag in the side of the gun makes it more likely to catch on vegetation. A vertical mag also improves feeding. Unlike other submachine guns of it's era, it has the cocking handle in a separate section of the receiver from the bolt. The bolt will jam if dirt gets to it and the slot for the cocking handle is the most likely place for this to happen. This is the reason for the removable front end, as to strip it you have to take the bolt out from the front. In trials it was pitted against the Sten, Thompson and some german submachine guns, after immersion in sand and mud only the Owen would still fire. The design was not as cheap and easy to produce as the Sten, but Australia was in a very different position to the UK in that they were more self sufficient in terms of raw materials and their factories were not getting bombed.
Incidentally Evelyn Owen was the guy who invented it, hence my choice of name for this gun.

I don't think you're causing an issue. There are just a few legal considerations involved that you may want to consider.
On the other hand, I can see no reason why you can't go to a local airsoft site and have some fun with the gun if it takes your fancy. You never know, it may turn out to be something you enjoy. You never know, you may bump into him one day and be able to shoot him with his own gun

Okay, I don't actually take delivery until 28th Feb so these are not my pics, but my Owen gun is finished!!
Meet Evelyn:

 
This earlier photo shows how she strips down for storage:

 
Internally it's an ASG Sten Mk2 with a modified hop up. That means a modified ver7 gearbox. It takes MP40/Sten magazines. The entire hopup/barrel assembly can be removed using the barrel release catch, as you would on the real steel gun.
The Owen gun was the Australian equivalent of the Sten or the M3 Grease gun. It featured a vertical mag as this allowed mags to be changed whilst prone. The Sten also allows easy mag changes whilst prone but a mag in the side of the gun makes it more likely to catch on vegetation. A vertical mag also improves feeding. Unlike other submachine guns of it's era, it has the cocking handle in a separate section of the receiver from the bolt. The bolt will jam if dirt gets to it and the slot for the cocking handle is the most likely place for this to happen. This is the reason for the removable front end, as to strip it you have to take the bolt out from the front. In trials it was pitted against the Sten, Thompson and some german submachine guns, after immersion in sand and mud only the Owen would still fire. The design was not as cheap and easy to produce as the Sten, but Australia was in a very different position to the UK in that they were more self sufficient in terms of raw materials and their factories were not getting bombed.
Incidentally Evelyn Owen was the guy who invented it, hence my choice of name for this gun.