doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com Early R. G. (Bob) Owen

Mike, Owen was basically a 1903 specialist and I have a 98 in .257. You have the little Remington pump .22. And there is the one Savage 23D Hornet. Risley did metalwork on SS rifles, did Owen stock any of them? Krags? 1917 Enfields or Remington 30? Winchester 54 or 70?

Too bad these images are so small!

I should add that there are Owen shotguns, two are for sale in the March Julia auction, lots 1208 and 1209. The first is boxlock, engraved by Kornbrath, the second is a sidelock, Brit style scrollwork. Where these stocked by Owen or imported in finished or semi finished form?

I've only see a few Mausers by Owen before the war, Never a Krag or Endfield. After the war he did a lot of FN Mausers and the like but I have not followed this work so not very knowledgeable about it. Not all of his post-war work is marked so there are lots of bargains out there.

I think that Owen did the stock on the shotguns that I have seen with his name on them. About ten years ago in Vegas I looked at a Magnum-Mauser with his name and address in gold on the barrel and I'm sure he did none of the work. I have no idea what the story behind that was.

IMO The real prizes are the rifles marked "Owen Bros".

I was looking through my "Owen"pictures and saw this. I was experimenting with light at the end of the stock to show grain.

I have the Owen Savage 23-D .22 Hornet. As Mike's article says, it is marked #1, despite the fact that he'd been building guns for years. Last year I was told by a man (another well-known gun builder) that knew Owen this was his (Owen's) own gun that he built for himself. I suppose that answers the question about it being #1-- he was the "main man" so number one was most befitting. It also makes sense that he would choose an inexpensive Savage since he definitely wasn't wealthy. It has a beautiful piece of wood and is Kornbrath engraved-- possibly as a favor for the friend that had given him so much work. It has to be the nicest Savage in the world. I doubt Kornbrath engraved another.

I also have a 20 bore shotgun he built on a Westley Richards droplock action. It has 28 inch German steel barrels and has deeply-chiseled Kornbrath engraving. I'm pretty proud of it as it's a really outstanding example and much nicer than I deserve--but I'm keeping it!

Until recently, I had a Mauser-actioned .375 built by Owen. I haven't seen too many other Owen Mausers but have been told of one other .375 and two .257s (counting Mark's.) I'm sure there were a few more and I imagine their whereabouts are secrets well-kept by Mike.

I also have two unengraved Springfields and two Kornbrath engraved Springfields, all .30-06s. I guess I've gotten a bit "Owen-crazy" the last few years but really feel his "best" guns (not to be confused with many guns it seems he just put his name on and "retailed")are among the finest ever built. I'd really like to have an Owen Bros. gun if anyone has the urge to sell!

This is the only "Owen Bros" I know of today and I'm sure it's not for sale. I know of about a dozen "Owen Bros" from historical records all 1903's with the exception of a Remington 12-C (like mine) and a Savage 1920 and high-wall in 30-40 Krag. The last two were both owned by our old friend T.D. Sloan, about everyone who has collected classic rifles has run across one of his rifles.

A typical Sauquoit Owen,

I think that has to be the nicest '03 I have ever seen as far as shape of the stock goes.