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

Excellent description of a POW eightbore!

Here are a couple of views of my rendition styled after Woodward, with a bit steeper angle to the cap.




Pure profile view.

An Owen Springfield I photographed a number of years ago.
I've only handled a half dozen R.G. Owen custom guns but each time I do I feel as if I knew the man (or he knows me). Although I'm less than enamored with the architecture, the pump .22 above is one of my top half dozen all-time favorite rifles. Anyone who enjoys fine walnut should read the story/letter Owen wrote to his client about that .22s stock blank (in Michael's first book!)

Yes, Steven, if your grip had been brought back a little farther the the cap installed flat, blending into the stock, it would be a classic Woodward POW. When Galazan was displaying prototypes of the Inverness over under, the prototype I examined had a 100% correct POW, which I have never seen on a commoner's gun. I ordered one and it came in with a changed grip. It is a wonderfully designed stock and grip, but the "100% POW" had disappeared on the production room floor.

Here is the passage I published from the letter for you folks who might not have the book.

Letters from R.G. Owen to Col H. P. Sheldon �

Late November or Early December 1923: �Dear Mr. Sheldon, Just a line in answer to your last letters. Which I did not answer. Have been busy evenings putting a little extra work on my own Springfield. I have the stock on the desk now before me. All that remains to be done now is to brown the metal work, and I think I am at last satisfied that I have a good looking and for me, a quick handling little Springfield second to none in quality of workmanship and finish in this lil ole U.S.A. this is the kind of work I would like to work on all the time.

In a couple of weeks I am going to send this rifle for you to handle, examine, and shoot if you wish, for I know you will appreciate the work it represents. Also the beautiful piece of wood in stock. I only wish I could get blocks as good as this right along, but as you know the average sportsman sees nothing in all these little things, and would not pay the difference. This material is getting very scarce and this is the best I have been able to get hold of. I have told my stock man in England, if possible to get me at least twelve of this grade. I know that I am asking almost an impossibility and I�ll go broke when I get the bill, but there�s a fascination in wood for me, that is wood of this kind. The only other block I have seen anything like this is one I have in a 22 Rem. which by the way I want to sell. Am thinking of sending this up to Kirkwood Bros. Boston. The block for the stock of this little gun cost me $24. The grip has been remolded, the grip is capped with an engraved grip cap. The buttplate is of steel checkered and engraved. Gun is almost new, has gold bead front sight with Lyman peep rear, no notch in the barrel little blueing worn off but very little. Stock has gold oval. Slide handle is a nice piece of wood to match stock. The whole being done in very fine checkering. It is a beautiful little rifle and you would like it. You can have it for $50. You can pay me anytime between now and next June. Will send it for you to see. Would like you to have this little gun, am going to cash in all my guns, all the Springfields. The Greener went to Kirkwoods today. Want to raise some money for my sidelock 20 bore, also buy all the Circassian Walnut I can get hold of as one of these days it is going to peter out, and I think it would be a nice feeling to know I had a year or two�s supply, just like having money in the bank. I certainly hate to send this little 22 to Kirkwoods as some dub is liable to get hold of it that doesn�t know a piece of pine from a piece of walnut. So let me know if you wish this in your battery or to make a present to that young shooting partner of yours.
Think I will send it to you anyhow, and I won�t feel a bit bad if you can�t use it, but want you to see how a twenty two can be made to look anyhow. Just send it back if you can�t use it.�

7th December 1923: �Dear Mr. Sheldon, I did not send the 22 to you because after writing I thought it seemed just like pushing the gun on you but what I really mean was that you so much appreciate a nice gun that I wanted you to have it. Now Mr. S take it out, shoot it, keep it for a few days and if you just don�t like it , just send it back and I wont feel at all badly about it.
Since changing this gun over I have made about 10 just like it. That is for my best friends who have seen it. They seem to like the man size butt and changed grip.

9th January 1924: �Dear H.P. Your two last letters received, also the little gun arrived Monday, The little 22 goes back today, guess the letter giving my idea about little present to the master of the house, did not reach you in time to prevent you sending it back. Also want to thank you for the very practical little piece of paper, in the shape a cheque. Suppose I should pretend to be mad and all the usual camouflage, but I am not a bit, mans a fool to carry on that way isn�t he, especially a financially poor man, note I said financially, for I am, these days I am just living on my smokes but just you wait a while. Every nickel I can get hold of now goes into gun material mostly walnut.�

re. Woodward style grip

Not to hijack this Owen thread but if you go to the Westley Richards web sight & look under "build your own" in the shotgun options they offer both a "Woodward style grip" & a "POW" style grip & show examples of both.

I like both styles but prefer the Woodward style which it seems very few people can pull off as well as Woodward did.

So Westley Richards would call the early Owen grip style a rounded grip which is also a selection on its menu.

Quite subtle distinctions between the P of W and the Woodward. Maybe someone with a more discerning eye can explain exactly what the difference is.

I've always thought this was a POW grip, but maybe not? No grip cap, gold oval inlet instead.

Lots of truth in that Owen letter that epitomizes the realities of the custom gun trade. It almost give me shivers to read those words.

These I find more puzzling??
"Since changing this gun over I have made about 10 just like it. That is for my best friends who have seen it. They seem to like the man size butt and changed grip."
I think I once asked you is you had run across any of these?
I'd sure like to...

Steve,

I keep looking for any custom Remington Model 12 but have not found another Owen. I have an old ad where one is advertized but that is all, I know more are out there....keep looking.

Niedner made five Mann-Niedner (hamburg rifles) and I found them all so it can be done. There was a wooden model but have not found that ;-).

What about the shotguns Owens built? I have had more o
f those in my hands than his rifles. Any history on serial# rg1 ?