Owen shoots 10” left, 2” high at 10 yards

[huggytree]

I bought that post sample last month. Runs great. Smooth as butter. Great gun 

 

but it shoots really far off.  10” left and 2” high.  Because of how the barrel hooks on I’d think it could move around a bit differently everytime you reattach it ? 
 

I get flyers occasionally.  I’m not sure if the barrel shifted slightly. Or if the rifling is just throwing them around. The rifling is worn down and pitted a bit. 
 

I used to have a greasegun that shot off and was fixed by adding a chunk of slag to tweak the barrel over.  I wonder if the Owen could work the same way. 
 

anyone's Owen shoot dead on to the sights?

 

 

[APEXgunparts]

Every OWEN I have looked at has a really worn bore, I am sure that doesn't help.
You might also want to check the muzzle brake, I have seen one that was deformed at the muzzle, might be touching the bullets as they exit the bore.
Not any way to regulate the sights on an OWEN!

Richard

[huggytree]

It has slight slop where it fits the pin

if you rock that slop you’ll find 1/64 slop where the barrel connects with the gun it equates to 1/8th+ movement at the end of the barrel.  I’m going to add a few drops of epoxy to hold the barrel to the right. Firming up the barrel 

The barrel isn’t sloppy loose. But it’s not solid like a threaded barrel would be.  Just the way the gun Is designed.   It’s not a target gun

Gun Is a FANTASTIC smg.  If I can tweak the barrel right it will be awesome 

 

 

Edited June 5 by huggytree

[StrangeRanger]

The 2" high may be a feature not a bug. Some WWII era weapons have sights that are intended to be held on the belt line to get center of mass hits.  The idea is not to have sighting the gun obscure additional threats. Don't know if that's the case with the Owen.  See where the elevation prints at 50 yds.

[huggytree]

My riddle.  If I shift the barrel 1/8th left. But the sights also moved 1/8” left. Did I accomplish anything?

i figure the barrel attaches slightly loose so you can get the pin to click in easier.  Maybe this was never super tight by design. It’s not sloppy. But has a slight wobble  if you try to wiggle it. 
 

Here’s my dab of epoxy to test my idea

 

[StrangeRanger]

The sights would have to be considerably out of line with the barrel axis to get you that far off point of aim. Do a quick measurement centerline of barrel to centerline of front blade and centerline of receiver to centerline of rear aperture.  They should be the same.

If the problem has to do with the barrel to receiver joint the barrel would be visibly far out of line with the receiver and it is doubtful that it would still function reliably.

My M-30 Broomhandle had a similar (but not as severe) a problem.  Having the barrel re-lined solved it.

[APEXgunparts]

There is a good question, who can reline an OWEN barrel?
I have examined a handful and every one of them looked like it had seen heavy use in a jungle!
I have 2 barrel and both are not great.

Richard

[StrangeRanger]

I had PISCO in Coquille Oregon do my Broomhandle but their website seems to be inactive.  Don't know if they're still in business

Edited June 5 by StrangeRanger

[huggytree]

After the dollop of epoxy is added the barrel has 0 slop now. Gap is even all around.  My hope is by pulling the front grip into me it was pulling the barrel left with the slop it used to have . no idea how long jb weld will Survive but it can at least prove or disprove my plan to adjust things 

anyone own a barrel bender?

 

[NambuLMG]

If the added epoxy rectifies the problem you can always replace it with TIG welded steel then file it to fit which should permanently fix it.

-Rick

Edited June 15 by NambuLMG

[huggytree]

It did improve it. Ha. 
I can hit steel at 15 yards 

if the barrel weren’t burned out and sights were tweaked it would be great for 25-35 yards.  But as is.  15 is it 

Im just lucky to own one and get to try it. 
many samples are meh quality 

[Jim in Texas]

Huggytree - I am certainly not an expert on Owens, but the slop you describes sounds similar to the play I have found in S&W Model 76 type guns.  You might take a look at my posts in that forum about my barrel interface experiments.  In particular, using precision shim stock between the barrel and the receiver might be a more permanent method of addressing the slop you are experiencing.  

I wonder if you could even shim just the front-left-side and back-right-side of the barrel to shift your point of impact toward the right.  Maybe if you superglue the shims to the barrel and then gently insert the barrel into the receiver so you do not dislodge the shims . . . 

[huggytree]

My epoxy experiment worked good.  It held and made the slop 100% gone 

 

guns wildly patterning.  Good 15 yard gun. Rifling is just too far gone for an accurate gun.  I still get to enjoy it at close range.  An above average open bolt smg imo