doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com Columbia Arms

Does anyone know the history of Columbia Arms, and particularly the Owens connection. I'm not interested in the rifle, just have never heard of this arms co before.

Growing up in the NW, this one peeked my interest in the co's history.

http://www.gunsinternational.com/COLUMBIA-ARMS-SPOKANE-WA-270-ON-MAUSER-ACTION.cfm?gun_id=100203066

"Nice custom built rifle when Spokane was one of the premier gunsmithing areas in the U.S. This has a tom Burgess bolt and the top of the barrel is marked Columbia Arms and also marked R G Owens. R G Owen came over from England and was Sponsored by Columbia Arms in Spokane WA. Columbia Arms had some of the famous gun makers during this period including Russ Leonard who did the stock and Tom Burgess. R G Owens later relocated to New York where his New York marked rifles are real collector guns."

I don�t know who was behind Columbia Arms, I�ve always thought of them as a contractor. Maybe someone in the area could do a little research.

Tom Burgess worked there, I believe when he was in high-school at the time.

The part about Owen (not Owens) has no basis in fact.