Mowrey Gun Works

[geeber]

I thought that some of you might be interested in this.... found it in my stuff. I hunted with a 50 cal Mowrey Ethan Allen Plains Rifle for many years, with quite good results. I love mine....

 

[tenngun]

My very first ml, bought it for ninety dollars. Sold it for twice, missed it ever since.

 

[Sinner]

Can't see your picture...

 

[Zonie]

Can't see your picture...

The link geeber gave isn't a picture. It is a PDF file that should download to your computer or your web browser.

PDF files need to have an Adobe program on them to open the file. If you do open it you will see pictures and writings about the Mowery guns.

 

[Sinner]

I see. (well, not literally, LOL)

 

[outlan22]

Found a kit online a year or so back, 45 cal with the brass folded forestock. Put it together but have yet to find the time to test fire it, not even snapped a cap on it yet.

 

[BlackHillsBob]

they were the best of the best, some one should make them again.

 

[FishDFly]

I always wanted one and when I finally got around to looking at some of them, I found that the drop on the stock just did not fit me.

I have a Dixie catalog from 1974 and there is a flyer in it with a Mowrey rifle in .54 with a price of $109.95 with a regular price of $175 with sale ending Feb. 28, 1975. I lusted after one, but being in the service with one strip and married, it might as well have been $10,000.

 

[BlackHillsBob]

i also have a lot of never bought guns because i had no money. the one purchase i did do in the 70/s was a model 17 s and w .22, still have it and it is worth 1000.00 and still can cut a one hole group at 20 yards.

 

[AlanG]

Found a kit online a year or so back, 45 cal with the brass folded forestock. Put it together but have yet to find the time to test fire it, not even snapped a cap on it yet.View attachment 8919 View attachment 8925

Outlan22- do you know what the breech thread was?

 

[outlan22]

Outlan22- do you know what the breech thread was?

Sorry AlanG , that i do not know off hand.

 

[sgeisz]

Had one in 12 gauge. Lock design didn't provide enough impact, or just lousy springs, backplate was totally wrong for a shotgun. Glad it is gone.

 

[dsayer]

I first opened that PDF and thought, "boy that's an ugly rifle." But the more I looked, the more I wanted one of the Plains model in 54.

 

[AlanG]

Outlan22- do you know what the breech thread was?

Thanks. Been thinking about rebarreling mine, wasn't sure if they used a standard thread.

 

[AlanG]

Had one in 12 gauge. Lock design didn't provide enough impact, or just lousy springs, backplate was totally wrong for a shotgun. Glad it is gone.

Jeez. They offered a flat "shotgun style" buttplate as an option.

The springs can fatigue, but it is an easy 2 minute fix, and/or replacement springs were available for $10 bucks or so, and are the easiest mainsprings to replace I know of.

There was a difference between the Texas made and the Indiana ones.

They were one of the most unique semi- production guns offered, and about the only cut rifled, deep groove as standard rifles I'm aware of.

i have two, one Texas and one Indiana. It has one of their Match barrels which I don't think they ever advertised. Deep cut rifling, gain twist, and choked, and as good a curly maple stock available anywhere, for something like $450.00 which was about what TC was charging for their Hawken at the time.

 

[Spur8]

I have one I bought several years ago in steel. .40 caliber. I had a peep sight put on the rear, a Lyman tunnel on the front. I also had a small screw put the action to allow a long allen wrench into to adjust the trigger. I didn't see any harm in modification since it was a modern designed rifle. Oiled it up, put it away and never got around to shooting it. I actually forgot the Mowery made it. Thanks for the information. Now I need to decide what to do with it.

 

[McClura]

Mowrey made some fine rifles. I was shooting competition in the late 70's at Electra, TX and Brady, TX with the Red River Renegades Black Powder club and Mowery would show up with some rifles. I shot a few of them and one that sticks in my mind is a 54 cal, with peeps that we would shoot off of cross sticks for a Buffalo match. That rifle with the 1-60 twist was remarkable. It liked a little more powder that my shoulder did when getting the best groups.
There were a lot of his rifles for sale about that time because most would purchase them, mainly in smaller calibers and it would be too
heavy for them shooting all day. Like most, I was without funds then just getting a new job and shooting a Dixie flint Kit in .50 that was given given to me if I could shoot it and would take care of it. I really wanted one of the TX built later models in iron hardware in a .54.
Some guys around there had installed new barrels in .62 and .58 for Elk and other big game by Mowrey or themselves.
Thanks for the PDF file. Had a couple of articles from NMLRA magazines back in the day that I have kept.
Nice find on the kit.
Mike

 

[Eterry]

Bill was a very unique person. I knew him in his later years, about the time he sold his last shop in Wichita Falls.

I wanted a Bill Mowrey made gun, but settled on a later made carbine.

Bill only made, himself, under 200 of the H&A rifles. He did make all manner of muzzle loaders. I knew a gentleman who owned one of every type Bill ever made.

I know where most of his casting molds for the H&A rifles are... they cannot be had for love or money.

 

[Eterry]

Mowrey made some fine rifles. I was shooting competition in the late 70's at Electra, TX and Brady, TX with the Red River Renegades Black Powder club and Mowery would show up with some rifles. I shot a few of them and one that sticks in my mind is a 54 cal, with peeps that we would shoot off of cross sticks for a Buffalo match. That rifle with the 1-60 twist was remarkable. It liked a little more powder that my shoulder did when getting the best groups.
There were a lot of his rifles for sale about that time because most would purchase them, mainly in smaller calibers and it would be too
heavy for them shooting all day. Like most, I was without funds then just getting a new job and shooting a Dixie flint Kit in .50 that was given given to me if I could shoot it and would take care of it. I really wanted one of the TX built later models in iron hardware in a .54.
Some guys around there had installed new barrels in .62 and .58 for Elk and other big game by Mowrey or themselves.
Thanks for the PDF file. Had a couple of articles from NMLRA magazines back in the day that I have kept.
Nice find on the kit.
Mike

McClura, I shot at the RRR's Spring Soiree trap/skeet/Sporting clays last month. Ken Adair invited me.

 

[bigdaddy0442]

I came across one of these 50 cal kits but since I am new to ML I can't figure out how to put the thing together. The instructions don't have pictures or diagrams so unfortunately I am a little confused. Anyone have some pictures I can use. I am stuck on the installation of the trigger spring.

Thanks!!