Mowrey

Looking through the want adds. Mowrey 58 smoothbore for sale $450. Don't know what shape its in. I don't know anything about Mowrey rifles either. Your coments Please

Ive been happy with EVERY one Ive ever had and still have my first one made by Deer Creek (its about 20 yrs old now) a 58 smooth is a new one on me must of been made in Texas and those are really good ones too. Fred :hatsoff:

I have two steel frame Mowreys, one .40 cal. the other is .45 cal. very good shooters, no problems of any kind.
Best Regards

Old Ford

I own one..its a .50 Georgia tree gun ( short 24inch barrel). I'v done a bit of reading on them and never seen where a 58 smoothbore was produced, although they did produce a 12 ga. shotgun back in the 70's at OLNEY TEXAS.
A 12 gauge is 72 caliber. They are nice guns...but that price is a bit high IMHO.

Shooting buddy had one that he liked a lot. I know he used 90 grains FFg with 1&1/4 oz. of shot. he was a big #5 shot user like myself. Believe the 90 grain charge was the maker's recommended max charge. He was also a fanatic about using plastic shot cup which is something I don't use...to each his own. His round ball load was cut back to 80 grians of FFg with a .690" ball and a .017" lubed patch. Hope this helps.

Needed to jump back in and mention the loads I gave for the Mowrey were for the 12 guage gun. Didn't know they've made a smaller bored version. :surrender:

Since we havent found who made it I take a guess its one of the ones made in Ind not by Deer Creek but a company that you find ads for in 1980s Muzz Blast, they made about anything useing the Deer Creek frame. Fred :hatsoff:

Here's some info I once posted on the Percussion Forum, as I have a Mowrey my login ID is named after ...

Mowrey Rifles:

Here’s some info I’ve captured about these rifles. Please kindly bring any errors, omissions, or updates to my attention.

Mowrey rifles are a modernized copy of the Allen & Thurber design. Ever hear of ol’ timers breaking the wrist of their wooden stocked rifles when using it as a club? That concern is the very reason Ethan Allen ”˜allegedly’ designed the Allen & Thurber action, made in both iron and brass frames. I stated ”˜allegedly’ as Ethan Allen only had a sideline interest in firearms as a business, as he was a General and land speculator first. Regardless, he is credited with making the wrist of metal.

Some other historical tidbits - Sullivan Forehand was employed at Allen & Wheelock in 1860 when he married Ethan Allen's daughter, and their two sons would eventually join them in the firearms business. Henry C. Wadsworth, while an officer in the Union Army during the Civil War, also married one of Ethan Allen's daughters. At the close of the war he joined the company, and it's name was changed to reflect this and hence became Ethan Allen & Company. After Allen's death in 1871, his sons-in-law continued the business under the Forehand & Wadsworth name. When Wadsworth retired in 1890 the company name was changed to the Forehand Arms Company and operated until 1898, when Forehand died. It's generally believed that his heirs operated it until 1902, when it was then taken over by Hopkins & Allen.

Bill Mowery of Texas, a long time member of the Texas MLRA, made the modern replica by copying an original owned by Joe Woods of the Firelock Shop. You know Joe best for his coning tools. Mr. Mowrey also made a number of very fine underhammer rifles with inter-changeable barrels in both hunting, off-hand target weight, and heavy bench rest styles. He seemed to always use the best possible maple or walnut for his rifles. When Bill retired, he sold the rights to Deer Creek Products of Indiana.

Now get this! Joe Woods had brought his original A&T to Bill Mowrey to get the action fixed, as Bill also did gunsmithing. It took some time, years if I remember correctly, and when Joe finally went and got his rifle back .. . it still wasn’t repaired! But by then, Mowrey replicas of the A&T design were shipping out the door of Mowrey’s shop. Joe still has that rifle ... unfixed to this day :shocked2: even!

Great inside pic! I know both well, I ckd last night and the 58 smooth was made in OLNEY TEXAS as Deer Creek never made any. Fred :hatsoff: in East Tex.

That picture should help ol' whatshisname that recently posted about finding his Mowry dysfunctional.

That pic is great. It will help me get this thing back together and functioning. I appreciate the help. I love the look and feel of the rifle and look forward to shooting it.
Mine is also marked Olney Texas and is 54 caliber. The bore looks good and the barrel is browned with only very minor pitting.