Mowrey .36 "squirrel rifle"

[weirdjack]

I was visiting my stepfather the other day. He gets up and goes over to a closet, comes back and says to me, "Here, your mother would want you to have this". He hands me a little .36 Mowery squirrel rifle I had built up from a kit like 25 years ago for a Christmas present to my mom. It's a bit tarnished from sitting in the closet all these years after her death. And the barrel has a bit of surface rust where they had hung the pouch/horn I had built for it also. But the bore looks fine still and the lock is sound...it all just needs some cleaning and oiling
I can't wait to get down to the range and see how it still shoots. It's perfect for my needs these days....lightweight, economical to shoot, low recoil. And I found the ball mold for it among my LEE molds. Cool.
Now all I have to do is remember how to install a percussion cap....my other guns are all flinters.
WJ

 

[NORD]

That is great!

The first shot you put through that rifle will be a special one!

WOW!

Thanks for sharing!

:hatsoff:

 

[Mulebrain]

post pics please!

 

[weirdjack]

I'll have to take some photos of it.
For those unfamiliar with these....they are really small guns. Two-piece stock: forearm and buttstock in some pretty freakin' nice striped maple. The barrel is installed into a brass "receiver" section which doubles as the wrist part of the stock and contains the lock mechanism, with a standard side hammer arrangement. A brass tigger guard, brass hooked buttplate, no patchbox. It all makes for quite a simple but elegant little rifle. Extremely lighweight and handy! I seem to recall they were offered in .32 also. I bought this one mailorder as a kit around 1979 or so.
I did shoot it a bit 25+ years ago as I was putting things together, it shot well then. I'll have to drag out the ball mold and see if I can make time to get to the range this weekend.
WJ

 

I had a 45 Mowrey some years ago and let it get away, much to my lasting regret. They are very handy hunting rifles and easy to pack all day. Very simple action - easy to clean and reliable.

 

Good for you Jack. I have one in 36 except that it is the iron framed version. I belive you'll find the little rifle very accurate and a delight to shoot and carry, if you've forgotten after all those years.

Vic

 

[WV_Hillbilly]

a little .36 Mowery squirrel rifle

And I found the ball mold for it among my LEE molds.
WJ

Is there a place of origin on the barrel? like maybe "made in Olney, Texas"?

I just love hearing stories like your's. It's like finding a chest full of treasure; when you come across one of the guns that you figured was history or maybe scrap metal somewhere in Koreas.

Don't forget that you can use a 5 lb bag of #000 Hornady buckshot instead of the more expensive boxes of 100 Hornady balls. :m2c:

Shooting the buckshot costs about half as much, and I like to save money a LOT too. Must be my Scotch blood... or is it the Scotch in my Blood?... :hmm:

I don't even bother with casting for .36 anymore, unless I need some maxi-bullets to shoot with. :what: (Yes, I found a Lyman mould for them, just recently. I was amazed that I actually found one, but; "somtimes even a blind squirrel finds an acorn".:crackup:

Saves money and they shoot just as good maybe a little better even...

Spend Wisely--Shoot Safely!
WV_Hillbilly

PS Hope you have a son or daugther to leave that little .36 rifle as a part of your legacy.

 

[weirdjack]

Is there a place of origin on the barrel? like maybe "made in Olney, Texas"? (SNIP) Don't forget that you can use a 5 lb bag of #000 Hornady buckshot instead of the more expensive boxes of 100 Hornady balls. Shooting the buckshot costs about half as much, and I like to save money a LOT too.
PS Hope you have a son or daugther to leave that little .36 rifle as a part of your legacy.

I don't see any place of origin on the exposed barrel flats. Might be underneath hidden by the forearm. I bought it direct from the company as a kit back in like 1979.
Yep, I thought about #000 shot. But I already have the LEE mold and the lead...and I find casting to be theraputic. For me there is something very Zen-like about the process of casting round balls from an open pot with a dipper and single mold. Man I am looking forward to getting over 100 balls to a pound instead of the 13-14 I get for my Charleville, or the 40 or so for my Tennessee Mountain. And I'm looking forward to using low powder charges too! It will take me some time to get used to using percussion caps again though.
I will pass this one on to my youngest son (he's 22 now). He never really caught the black powder bug, but this gun will be a meaningful thing for him to own when I'm gone.
WJ

 

[bovey]

Based on my research, the rifles were made by Bill Mowrey back in the 60's in Jacksboro Texas. They are a copy of an original Allen & Thurber rifle from the 1850's. It has a patent breech which needs to be cleaned with a small bore brush otherwise you will have a problem with misfires. They are a scarce item these days and usually sell quickly. Great little shooter.

 

[WV_Hillbilly]

[/quote]
I don't see any place of origin on the exposed barrel flats. Might be underneath hidden by the forearm. I bought it direct from the company as a kit back in like 1979.
Yep, I thought about #000 shot. But I already have the LEE mold and the lead...and I find casting to be theraputic. For me there is something very Zen-like about the process of casting round balls from an open pot with a dipper and single mold. Man I am looking forward to getting over 100 balls to a pound instead of the 13-14 I get for my Charleville, or the 40 or so for my Tennessee Mountain. And I'm looking forward to using low powder charges too! It will take me some time to get used to using percussion caps again though.
I will pass this one on to my youngest son (he's 22 now). He never really caught the black powder bug, but this gun will be a meaningful thing for him to own when I'm gone.
WJ [/quote]

I've seen the markings on barrel just forward of the receiver and on the first flat clockwise from top most flat, as you look forward from the breech towards the muzzle. Mine was marked very simply 50 Mowrey, Olney Texas. It had the brass receiver and that very heavy brass curved buttplate with the hook at the heel.

Know what you mean exactly about casting... it's very rewarding in a way that is hard to understand for those who don't do it. Yeah, I only get 9 minies per pound for the .69cal.!!!

I do get more finicky about sorting the smaller balls and bullets by weight though. It's great to shoot a muzzleloader that is almost as cheap to shoot as a .22 rimfire.

Gotta get off... immediately... Lightning just hit about 100 yds away and I've got to go change my underwear too!

Later my friend,
WV_Hillbilly

 

[jackc]

Terrific story! Thanks for sharing with us. I hope you enjoy shooting your .36 as much as I enjoy mine. By the way, you ought to write that story to pass down to later generations of your family (along with the rifle, of course.) That way, years from now, the little Mowrey will never be just some old gun Grandad had. :m2c:

 

[sidelock]

Great story Jack---- Best of luck. I know you will remember your MOM every time you fire it. Just don't let go--ever. :thanks: