Range Report - Mowrey 40 cal.

[Griz44Mag]

I picked up this Mowrey from another member here. (Spur 8) It had been sitting for a long time.
The wood on this gun I think is curly maple. It is beautiful!
The twist appears to be 1:66. The sight is a Redfield competition adjustable. It is solid, does not rattle or drift and is easy to use.
After a good cleaning and waiting a few days for balls and stuff, we finally made it to the range. I put about 40 .380 balls through it, various lubes and patches. The .380 balls are just too small. I will order some bigger ones and start over.
Right out of the gates, I could not get it to ignite the main charge. I pricked and poked and finally after several caps, decided to trickle it and get it to fire. And it did.
Strange, but after that, I did not have a single FTF, even when it got extremely dirty.
Guess it had a plugged up something somewhere, but it seems fine now.
At 50 yards, she shoots decent, I believe it can and will get better with a tighter load down the tube. It points easy, is VERY comfortable to shoot benched or free standing. The drop on the stock fits my large frame well. I will also order a cone for the nipple, it likes to pepper your face because of the angle of the nipple and no shielding from the snail. Not a big deal though.

 

[Tom Compton]

“It likes to pepper your face” This sounds like the hole in the base of the nipple may have been enlarged by gas cutting. I suggest you get 2-3 new nipples when ordering other parts.

I do not shoot flintlock or percussion without eye protection and suggest all ML shooters do the same. I use some cheater readers with large plain lenses and a bifocal area at the bottom.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Once again I find myself extolling the virtues of having a cheap digital caliper on hand. It is handy to be able to get a measurement of bore diameters so we can make an educated guess as to a particular ball size. Yes, a caliper isn't especially accurate if there are an odd number of lands. Most modern barrels have an even number of lands and grooves. My father the old tool and die maker left me a set of inside ball gauge and telescoping gauges to measure inside diameters accurately, but most people can get by with the Harbor Freight $10 on sale digital calipers. (My Harbor Freight calipers are very much in agreement with my father's precision Mituyoyo Vernier calipers.)

My first guess for your Mowrey is 0.390" diameter balls or possibly 0.395". You need am extremely thick patch if you hope to get any accuracy with a 0.380" as you found out. In any event the day was not wasted as you were able to open the flash channel and got past the failure to fire (FTF) and got comfortable with your new gun.

 

[Griz44Mag]

“It likes to pepper your face” This sounds like the hole in the base of the nipple may have been enlarged by gas cutting. I suggest you get 2-3 new nipples when ordering other parts.

I do not shoot flintlock or percussion without eye protection and suggest all ML shooters do the same. I use some cheater readers with large plain lenses and a bifocal area at the bottom.

YUP, agree 100% with you Tom. The nipples were ordered a few days ago after I finally received the gun. Could not order nipples until I had it in my hands to see what size they are. As far as eye protection, I too wear large lens glasses, but because of the craft I work in, all of mine are safety rated (more than just a word for us in the construction realm) We should all be embracing the use of decent eye and hearing protection. I would also like to warn folks about NOT depending on drug store glasses made with glass lenses. Shattered glass in the eyeballs would NOT be fun. Using cheap glasses with plastic lenses, OK, but rated safety glasses are much better!

 

[Dwight Rutherford]

I also have a Mowery, what nipple size did you find for yours?

 

[WRustyLane]

That's a downright purtty rifle.

 

[SDSmlf]

My father the old tool and die make

Hey, I resemble that remark.....

 

[Griz44Mag]

I also have a Mowery, what nipple size did you find for yours?

Turned out to be a 1/4" x 28 thread pitch.
And of all the dumb things to do, when I sold my last TC I threw all the 1/4" nipples in the box cause I did not have anything to fit them anymore. (But I DID make someone else happy!)

 

[Dwight Rutherford]

Griz44Mag,
Thanks for the nipple size. I asked because my Mowery has 5/16 x 24 threads and have thought it was probably re-tapped because the original threading got buggered up. As it is, the threads appear not to be very clean. Trying to decide what I want to do.

 

[Griz44Mag]

If there is enough meat around the hole you can drill it, tap it and install a helicoil to restore the original thread size.
From there it may take a weld up the hole job and redrill/tap. If you are not confortable doing that, you can send it to Bobby Hoyt and have him work it over for you. I am considering doing that with my Mowrey and taking it up to a 45 for a fresh rifling.

 

[Dwight Rutherford]

Thanks for the suggestions, I have been thinking about drilling and tapping and installing a helicoil. My rifle is a brass frame so welding is not an option and don’t know if brazing would work or how it would look. Bobby Hoyt May be my best bet.