Mowrey's Ethan Allen Rifles
Reproduction designed and produced by Mowrey Gun Works
Overview
Inspired by the sturdy yet straightforward design of the Allen & Thurber side-hammer target rifles, retired tool-and-die maker Bill Mowrey set out in 1963 to build fully handcrafted reproductions in his shop at Jacksboro, Texas. Unlike the original iron-framed rifles, Mowrey opted for brass, which was easier to cast, and he replaced the cast-iron fore-end with a traditional wooden one. Every component was produced in-house — from the rifled barrels to the stocks. The walnut came from salvaged timber submerged in Lake Bridgeport, while the brass was likely cast near Wichita Falls.
Mowrey soon established Mowrey Gun Works in Iowa Park, Texas, expanding his line beyond the target (or Plains) rifle to include two additional models: the Squirrel Rifle and the Shotgun.
Presented below are excerpts from a commercial leaflet of the period, originating from Iowa Park, Texas.
All-steel models were also offered for shooters who preferred the strength and traditional look of browned, nonglare steel over the polished brass finish of Mowrey’s standard rifles.
Comparison between the box-lock mechanism of the original Allen rifle and the Mowrey reproduction
Records indicate that Donald and Raymond Cope took over Mowrey Gun Works and relocated production to Olney, Texas. The exact date of this transition is unclear, but it most likely occurred in the early 1970s.
Following the Olney period, the company’s tooling and production rights were reportedly transferred to Deer Creek Products in Waldron, Indiana, which continued manufacturing into the 1980s and 1990s.