Lets talk Newton Rifles

[RicinYakima]

Glen's post on the .256 Newton reminds me of my first adventure of a Newton rifle. It was the 1917 model in "US .30 of 1906" (30/06) with no rear barrel sight just a Lyman 48 long slide. It was reasonable priced because like most you find, the original stock had broken through the hollow pistol grip for the bolt that holds the rear action take-down plate. The barrel was "shot out" and spotted fine pitted. Really it just had the Pope-Newton rifling form.


This was a target from the first day's trials. The top ten shot group was RCBS 30-180-FN with 28 grains of 4895. The bottom ten shot group was Lyman 311284 with 16 grains of 2400. This is a very cast bullet friendly barrel form if the alloy is soft and the pressures are low.

So if you every get a chance to work with one, you will be surprised how well they shoot.

 

[Bret4207]

I've seen a grand total of one actual Newton (Buffalo Newton?) in my life. The price was well over what I paid for my last 4 vehicles combined and it wasn't anything special as far as condition. To know someone who actually owns such a mythical beast is astounding! Looks like yours is real shooter.

 

[CZ93X62]

That bore form looks quite Glock-ish. I am surprised your rifle did not lay waste to the surrounding countryside from the nuclear explosion caused by the use of cast bullets in it. (Tongue firmly in place in the cheek)

 

[RicinYakima]

I've seen a grand total of one actual Newton (Buffalo Newton?) in my life. The price was well over what I paid for my last 4 vehicles combined and it wasn't anything special as far as condition. To know someone who actually owns such a mythical beast is astounding! Looks like yours is real shooter.

I paid $300 from an estate clearing house in about 2001. Didn't argue about the price because while the metal was very good, the broken stock had been replaced with a nicely done Fajen or Bishop. And it had no holes in the action to mount a scope, so they didn't think it was worth more than that figure.

 

[RicinYakima]

That bore form looks quite Glock-ish. I am surprised your rifle did not lay waste to the surrounding countryside from the nuclear explosion caused by the use of cast bullets in it. (Tongue firmly in place in the cheek)

I know, Charlie Newton probably rolling in his grave with somebody shooting his rifle with slow bullets.

 

[JWFilips]

Isn't that the same a medford rifling

 

[RicinYakima]

Isn't that the same a medford rifling

Almost! It is my understanding that the British Medford was .300" by .314". The "down" part was .007" deep for the .303 British. The Newton-Pope is .300" by .308" so the grooves are only .004". It displaces the least amount of metal from the bullet to get engraved, except for Marlin Micro-Groove, the best I can determine.

 

[Pistolero]

Interesting. I have never seen one, as far as I know. If I did, I had no idea what I was looking at.

Bill

 

[RicinYakima]

Interesting. I have never seen one, as far as I know. If I did, I had no idea what I was looking at.

Bill

 

[CZ93X62]

What Bill said, as far as seeing and knowing goes.

Beautiful machines, for sure. Mr. Newton was pretty clearly influenced by European makers with the double set-triggers and schnabel forends. That 6.5-'06 with the shoulder pushed back and mouth shortened to .244" sounds an awful lot like the 9.3 x 62 Mauser's case length of 62mm. Yep, LOTS of Euro influence, for certain.

The guy that re-barreled my Rem 788 was enamored with Newton cartridges. One of his projects at the time he was doing my rifle was a re-barrel of a Husqvarna Mauser 98 in 30-06 to 256 Newton. The project intrigued him, and he wanted me to send along my Mau 98 x '06 for similar treatment. Uh, NO. Mine is 98% except for a stock toe fracture lamely repaired by the guy I got it from in Ridgecrest. The rifle's barrel and throat on his project gun had seen a LOT of shooting. I doubt that mine had 100 rounds through it before I got it.

 

[Spindrift]

What a fine looking rifle! That rifling method is very interesting.

 

[Tom]

Years ago, I saw a 30 newton(i think) rifle at a local yard sale. It looked pretty good, except for the holes for a scope mount were Katy whompus and there was part of a tap stuck in one. I passed, even though it was only $125. Maybe I should've bought it?

 

[JWFilips]

Love the look of that rifle! thanks for posting

 

[Pistolero]

If I had seen one, my first thought would be Oberndorf commercial Mauser. Looking closer, if I had, it would have clearly been different. But overall look.....