Just got it in. Now I need to get dies and some load ideas. I've wanted one of these ever since I saw one my uncle had.





Anyone ever play with one of these?

https://books.google.com/books...%2C963%2C1240&edge=0

here is an original ad from 1917.

quote:

posted 30 March 2018 21:01Just got it in. Now I need to get dies and some load ideas. I've wanted one of these ever since I saw one my uncle had. Anyone ever play with one of these?

At last count, I believe I have five of them: four in .256, one in .30 Newton, plus a 1922 Newton which was rebarreled to .270 Winchester back in the '30's. They can be addictive.

If Winchester had chambered the Model 54 and Model 70 in .256 Newton, the .270 might never have seen the light of day.

xausa - any loading data to pass along? I've looked online and most of the loading info I've found comes from the 60's or earlier.
Just wanting to get an idea of starting load and max load with some different powders and bullets. Thinking of the 129-130 gr stuff but could also play with lighter weights as well as heavier. Who knows what this old horse will like.

I have a copy of the old Speer "Wildcat" reloading manual, in which the .256 Newton is listed. I will copy the relevant pages and email them to you, if you will give my your email address.

Isn’t the .256 Newton pretty much a 6.5/06?

quote:

Originally posted by surestrike:
Isn’t the .256 Newton pretty much a 6.5/06?

And the 6.5X64 Brenneke. If today's powders had been available when the Newton was introduced, neither of these cartridges would have made sense.
The Newton case is slightly shorter than both of the above.

I had, for a short time, a fantastic 256 Newton.
It was very deluxe. Stocked by Fred Adolph and engraved by Kornbrath.

Found a couple pictures of it.

Those are awesome rifles way ahead of their time .I heard alot about them just have not seen any .Those are treasures from the past !

I have a 3-digit 1st Model Newton in 256. Case capacity is greater than the 6.5x55, so I'd suggest starting with a maximum recommended load for the 6.5x55 and working up from there.

I shoot the 129 grain Hornadys and 130 grain ABs in mine.

I have developed loads for it and for the Husqvarna that I had rebarreled in 256 Newton, but they are on a different computer. I'm at breakfast and have my "leave in the car computer" with me today. If you email me at remguy260@cox.net, I'd be happy to share my 256 Newton loading data with you.

BTW, what is the SN on your rifle? Mine is 31x.

My apologies for the long delay. Had the company truck set fire to the garage (truck burned to the ground as well).
I got out last weekend and worked with the Newton. Managed a 3-shot group under .5" with 7828ssc and the 123 gr scenar.
Next will be checking velocity and taking it out to range (500).

Since this thread was begun, I have acquired another 1916 Model Newton, this one in .35 Newton caliber and stocked by Griffin & Howe, with a G&H side mount. I'm waiting for the special order dies to materialize so I can try it out. I hope it will be ready to go by deer season.

(The .35 Newton is just the .30 Newton necked up. The .30 Newton is very close to the .30-.338 Magnum and the .35 Newton greatly resembles the .358 Norma Magnum.)

xausa,

Pics or it didn't happen!

I have seen a few of the Newton's over the years, but never have found a Newton Hand Reloading tool from around 1910. I had seen pictures of his tool and made my design around some of his ideas. I made my kit to carry in the motorhome and can load several calibers. Newton was ahead of his time. Does anyone have his reloading tool?

Les Brooks

quote:

Originally posted by Bbear:
xausa,

Pics or it didn't happen!

I looked through my Photobucket files and didn't find much. I will have to update them. I do have a shot of my most recent acquisition, a 1916 Newton reworked by Griffin & Howe, presumably in the '30's. It has a new stock with higher grade wood (not visible in the photo) and has been rebarreled with a half octagonal, half round barrel with full length integral rib. It has a Zeiss Zielklein scope in a G&H single lever windage adjustable side mount and best of all is in caliber .35 Newton. I am currently waiting for delivery of appropriate dies to load it with, due supposedly in mid September.

That is a SWEET rifle and period scope. Is that a pop-up peep sight I see?
I know the feeling about waiting for dies and such. I ordered a trim die from CH4D in spring of '18. I was told it would probably be here this coming fall/winter.
Saw a set of 30 Newton dies at a gun show. Guy wanted $125 for them. I should have grabbed them. That just might be my next build.

Fortunately I have a set of .30 Newton dies to go with my 1916 Newton in .30 Newton. It is also fitted with a Zeiss Zielklein in Tilden mounts.

I bought a 256 Newton last year. Haven't done a thing with it since but plan to (of course I do).
Not a safe-queen but not bad. No refinishing attempts on it.

It has the factory accessory bolt peep rear sight.
No rear bbl sight ever fitted it appears.
Those nice flat recv'r tops have been D&T'd for some type of now missing bases (and scope).
To add insult I guess the person who did that decided the front sight was either not needed or was showing up in the view of the 'scope. So the front sight is gone.
I like shooting iron sights, so no thought of going back to a scope for it.
The bore could be better, but I'll have to shoot it first before I completely condemn it.

I'll make a new front sight and restore the rest of the rifle. Those D&T holes will disappear easily.

A set of CH reloading dies came with the rifle so that was a plus. There's 4 dies in there so one might be a trim die,,I should be more attentive to things!

They aren't cheap to buy outright and it's tough to just sit around and hope & wait for a set to fall from gun-heaven into your lap at a bargain price. Though that has been known to happen!

Some (re)loaded ammo and fired cases also. All made up from 270wcf brass.
I'll pull the bullets and salvage those in the least. Looks like the 270 brass fireformed nicely to the Newton chamber with no problem.

Beautiful rifles,,love the stock styling and overall sleek handling of them.

Great info and pics here, thanks for the thread.

Jim

Its just fun to shoot deer and elk for instance with such a rifle, it sure adds to the fun of hunting..The slant on that butt could feasibly recoil, slip and stick the rear sight in your mouth, best it not be a 338 or such..

Ray, that butt configuration doesn't much agree with me, either. It's the reason I cannot shoot older Model 12s worth a darn. Have to modify/change stocks.
That said, you sure have a wonderful rifle there, Bbear!

I fired 22 rounds of .35 Newton today, made from 8X68S brass. I'm still not happy with the neck thickness, but I think I can take care of that. The shots basically all went into one wad at 25 yards, so I think the accuracy with the Zielklein 2 1/2X scope will be just fine out to around 150 yards, which is as far as I intend to shoot with it anyway. I need to come up with a method of power neck reaming. Doing it by hand is just too onerous.

I have been forming 256 Newton cases from WW and RP 270 brass. I'd suggest taking a look at cartridge dimensions before using 6.5-06 loading data.