The local pawn shop has a 256 Newton sitting on the rifle shelf. It is in about 70 to 75 % condition or better. The Barrel is stamped The Newton Rifle Co.
Somewhere NY. It is based on an 03 Springfield action.....

Is this rifle worth getting? Because of the "odd Caliber" according to locals. the price has fallen from the original asking price of about $800.00 to I can probably pick it up for around $200.00 out the door, including the stupid State Background Check fee ( $10.00).

Thanks for the responses!
Cheers
seafire

Book value on a standard first type rifle is $550 Fair, 750 good, 1000 very good, second model rifle is listed at 400/650/800. Newton Mauser (double set triggers) listed at 400/550/700.

$200 seems quite the deal if it's original.

Seafire - Which Newton is it? The "original" Newton, the "Buffalo" Newton, or the one put together from parts and sold by the Receivers after the second company went bankrupt?

I think you'd HAVE to buy it at that price. If it turned out you didn't like/want it, I'd take it off your hands at $100 profit to you as long as it isn't one of the unmistakably trashy "parts" guns.

(I already have one of the "original" Newtons, rebarreled to ".30 Belted Newton" (.30-.338) and I really like them.

It could just be a Newton Barrel screwed into a Springfield reciever. I have seen Buffalo Newton Barrels for sale, and in the old days, barrels were considered expensive and recycled. Did Newton ever use Springfield recievers? MP should know!

WHat number is on the action? Have you seen pics of old Newtons to see if this looks like them? If it is a kluge the parts could be worth $200. Then again, they may not not.

Newton sold a kit for a Springfield which was a barrel and stock. The barrels for these kits had a special marking and a proper Springfield-Newton is worth having. The Newton barrel thread was the same as the Springfield so there are a lot of 1903’s with Newton barrels. If you will send me the serial number of the rifle, the number of o-o-o-‘s on each side of the name I’ll see if it fits. mjpetrov@acsalaska.net

OK, I looked it up the kit guns should be marked
NEWTON ARMS CO. INC. 0-0-0 BUFFALO, N.Y.0-0-0
on the barrel.

Watch out that it is not on a low number 1903 action. If so, it is still a collector's item but shouldn't be shot.

I acually have some loaded ammo for a 256 Newton my uncle Ralph once owned.

A Newton for $200.00? By all means GET IT!! It is easy to make .256 Newton cases from .25/06, .270, .280 Rem., or .30/'06 brass. Neck down, shove the shoulder back slightly, and trim.....

The original 140-grain load was rated at 3000 FPS.... o/a case length is 2.457. You can use a .257 Roberts die to set the shoulder back, after which the neck must be expanded to take a .264" bullet....

quote:

Originally posted by Alberta Canuck:
Seafire - Which Newton is it? The "original" Newton, the "Buffalo" Newton, or the one put together from parts and sold by the Receivers after the second company went bankrupt?

I think you'd HAVE to buy it at that price. If it turned out you didn't like/want it, I'd take it off your hands at $100 profit to you as long as it isn't one of the unmistakably trashy "parts" guns.

(I already have one of the "original" Newtons, rebarreled to ".30 Belted Newton" (.30-.338) and I really like them.

Thanks for the responses guys.....

I'll go down and look a little closer at it today...

Mike P: thanks for the offer to look that info up for me! I will see what I can find... I suspect it might be a kit rifle..... the serial on the receiver was in the 300,000 plus range...
Even if it was a kit rifle, I was interested in the receiver as it is in very good shape....

Alberta Canuck.... If I don't pick it up, I can let you know where to find it if you are interested and get down to GPass at all!

El Deguello; I am sure there are dies available for it... I have seen some on the shelves at several places.... there were some at the Nosler Factory Seconds Shop once when I was over there... but that has been before they started having "nosler brass" and making their own "designer" ammo etc....

Thanks to everyone....

cheers
seafire

Thanks, Seafire. I'd make a special trip to GP if necessary. If it omes to that, maybe even I'll stop by and buy you a piece of pie as a "finder's fee"....or a shot of red-eye, whatever....