Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Original .30 Newton

I was perusing the local used gun racks and found my first ever Newton rifle, chambered in .30 Newton. I didn't have any references on me, but when I went home to check my books, it seemed original but.... some knucklehead decided to outline the checkering border with what looks like white paint.
It's about half the price of the guns I've seen listed on gunbroker, is in otherwise great shape, and hasn't been drilled and tapped for a scope.
Not sure if I should let this one slip away. So that brings up a question, would you try to remove the white paint? Will it damage the seemingly original wood stain and finish? Would you buy it for yourself, refinish the wood and not worry about damaging additional collector value? Would you even shoot it if you had one? It's a great caliber, in a great hunting gun, even came with double set triggers as standard equipment.
Only 4,000 of these guns were ever made before Newton went out of business, and the actions are supposed to be almost truly original. It was much smaller than I expected, I was thinking it would be closer in size to a 98 Mauser.
Should I save that dream for another time?

exb-

I have never seen but two original Newtons... The first was a .30-06 and the 2nd is a .35 Newton that I own. Mine is abused far beyond that one. And I bought it for less than the stated prices in the BBoGV. I have been watching one on GB with a starting bid of $2500 and it's been there for months with no takers... That to me, indicates the seller has it more than a little overpriced. For half that I'd be trying to deal with him. The BBoGV lists a value for a 98% 1st model as $950. Admittedly my copy is a couple of years old, but that's a long way from $2500. And likely more in line with real world value. YMMV

Dies, of course, are fairly rare, but if it's a .30 Belted Newton, there are dies on ebay for sale. Either way, performance is on a par with the .308 NOrma Mag.... HTH

PS... Were it mine, I'd definitely try to remove the white paint. I expect it's possible to do that with little damage to the original finish..

Grasshopper

They're only asking $1200, and I guess I could have dies made. God knows when the next time is that I'll run across a gun like this. Besides, if I'm keeping it for myself, I may as well run try to clean the white paint off, and if I damage the wood finish, I can redo that easily enough and just not worry about collector value.
I'm guessing that you like your 35 Newton? Have you ever hunted with it?
Any other problems I should be looking for? Heard about cracked stocks.
I'm working on convincing myself that I don't have a choice, I MUST buy this rifle. But $1200 is painful right now, no matter how much of a deal I perceive this to be.

The best of the 300 mags is that Newton round imo.

It's official, I'm going in on Monday to acquire it. I think I'm gonna trade some guns I'm not using, cause I just don't have the cash and don't want to finance this with a card. I hate to think what a beating I'm gonna receive by giving up 3-4 guns for one gun, but that one gun is a very special gun. It must come home with me. Besides, I think, if I'm inclined, I'd be able to sell it for a bit more.

Good deal I'd pick that one up too.Gonna hunt with that one?

I haven't decided yet whether I will hunt with it. I've considered putting on a replacement stock to hunt with it, while keeping the original safe and unscuffed. I'm also going to have my FFL in a few weeks, so it could be a great gun to help kick off my dealing career.
But I think it would be incredible to shoot an elk with an open sighted .30 Newton in the timber. It's a prettly light, nice handling rifle. I'm not sure what to do with it, I just know I have to have it.

exb,

Good move... I believe that is a fair price, not really a bargain, but still... You don't find these on every street corner gun shop.

My .35 came with parts missing in the bolt. Sadly the sights had been removed and was D&T'ed for scope. I believe the gunsmith will have it repaired in the near future. I have every intention of hunting with it come this fall. I am going to mount an old Lyman Alaskan on it.

The good news is that with the introduction of the .375 Ruger, brass is now available for the the Newton

I would recommend that you have the rifle glass bedded and/or a stock re-inforcement bolt installed. These rifles have a reputation for splitting stocks. (Or so I have read...) That would be unfortunate on such a rare piece...

Mine also has had a hard rubber recoil brick installed by some long ago previous owner. It will be replaced by a red Pachmayr Decelerator . Good luck with yours, If I can lend any assistance, just sing out...

Grasshopper

do it, man.....the white paint is bizarre....maybe the prior owner heard about white line spacers and just, like, misunderstood and went horribly wrong with the project?

there are a number of products that will remove that paint, and if you're quick, you may do it without damaging the finish. Probably nothing a wipe with oil won't fix, anyway. Congratulations on a real find, and a real piece of firearms history.

Buy it and hunt with it! A bit of rubbing with a 0000 steel wool pad sprayed with WD-40 will get rid of the white pain easily with no damage to the original finish in my experience. I just inherited a 1952 vintage Custom FN in 30 Belted NEwton that I will absolutely be hunting with this year. I owned an original Newton rifle in 30/06 for a while and I wish that I had not had to sell it. I may try to trade my way back into it as it had cool written ALL over it and was a very special rifle. Wait until you see the exquisite machining and design that really went into these rifles. Trading off a few Stainless / synthetic rifles for one of these would be a MAJOR upgrade to your collection! Maybe we could organize a Newton Rifles only Elk hunt for 24hrcf members....

If anyone is interested and has the money. Jamison international make's brass for both the 30 and 35 newton and other hard to find calibers.

I saw that brass was available, dies are special order. I'm gonna keep the gun and hunt with her. When I held it was most surprised by how light it was, and how tightly the floorplate was machined.
And I would totally be down with an all Newton elk hunt. That would be awesome!
Would you put crossbolts on the original stock, or would you have a replacement built?
I think I'm gonna try 0000 steel wool first to remove the stupid white checkering border paint, then escalate if needed to chemical assistance.

Whatever chemical assistance you resort to, stay away from WD-40! First off it probably won't affect the paint too much and secondly- and most importantly- it wiill screw up the wood of the stock for any future conservation efforts. The stuff is insidious, the molecules going everywhere, and where they land the wood is darn near ruined for finish adhesion- no matter how hard you scrub/sand it will always be there, creating blotchy oil finishes or varnish with fisheyes. I don't know a single pro wood finisher who will allow that stuff within sight of their work. It has it's uses, but not in an enclosed workspace where airborne molecules can alight on wood surfaces destined to be finished/refinished. Just the act of picking up the can and shaking it will put molecules into the air.

I personally never understood the passion for WD-40. It's name describes what it was intended for= Water Displacement formula #40. It's not a great lubricant and there are many much better compounds out there for rust protection. I haven't owned a can in years.

That mini-rant over, let me congradulate you on your find! I've been looking for a Newton (hopefully in .256) for many years and have always been a day late or a dollar short!

Thanks for the heads up on the WD40 gnoahhh. I'll buy it tomorrow and post some pictures. I just picked up the 2009 Standard Catalog, they list a first model Newton in VG condition at $1050, but with a note saying you have to add 25% for Newton calibers. So the $1200 asking price may not be too out of line. Either way, I'll see if I can get in 3 digit territory.
The Standard Catalog also lists all the Newton Rifles as their "sleeper" models. Meaning they expect prices to rise significantly. Either way, consider it done. That baby's coming home with Daddy!

Now you can only hope that the owner of the shop does not read this forum!

You might do a google search for gun writer Jim Foral, as I believe that he is (or once was) very "into" Newton and Ross rifles. IIRC, he made his 30 Newton cases from either 300 Win Mag or 300 H&H Mag cases. The 30 Newton case has a diameter that is the same +/- as the belt on those cases, so the fire-formed 30 Newton cases have a "dip" in them just forward of the belt, but they appear to work.

I have a minty 1st Model Newton in 256 that is fun to shoot. I would like to find a 30-06 in equal (or better) condition, but never have. Mine is # 3xx. I keep looking for Elmer Keith's 1st Model Newton in 256, but have never bumped into it.

Jeff

Please post pictures when the deal is done. If it was me I would consult with someone who restores oil paintings before going after the paint. I consider the Newton a work of art.

If it is .30 belted Newton then it is the same as the wildcat .30-.338. 7MM mag brass or .338 brass through the FL 30-338 die and your good to go. Sierra has loading data. I have on built on a Springfiel action coverted to LH. It is a cross the course target Rfle. Had been in storage for years. Barrel is in the white and was packed solid with RIG or some kind of grease, and was perfect when cleaned up. This one is throated very short, probably for 150-165 gr bullets. Mounted a 6X24 scope on it and it shoots bug holes. Have no idea who made the barrel but it is marked POPE. Really no practical use for it, just a kinda neat rifle from another era.

Lefty C

I'm not familiar with the dimensions of .30 Belted Newton, but .308 Norma Magnum is literally a .30/.338 magnum. In fact, the .264 Win. Mag., the 7mm Rem. Mag., the .308 Norma Mag., the .338 Win. Mag., the .358 Norma Mag. and the .458 Win. Magnum all use the SAME cartridge case necked up or down to fit the various bullet diameters.

There may be a "hair" of "difference" in the case length (a few thousandths of an inch) in some circumstances, but one or two "hot" loads moves the length of the case that far or farther... so it's no big deal. You can easily trim that much off any of the case necks and they'll work just fine... or you can fire a few "hot" loads and the case will increase in length several thousandths of an inch as the brass "flows" from the base to the mouth of the case. The greater the chamber pressure, the greater the brass-flow.

If .308 Norma brass is not quite a perfect "match" for the .30 Belted Newton, you could buy some high-quality Norma .308 Magnum brass, make up a squib-load (a "light" load) which yields enough chamber pressure to "fire-form" the case in the new rifle... turning a .308 Norma Magnum cartridge case into a .30 Belted Newton cartridge case.

Or... better yet, if you can order .30 Belted Newton virgin brass and it's high-quality brass that will last for a good many reloadings, then I'd opt for that brass because it will have the CORRECT CALIBER DESIGNATION (aka "headstamp") on the base of the brass case.


Strength & Honor...

Ron T.

I'm bit confused. Was there more than one .30 Newton? I thought it was a rimless case but all this talk of belted cases has me wondering if I was wrong.

I'm looking at my old copy of Nonte's Cartridge Conversions (should have grabbed it yesterday) and finding that he describes turning the belt diameter of .300 mag cases flush with the body, deepen extractor groove .005", fire form. The belt and rim may be turned only to approx. .520" if desired. Then he goes on to list a couple of loads. 150's at around 3000 fps.

What gives here? Inquiring minds want to know!

Gary