doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com Newton - Trash or Treasure?

About a month ago, I was in the Denver area when the local gun show was on and ran across this Newton that screamed "take me home". I hit the owner up right before the show closed and he knocked 33% off the price and we both parted company happy. Now, your mission if you should decide to take it is tell me how happy I should be. I have read every thread in this forum and looked through Michael Petrov's book and have no clue as to who stocked this. It may well be a reasonably talented amateur. What I have is a Newton, with a Springfield barrel, Lyman 48 sight and a stock. The entire gun is a deep black, yet it shows no signs of having been buffed. The bolt body is the only thing polished. Stock finish appears to be a shellac or varnish type finish as there are a few flakes near the butt. When I got it home, the first thing I did was get the butt plate off and toss it in a pail of oil. There was moisture under the but and rust had started. Not bad, but it was there. I suspect that a spilled drink on the table had leached its way under the butt plate, I have no other explanation. I let the butt dry and coated the end with raw linseed oil and let it dry for a couple of weeks. The butt plate went into the ultrasonic and saw some minor scrubbing with soft brushes but nothing else. I believe it will need more attention, but am not sure what to use. A bunch of pictures follow showing as much detail as possible. Hopefully they will provide styling clues that will set off alarms amongst the more experienced members.

Edited to add: By my Trash reference, please do not infer that I consider it to be such. I guess I should have titled it "Diamond in the rough" or some such, but at 3 am, my sense of humor had gotten pretty sick and fueled by a bit of George Dickels. LOL





















Looks like this is all I can put in this post, more to follow.

Only marks on the receiver. I assume serial number, but what is the 1 on the recoil lug for?


Same serial number on bolt root


Only marks on barrel on bottom. Top has SA, ordinance bomb, and 2-34 for Feb 1934 Springfield Arsenal back of the front sight.





It is 2 3/8" between centers for the side mount holes. Any ideas as to type?




Suggestions for cleaning here?


The pivot area is thin, is this common on these? There wasn't any rust in this area to cause it.

Last of the bunch showing stock detail. Sorry about picture overload, but it should eliminate most questions and hopefully provide clues.




The area to the upper rear of the mag box appears to be a fresher cut, note the pencil line. Also the cut out for the side mount is evident.




Horn tip I am guessing?












That should do it, if anyone needs any other pictures let me know LOL.

I don't like the shiny wood finish, I would like to see it in oil, what would be best here? Also the area on the butt, needs more cleaning, but I was afraid of chipping the wood. I read a statement of MP's about being nervous with the butt plate off and I sure was.

I hope I haven't overloaded everyone with photos and would appreciate any input, advice, identification or just general information. The only area I haven't looked yet is under the trigger guard, but there are no marks on the stock or metal other that the ones you see. So what say you, trash, treasure or just a usable Newton?

Thaine

Thaine,
I learned years ago,negotiating changes to construction contracts,that once you have a mutually agreed upon deal;"don't look behind it".Be happy with what you found and enjoy it.
Mike

Mike,
Wise words and for what it is worth, I am happy. Otherwise it would not have followed me home. I didn't have a Newton of any type and while this isn't "original" it strikes me as being representative of what the forum is titled. A classic action with period improvements to produce a "custom" in someones eyes. They can't all be G&H, Owens, etc; but as I said in the "question for all" thread the fun is in the hunt
Thanks
Thaine

I would be very happy with that rifle, no matter who did the work. Nice gun!

The trap buttplate is worth a couple of hundred. Kinda reminds me of a supergrade model 70 stock.

I have no idea who made it but not bad work. It's a nice rifle, enjoy.

The numeral "1" stamped on the underside of the receiver is actually the letter "L", which was sometimes used to designate actions to be used for 256N or 30 USG cartridges. The receivers destined to be 30/35 N were stamped 30 C. There seemed to be no hard and fast rule which ones were stamped or not stamped, but the L stamping is far less commonly encountered, in my experience.

Don't think I'll ever quit learning about Newtons. Didn't know the significance of the "L". In the serial number lists that I have, number 1496 is in a long numerical line of rifles made in .256 so chances are it was originally a .256 Newton caliber.