A kinda different 256 Newton

[Jefferry404]

My gunsmith thought a 256 Newton would be a nice rifle to have. I looked into Charles Newton and he seemed like a guy to build a rifle after.
Then, my favorite book is "Elephant Hunting in East Equatorial Africa by Arthur Neumann" and the chapter on Lake Rudolph of his goring by a cow elephant and subsequent 3 month convalescent around the lake, is vivid. So I thought to try to capture that struggle with an engraving from a drawing by Millais.

It was hard to find an engraver that was both an artist and hammer and chisel. Found Lisa Tomlin! What a pleasure to work with her. Sent her photos of the drawing (I got lucky and happen to have a first edition with higher quality prints) with my thoughts about the drawing and excerpts from the book. She blended all of these inputs (I also gave her a table book of Millais work) into her engraving.

Lothar Walther octagon barrel with integral front sight base (from the times of Woody!!!), Husqvarna small ring action, Jerry Fisher bottom metal and gripcap with Al Biesen trapdoor buttplate.

Not sure where i got the wood. Hard to capture Lisa's engraving on the round floorplate but it is cool in person as the image changes as the rifle is rotated.

Thanks for looking
Steve

 

[Red Leg]

Truly lovely little rifle. And I can absolutely appreciate the ornithological salute to Neuman. But you will have to help me with the butterfly. A .256 would be perfect for flamingos, herons, and even the stray pelican, but it is decidedly overkill for any of the Lepidopterans.

 

[Jefferry404]

Neumann was a bit of an anomaly for an elephant hunter. The butterfly was one from his collection and named after him, so appropriate on an elephant rifle.

 

[VertigoBE]

Very neat rifle.
And I must admit I really like that original and coloured little butterfly there. “Dance like a butterfly, …”

 

[Mekaniks]

Very Nice. Thanks for sharing

 

[rdog]

My gunsmith thought a 256 Newton would be a nice rifle to have. I looked into Charles Newton and he seemed like a guy to build a rifle after.
Then, my favorite book is "Elephant Hunting in East Equatorial Africa by Arthur Neumann" and the chapter on Lake Rudolph of his goring by a cow elephant and subsequent 3 month convalescent around the lake, is vivid. So I thought to try to capture that struggle with an engraving from a drawing by Millais.

It was hard to find an engraver that was both an artist and hammer and chisel. Found Lisa Tomlin! What a pleasure to work with her. Sent her photos of the drawing (I got lucky and happen to have a first edition with higher quality prints) with my thoughts about the drawing and excerpts from the book. She blended all of these inputs (I also gave her a table book of Millais work) into her engraving.

Lothar Walther octagon barrel with integral front sight base (from the times of Woody!!!), Husqvarna small ring action, Jerry Fisher bottom metal and gripcap with Al Biesen trapdoor buttplate.

Not sure where i got the wood. Hard to capture Lisa's engraving on the round floorplate but it is cool in person as the image changes as the rifle is rotated.

Thanks for looking
Steve

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Please tell us about the 256 Newton , that is a beautiful rifle i would not be game to take it in to the bush hunting it is a work of art.

 

[PerH]

.256 Newton - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[rdog]

.256 Newton - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Thank you i thought it was 25 cal.

 

[PerH]

Think they just used the .256 In name as other .256s were used .

 

[F. Vaccaro]

Jefferry404, that’s a beautiful rifle.

 

[jhendricks]

Stunning rifle, so much more soul than the plastic rifles made these days.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

My gunsmith thought a 256 Newton would be a nice rifle to have. I looked into Charles Newton and he seemed like a guy to build a rifle after.
Then, my favorite book is "Elephant Hunting in East Equatorial Africa by Arthur Neumann" and the chapter on Lake Rudolph of his goring by a cow elephant and subsequent 3 month convalescent around the lake, is vivid. So I thought to try to capture that struggle with an engraving from a drawing by Millais.

It was hard to find an engraver that was both an artist and hammer and chisel. Found Lisa Tomlin! What a pleasure to work with her. Sent her photos of the drawing (I got lucky and happen to have a first edition with higher quality prints) with my thoughts about the drawing and excerpts from the book. She blended all of these inputs (I also gave her a table book of Millais work) into her engraving.

Lothar Walther octagon barrel with integral front sight base (from the times of Woody!!!), Husqvarna small ring action, Jerry Fisher bottom metal and gripcap with Al Biesen trapdoor buttplate.

Not sure where i got the wood. Hard to capture Lisa's engraving on the round floorplate but it is cool in person as the image changes as the rifle is rotated.

Thanks for looking
Steve

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@Jeffery 404
Absolutely beautiful work. Another world class engraver in America is our own Australian Damien Conelley. He moved to the USA as Australians were to tight to pay the premiums for his work.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Neumann was a bit of an anomaly for an elephant hunter. The butterfly was one from his collection and named after him, so appropriate on an elephant rifle.

@Jefferry404
A mohomad Ali rifle. Floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee.
Bob

Please tell us about the 256 Newton , that is a beautiful rifle i would not be game to take it in to the bush hunting it is a work of art.

@rdog If my memory serves me correctly the 256 Newton is the original 6.5-06. The 246 was the bore diameter not the groove diameter.
Bob

 

[Jefferry404]

as an aside, 10 years of elephant hunting wrought...

Neumann before Africa

early period of elephant hunting

near the end of days

single best day of hunting

styling in Mombasa, going to the auction house (Neumann in white suit)

 

[F. Vaccaro]

Wow, the achievements of the early hunters is remarkable.
We need to remember though, that was a different era & market hunting was acceptable!

 

[geoff rath]

@Jeffery 404
Absolutely beautiful work. Another world class engraver in America is our own Australian Damien Conelley. He moved to the USA as Australians were to tight to pay the premiums for his work.
Bob

YOU need one, Bob.

 

[40newton]

The .256 Newton was developed by Charles Newton in 1914. Newton was like an early Weatherby. He wanted everything to go near 3000 fps including his other proprietary calibers..30 Newton, 35 Newton, 22 Newton ( about 12 rifles) and 40 Newton ( maybe 4 rifles). Most never reached that goal by were high velocity cartridges. He also made rifles in 30-06. He first imported rifles from Mauser and rechambered them in .256 then in 1916 started manufacturing his first model. He was in business for 16 months and produced about 2400 rifles. All these rifles were takedown models with double set triggers. Three succeeding firms bought out the remaining parts and produced another 1600 Model 1916s to total about 4000 rifles in that model. Newton next imported about 100 rifles, the Model 1922, which were a Mauser barreled action put together by Sauer.

 

[40newton]

The .256 Newton was developed by Charles Newton in 1914. Newton was like an early Weatherby. He wanted everything to go near 3000 fps including his other proprietary calibers..30 Newton, 35 Newton, 22 Newton ( about 12 rifles) and 40 Newton ( maybe 4 rifles). Most never reached that goal by were high velocity cartridges. He also made rifles in 30-06. He first imported rifles from Mauser and rechambered them in .256 then in 1916 started manufacturing his first model. He was in business for 16 months and produced about 2400 rifles. All these rifles were takedown models with double setThree succeeding firms bought out the remaining parts and produced another 1600 Model 1916s to total about 4000 rifles in that model. Newton next imported about 100 rifles, the Model 1922, which were a Mauser barreled action put together by Sauer.

 

[40newton]

Sorry, text slipped away.
The Model 1922s are the finest rifles to carry the Newton name. They also had double set triggers although in a new design. They faced each other. Newtons next endeavor was his Model 1924. These rifles ( about 1000 rifles) were not well made and are not popular with collectors.
There are pictures of each model at
newtonrifles.com

 

[40newton]

A Mauser 98 action in .40 Newton made by Ken Owen