boasted interrupted-thread locking lugs. Stocks were of checkered walnut with a ¼-inch castoff. They had a crossbolt behind the magazine well to absorb recoil—but no recoil lug at the front of the action! Consequently, many stocks on Buffalo Newton rifles split. Western Cartridge Company, which had begun supplying Newton ammunition in 1921, continued. A challenge for company control by John Meeker, whose lending group supported Newton, was unsuccessful, but not before Meeker had acquired parts for 260 Newton rifles, which he assembled in New Jersey and sold under his own name.
Money had again become scarce for Charles Newton. After borrowing on his life insurance, he pleaded with Marlin to build his rifles under contract. Marlin’s Frank Kenna demurred. So did one of Newton’s friends, despite Newton’s insistence that the company was on the brink of success, and that, given a production rate of 1000 rifles a month, it could build rifles for $8 each. At the time, Buffalo Newtons were retailing for $60.
The Buffalo Newton Rifle Corporation folded in 1929 after manufacturing about 1500 rifles.
Charles Newton could not have known, early that year, what lay in store for American businesses in October. He applied himself to another action design and came up with the "New Newton Straight Pull Rifle." Its two-lug bolt and Springfield cocking piece suggested bolt-rifle ancestry; but Newton had also borrowed from the straight-pull Lee Navy and even the Winchester lever-action designs. In fact, partly no doubt to appeal to the legions of lever-action shooters afield, Newton renamed the rifle the "Leverbolt." Again, he asked Frank Kenna for assistance. If Marlin would produce the rifle, said Newton, he’d split the profits down the middle. Kenna, a shrewd businessman, required proof of demand. Charles Newton responded with a flyer that asked sportsmen for a $25 down payment on a new Leverbolt rifle. The remaining $35 would be due when the rifle was delivered. Sadly, this offer failed to generate the 500 orders Frank Kenna had said he would need to sign a production contract. Then Wall Street collapsed, taking with it Newton’s dreams, and those of a nation.
Charles Newton died at his home in New Haven on March 9, 1932, at the age of 62.
If shooters these days remember Charles Newton at all, it is probably for developing the 250 Savage. Few have seen the scarce Newton rifles, or the angular Newton cartridges that in profile look much younger than they are—cartridges that, given appropriate powders, would have matched the performance of the most efficient short magnums half a century later. Hunters now are familiar with the three-position safety on Winchester Model 70s, but may not be aware that Charles Newton put a similar safety on his rifles 20 years before the Model 70 appeared. Newton’s multiple interrupted-thread locking lugs predated the Weatherby Mark V rifle by 30 years. The 25-06 cartridge is generally credited to Neidner, but in all likelihood, Newton fired it first. This lawyer-turned-inventor also designed loading tools and fashioned a partition-style bullet in 1915. While most bullet jackets were of cupro-nickel, he employed almost pure copper, as is done today on many controlled-expansion bullets. Newton sought to improve bullet performance by inserting a central wire and insulating the core with paper under the jacket so the lead didn’t soften during bore passage.
All told, Charles Newton accomplished a great deal in less than 30 years. Sadly, his brilliance as an architect of rifles and cartridges, and his perseverance in bringing them to riflemen, earned him few rewards. Luck does not always favor the most deserving.
Note: An authoritative book from which much of this information was gleaned is titled Charles Newton, Father of High Velocity. It’s the work of Newton rifle enthusiast Bruce Jennings, Jr., of Sheridan, Wyoming. Bruce was also gracious in sharing his thoughts and post-publication findings on this remarkable American pioneer. My own book, America’s Great Gunmakers (Stoeger Publications), has a chapter on Charles Newton as well.
– Wayne van Zwoll
Part II
Military
Rifles & Actions
Military Rifles & Actions
German Model 88 Commission Rifle
Greek Model 1903 Mannlicher-Schoenauer
Krag-Jorgensens: U.S., Danish and Norwegian
Mauser Models 92, 93, 94, 95 & 96
Mauser Smokeless Powder Actions Models 88, 89, 90 & 91
Springfield Models 1903, 1903A3 & 1903A4
Enfield Rifles FdH
U.S. Model 1917 Enfield rifle, caliber 30-06. This rifle has a 26” barrel, is 46.3” overall, and weighs about 9.5 pounds. As originally made, the M1917 barrels had five grooves and a left-hand rifling twist of 1:10”. Many 1917s were later fitted with two- and four-groove barrels.
Part I
1917 U.S. Enfield
PROFESSIONAL AND AMATEUR gunsmiths have long been familiar with the Model 1917 Enfield action. It has been used widely in recent years to build custom sporting rifles in both standard 30-06 head-sized rimless and belted magnum cartridges. A large and rugged action “as issued,” it is also a homely one. Fortunately, however, it is receptive to much alteration and remodeling.
When the United States entered WWI in 1917, it was short of rifles, and immediate
