Newton Leverbolt rifle: The bolt and lever rifle have had a child
Newton Arms have revived the Leverbolt rifle that was invented by the famous gun and cartridge designer Charles Newton in 1929. The design borrows element from the Springfield, Lee Navy and the Winchester lever-action. By utilizing a lever the bolt can be cycled faster than a traditional straight pull bolt action.
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According to my copy of Bolt Action Rifles (4th Edition), the story of the Leverbolt is a sad one. Charles designed the rifle after this business, Newton Buffolo Rifle Corporation, folded in early 1929. Unbeknown to him, and everyone else, the stock market would crash in October of that year heralding the beginning of the Great Depression.
Newton approached Marlin who agreed to limited production only if he could secure at least 500 orders. The cost was a $25 downpayment and an addional $35 on delivery. He failed to secure the neccessery orders and once the market crashed any chance of the rifle being manufactured was gone. Charles died a few years later aged 62.
Mehul, a moderator at nitroexpress.com and expert of the topic emailed me information about the Newton rifle:
For a straight pull action that is much sleeker than any of its competitors today (the Blaser R 93, Strasser RS 05 and the Heym SR 30 are three popular designs that come to mind) the Newton Leverbolt is especially interesting because it comes with a controlled feed and extraction system that would make it ideal for dangerous game. The speed of reloading and getting repeat shots off would also be ideal for an African rifle – with a 5 shot magazine in calibers from 375 H&H to 458 Lott this could be much better than anything else available today.
I am not sure of pricing or availability of the rifle at this time.
A big thanks to Mehul for the info.
Excellent post Steve- never heard of this one before.
thanks Jay.
Hello Steve,
Thanks for the good words but I am no expert – just a happy learner about guns and that is why I visit your blog. I guessed that you and your visitors would be interested in this very interesting revival of a great old design. From what I have heard, the new Newton rifles would be available in two action lengths – 30-06 and 375 H&H for $ 8000 finished but without any bells and whistles like case hardening or engraving. Harald Wolf has a website where he sells his magazine Hatari Times http://www.hataritimes.com but He does not yet have a website for the new rifles. However, since he has bought the Newton Arms name and plans to use it, he should have a dedicated website for these rifles in the future. I’ll let you know whenever I have any information.
Good shooting!
Mehul
If I understand things correctly, this is a straight push-pull rifle like a Schmidt-Rubins or a Steyr M95 but chambered in a bunch of calibers suitable for African game.
How is that interesting?
-g
mmathers, it is very different from those.
I had always wondered why no one had tried to revive this design earlier. It seemed like a pretty ingenious design modification to me.
mmathers,
This design was a combination of design features of the traditional American lever action and the Mauser bolt action design by Charles Newton, not a straight pull bolt like the Steyr 95, the Ross or other designs from that time and earlier. It is an American design masterpiece and it is a positive thing that it has been put into production after Newton’s unfortunate demise before he could do this himself.
Newton’s design -or re-design of the Lee straight pull would be an expensive rifle to make- rapid fire of 375 H&H hurts to say the least so is not really practical from a consistant sight- now if you want firepower= 308 FnFlan- or other type assault weapons would be back up in an elephant hunt . most shooters are a little afraid of straight pull actions, the appeal is limited- face it- the basic Mauser action is still being built 110 years later with all calibers- I have a Newton 30-06 standard rifle- second type- the man was a genius -I think winchester borrowed his lines for the model 70 – but that too is a Mauser action at its core
Hi.
I am a retired gun designer (1966 Savage Model 110C). The leverbolt is no faster than a lever gun. For a quick second shot the pump action is faster as the right hand does not move and the trigger finger is always in position.
Interestng site.