35 Newton Revisited

hammertyme

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 2, 2008
Messages
357
Location
Kodiak, Ak
35Newton2012Weather007.jpg



25 years ago now I looked and looked for reasonably priced 35 Newton cases as I wanted to build a gun in this caliber. Alas I had to settle for a 358 Alaskan because the brass was readily available.

Must be 4-5 years ago now a friend here in Kodiak called me and wanted to know if I had heard of a 35 Newton. I answered Yes why! He had just acquired a large box of odds and ends of which a set of RCBS dies and 8 boxes of Speer brass for 30 and 35 Newton were present. He wanted to know if I wanted them? Yes! I stopped at the bank on my way to my riends house. I had absolutely no idea the worth so let my friend set his own price. I think I paid $40. but no more than $80. for the lot. I then called a collector friend on the Newton brass!

When I got the find home I called the oldest active smith I knew to see if he had a reamer for 35 Newton. He did so I sent a 16" break open barrel blank I had to Harry McGowen in Illinois to be chambered!

History- I love history and always have. Gun history is even more special to me. The 35 beltless Newton cartridge came at the hands of Charles Newton in the year 1915. Newton many consider the father of the high pressure cartridge ( 22 Savage Hipower and the 250X3000) designed actually the 375 Ruger case nearly 100 years before the cartridge came out.
In that the 35 Newton case is 2.520 long and has a diameter of .525. I have had a couple of reloading books from ideal and Belding and Mull that had at the best limited reloading data. Since I acquired the Speer brass I figured that they may have had some reloading data. I spoke with members at Speer and they new nothing including if there was more than one run of brass. Having followed a number of websites and particular Speer reloading books for years I finally found a Speer # 1 reloading manual for sale and asked the seller if 35 Newton data was in the book? Yes extensive was the answer along with 22-3000 Lovell, 243 Rockchucker,285 Luft Magnum. I bid so high on this supurb manual no one was going to get it.

Nosler has announced and I called them to confirm, they are coming out with a 200 grain Accubond in 35 caliber in March. I put the barrel back on one of my frames and loaded up some bullets to shoot yesterday in preparation of the new Accubond bullet. I suspect if all is well I will shoot this combination for Sheep and Goat this year along with a griz if he walks by.
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Had to drive 50 miles to find a beach I could get to for a bit of shooting. Record snows have curbed winter shooting this year.

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Neal
 
What would you like to know about the cartridge?

RWS 8X68 can be used for the Newton. I would actually have to sit down with the numbers and see if the 375 Ruger brass will actually work.

Nosler still hasn't came out with the 200 grain Acubond so I am shooting the 225Gr Accubond.

One can get 35 Newton brass from Jamison if you want to pay the price. Quality may make the Newton brass but I do not remember.

I know that this cartridge will do everything my 358STA will do and does it without a belt on the case!

Neal
 
Neal, I have a bunch more questions for you and will follow up shortly.

Check out Shooters Pro Shop, 225 AB's and 250 PT's are on sale right now for 18.00 for 50. Scotty
 
What would you like to know about the cartridge?

RWS 8X68 can be used for the Newton. I would actually have to sit down with the numbers and see if the 375 Ruger brass will actually work.

Nosler still hasn't came out with the 200 grain Acubond so I am shooting the 225Gr Accubond.

One can get 35 Newton brass from Jamison if you want to pay the price. Quality may make the Newton brass but I do not remember.

I know that this cartridge will do everything my 358STA will do and does it without a belt on the case!

Neal

That is great info about the 8x68S being able to be used for the case forming. It would also be a good note if 375 Ruger could be used as well. I have pretty much decided to have a M70 300WM rebarreled for the Newton. I am kinda torn between the 358/375 Ruger and the Newton, but it will be one of them. Any idea where I would be able to get a reamer for it? I would likely stick with the 220 AB's and 250PT's and maybe some 280 Swifts, but I think 250 PT's would be where I spend most of my time. The numbers from Quickload make it look very impressive. I love the 35 Calibers alot, so the Newton makes some sense to me. Thanks for any info you have on it.
 
07 someone named the 358X375 Ruger the 35 or 358 Yukon. Quality Cartridge has this cartridge in the listing.
Zhat apparently rents the reamer. Pacific tool probably has one on the shelf.

4D reamer rentals has a 35 Newton on their list of rentals.

Either Cartridge should run the 225 Accubond at roughly 3000fps! For whatever reason the 358STA Hammers everything like they were hit by a Mack truck.

Neal
 
Here is my 35 Newton, built off a Model 70 Classic Stainless... Feed and works really well. Haven't gotten to the range yet, but it's coming. Loaded up some 225 Sierra's with RL17 to run through it a little. Thinking it should be a super elk stomper..















I used 375 Ruger brass to form it. Worked well. Trimmed everything down.. Can't wait to touch a few of them off.
 
To awesome!

Mine runs ballistically with my 338X375 Ruger!

Both Hammer everything using the 225 Accubond.

Thanks for sharing.

Neal
 
To awesome!

Mine runs ballistically with my 338X375 Ruger!

Both Hammer everything using the 225 Accubond.

Thanks for sharing.

Neal

Thank you sir. That is the plan, to run 225 AB's in this rifle as well. Probably try the 225's in my 338 Win Mag this Fall as well.

The Newton looks real good with 225's.
 
Well, I was getting a little worried. I had wanted try some more seating depths but I couldn't really load much shorter than 3.29.. Maybe could squeak a little more, but I am getting pretty close to the ogive. I decided on 76.5 in order to run through them. Had a nice day at the range yesterday. The little 6X Nikon worked much better at 200 yards with the green squared targets.

Anyhow, here is what I came up with..

All groups were at 200 yards.



3.31 - 2908, 2943, 2930

3.30 - 2939, 2927, 2959

3.29 - 2969, 2950, 2962 ----

I also shoot one round of each length, at its own target. So for three shots, I am shooting one 3.31, 3.30, and 3.29. Then, the next round I start at 3.29 and work backwards. Might seem crazy but it works for me.

But this is another instance of an AB being over .1 off the rifling before it'll really come alive.

I was kinda getting worried, cause if the 225 AB didn't do what I wanted it to, I haven't picked up a back up bullet just yet!

It was a great range day though.

 
Glad to see other people appreciating Newtons work. I have wanted to try the 225 accubonds and the game kings. But I need to replace my stock first.(not for the recoil sensitive) Well that and I am building another 30 Newton so I don't do damage to another original. To many projects. Every Newton I have with a Pope barrel has been a shooter. Keep up the good work.
 
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