Saturday at the range, I had a conversation with Mr. X about a specific rifle action, an original Winchester Low Wall.
Another guy (Mr. Y) I used to work with bought a beat-up Low Wall in 32RF. He had the block converted to CF and had a 32-40 liner put in the barrel. Then Mr. Y double-loaded a case, probably with 4227. I do not know what the load was, but when fired, the case failed and the stress broke the action completely in half, with vertical cracks at the rear of the cuts for the breech block. Mr. Y sold the rifle as junk. Mr. X bought it.
X took the action to Montana, where someone (not SDH) TIG-welded the action together and ground the welds flat. The action functioned normally after this repair. Then the action was given a fancy finish and was sent to a noted engraver to cover up the weld marks.
The restored action then went to Z, an accomplished machinist and advanced hobbyist. Z fitted a 25 cal Green Mountain barrel and chambered the barrel for 25-20 WCF. I don't think Z knew about the action's history.
X is a pretty good stock-maker. He put really nice wood on the rifle. The resulting job is beautiful. The rifle was the subject of an article in the SSR Journal. X then placed the rifle on consignment in a local gunshop. The gunshop owner gave a copy of the SSR Journal to the buyer.
But the rifle has since changed hands a couple of times. It is now mine. I was not swindled or anything, since I knew the rifle when it was a 32RF and since I worked with Y when the 32-40 disaster occurred. But the choice of 25-20 WCF bothers me. There are some high pressure (>30,000 psi) loads around. Being mortal, someone else will eventually have this rifle and I will not be around to tell the story. Should I make it into a 25-21, removing the potential for another high pressure disaster? Should I convert it to a 22 Long Rifle?
