I just got a pretty nice Low Wall that I bought as much for the sights as the rifle. The only good thing to say about the bore is that the severe pitting is at least uniform through it's length but I bought it for conversion anyway. It's a 32/20 and I would like to have it lined and re-chambered to 327 Federal Mag. I want this cartridge because I cast and load a lot of 32 S&W long for use in a couple of 32 rimfires that I had converted and the 327 will fire them and give me the option of using something with a lot more punch. I've read that the 327 has a very high chamber pressure and my question is will a low wall handle it safely? I see that the Jap low walls are chambered in 243 etc. but that's modern steel soooo?

Ditto.

Better to err on the side of not stupid. The 32 H&R won't give me the pizazz that I want for deer but the 38/40 will and I've always wanted one. Problem solved. Thanks

RE: LOW Walls
First, while this is "Fun information" I don't know where the chart came from or can speak to it's accuracy. 
A quick search (no citations) revealed that the original Winchesters were not designed to go much above 20,000 Psi, conversely the 'Modern Replicas are reportedly designed to be limited to about 33,000 PSI.

My Uberti Low wall in 32-40  12-Twist was chambered that way before I bought it and was so modified by the gent that sold me the rifle. 
Further the Uberti company doesn't offer the Low wall in 32-40. So caution is advised. All that said the rifle was configured to be a schuetzen rifle so less pressure is better shooting off hand. (at least for me)

While my chambering is above the Frank de Haas projected precautionary "curve" or limit I am not too concerned if I load my smokeless loads below 21,000 PSI. I feel comfortable with shooting it especially with black powder. 

While this chart is a Cartridge "Thrust" estimate it doesn't address the hoop strength of either the barrel at that point or the strength of the very thin wall receiver.

I find it interesting that the "Thrust limit"s are so affected by the cartridge base diameter, the smaller the base the more pressure it can handle. I would have thought that that the breech block would distribute the pressure evenly on the mortise.... HUMMM?



=0F28372C2E2934262923262B2B2229470 link=1765562847/0#0 date=1765562847]  I just got a pretty nice Low Wall that I bought as much for the sights as the rifle. The only good thing to say about the bore is that the severe pitting is at least uniform through it's length but I bought it for conversion anyway. It's a 32/20 and I would like to have it lined and re-chambered to 327 Federal Mag. I want this cartridge because I cast and load a lot of 32 S&W long for use in a couple of 32 rimfires that I had converted and the 327 will fire them and give me the option of using something with a lot more punch. I've read that the 327 has a very high chamber pressure and my question is will a low wall handle it safely? I see that the Jap low walls are chambered in 243 etc. but that's modern steel soooo? [/quote]

RJ-35-40 wrote on Dec 12^th, 2025 at 4:44pm:

[/quote]

Depends who the offshore manufacturer of the "modern" Low Wall is. Italian ones are better than original Winchesters but not by tremendous amount. The Japanese Mirokus on the other hand are in a league of their own. You'll find them in .243 and .260 - pretty fearsome chamber pressures - and some very very few in 6.5x55 (God would I love to find one of them). My two are in .22 Hornet and .223 and I don't hold anything back when I load for them. (And on top of that they're the most accurate rifles in those two calibers that I've ever owned.) Miroku got their metallurgy down pat.

Chuck,

Thank you for that additional information...!

Bob


Chuckster wrote on Dec 13^th, 2025 at 11:11am:

Frank,  Thanks for your help in developing this chart.
The curves were developed by holding the cartridge thrust constant, changing the cartridge base diameter and calculating the allowable pressure.
Chuck

I have seen one low wall with a cracked receiver so I know it can happen. I don't remember what it was chambered in. A while back someone sent me a Stevens 44 with two broken breach blocks. It had been a 25-20 and someone re-chambered to 25-35. After that I received a 44 that the customer said he didn't know what it was chambered in but it was marked 25-20. When he tried to shoot it the brass was swelled up and split. I did a chamber cast and found it had been re-chambered to 256 Winchester. This was not safe and I told the customer. He didn't want to spend any money so I bought it from him and re-barreled it to 44-40. Now it's a fun rifle to shoot.
I don't believe a low wall should be hot rodded in any way. If you want more power, use a rifle designed for more pressure.