Repro frame alloy?

[Chuck Heald]

Dave
I've made some parts from leaded mild steels in the past.

This is a triggerguard and floorplate on a custom Rem 600. I whittled it from a solid block of 12L14. and hand filed the curvy stuff. The stuff machined about like aluminum.

[edgarspencer]

Great looking trigger guard!
Finding any alloy steels with either lead or selenium today is nighon impossible. I used to produce a 303 stainless, but just having selenium on hand was a liability.
Did you ever notice how the higher grades differ in case colors from the lower grades. I have always believed that the engravers, whether in-house, or contract, refused work on the more hardened actions based on the time and graver tool wear. The frames, naturally were always the same base material, but the secondary heat treatments given must have been either annealed or drawn back to allow the engraver something softer to work with.
It doesn't surprise me that Galazan uses 4140. It would most certainly be the billet of choice for strength and ductility.
I regret not having more interest in the materials used by the old-time makers, as I had both an optical emission, and xray fluorescent spectrometer in my lab, not to mention the ability to photo-micrograph materials to see their grain structure. Hardness testing wood have involved leaving a tiny braille mark, but I could have done it in an engraved aread and the teeny dot would have blended right in. Maybe in my next life.

[Autumn Daze]

Edgar, Thank you for your input. I always learn from it......