I use Brownells stainless foil to make pouches to hold small pieces like screws so they don't get lost in the charcoal. I fill the foil pouch with charcoal and the small parts and bury the pouch in charcoal in the crucible. I have never heard of wrapping gun parts and annealing without charcoal. I would not try it myself, as the parts will be ruined by hard gray scale formation if touched by the atmosphere while still hot. Not worth the risk when its so easy and cheap to simply do it right by submerging the work in charcoal for annealing.
