doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com Can a repro Low/High Wall be case colored?

Spoke with John Gillette today. He said the low wall (Jap Browning or Winchester) can be case colored using the bone charcoal method with the exception of the lever. He said the lever has a spring inside that can't be removed and thus the lever can't be case colored. No problem with the rest of the action, to include the trigger.

Now that you know it CAN be pack hardened, it's time to decide if it Should be?
I'm pretty sure this is high carbon steel that, IMO, Should Not be pack hardened, particularly the barrel threads and thin areas.

Not that Steven needs my support, however I do support what he is saying and questions he is asking. My 2 cents.

Is the question now whether or not the frame would warp during the process or is the question whether the type/hardness of steel utilized by Miroku causes a problem completing the process? Just curious as John certainly didn't indicate there was a problem (with the exception of doing the lever). Think I'll give Doug Turnbull's folks a call next week. FWIW, I did send them a request for information related to this same topic last week and never received a reply.

PS. Looks like there is a debate whether the Winchester/Browning low walls have SAE 4140 (not recommended for case coloring or SAE 8620 (no problem). Looks like more research is required.

They were busy at the SHOT SHOW last week.

To chamber a .243 on that action it would have to be made from carbon steel...
Pretty hot even for that, IMO.

I have heard of at least two Dakota #10 actions that cracked/broke at the draw bolt web/safely recess when tightening the bolt after case hardening. One at (almost) final assembly of a fancy custom project.

But I'm just a stick-in-the-mud traditionalist who favors my fingers on my hands. You go right ahead... that is if you can reassemble the action? I spent about 3 days reassembling a Browning M-78 many years back.

Geez, kinda like my fingers as well. Looks like consideration to the Cyanide process will be given. Believe Signal Mountain gun works is currently doing that process for Browning there in Mr. Hughes home state of Montana. PS. Understand at the 2012 shot show Winchester trotted out a 6.5 x 55 caliber low wall. Also trotted out a factory one piece scope mount with rings made for the low walls. That should approve the aesthetics when a modern scope is utilized, because the old two piece mounts were pretty hideous looking IMO.

The question is what were the guns made from. If someone knows...and knowing would require either a copy of the part drawing with material specification or you worked at the original maker and have personnel knowledge...please tell us the material?
If you are right handed and you shoot left handed then the issue of losing a digit doesn't have the impact, however I do not and therefore I would leave it alone.
What guarantee do the various folks doing the hardening provide? And what disclaimers?

Most cyanide colors just look fake. I don't think I've ever seen a cyanide colored firearm that I could warm up to. I'd rather have a good blue job than cyanide colors but that's just my opinion. I think I remember reading of a low temperature color process that produced "true" case colors without significant hardening but that may be wishful thinking.

Jerry Liles

Kirk Bryan at Shiloh Sharps has figured out a way to color case harden 4140. It is an option offered over the cyanide pack and looks very nice. I have one completed that way. He has even done some non Shiloh frames for people.