Case color

[Ksmirk]

I did a bit of searching and really didn't come up with much info so thought I would just ask. Thought's on case coloring a modern bolt action receiver? I've got an idea in my head but I am the first to know that just cause I have an idea doesn't mean it's a good idea lol I'm a touch concerned about the receiver warping or possibly cracking with the temps I've been reading about.

Fella's thanks for any direction you can send my way! I tend to ask questions when I don't know an answer...... guess I'm learning in my old age

Kirk

 

[Fast14riot]

I've seen color case hardened bolt action rifles. Turnbull may have been the one to do it. Might be worth a call to ask about it.

 

[Ggmac]

You need to check temps itll take and metallurgy. Last time i did it , you got the part cherry red and covered with casenit .

 

[Rustytigwire]

Run some test on a junker or same material grade
What kind of temp?
Like a number deg f

 

[Edd]

A member here, shortgrass, is knowledgeable on this subject. He even does some case coloring. I have a new Defiance action made of chromoly that I wanted to case color. He told me it should not be done with heat.

 

[Ksmirk]

This is just a Savage action I've had around for awhile, nothing special and I'd probably dump more change into it than it would ever be worth! buddy of mines kid is really enjoying the hunting and shooting and I was kicking the idea of putting him together a rifle, kinda wanted it to be something cool as I've put his dad a few rifles together.

I might try and give Turnbull a shout tomorrow and get his thoughts pretty sure he could give me a good idea. Thanks fella's I appreciate the advice.

Kirk

 

[jackieschmidt]

You need to check temps itll take and metallurgy. Last time i did it , you got the part cherry red and covered with casenit .

Cherry red on most any chrome moly steel will take it past the transformation range. In short, you might have annealed it.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Any way to color case harden it just on the surface and not anneal the whole thing?

 

[Ggmac]

Cherry red on most any chrome moly steel will take it past the transformation range. In short, you might have annealed it.

Yup !

 

[Mark 17 Rem]

Hi everyone,
I was looking for something that would give me the LOOK of of color case harding with out
heat on stainless steal. I found it with STEAL/FX and it does work!! You have to be patient, and I think
if I did again I would get the jell on round objects it would get the look you want. It is WATER based.
check out their web sight.
steel/fixpatinas.com
Mark

 

[clowdis]

I'm not the expert by any means, but normally color case is done by heating the action (in this case) in a box of charcoal to around 1400 degrees and then dumping the contents into a barrel of water. With high carbon steel this can be a disaster making the steel way to brittle for use. Normally objects to be case hardened are made from lower carbon steels to avoid this happening (Mauser). I've seen actions hardened but most have been older Mausers or Springfields, never modern Savages or Remingtons. I'm not saying it can't be done, I just haven't seen it.

 

[Greg Y]

I'm hoping someone with gobs of experience chimes in. I built a pid controlled mini kiln in hopes of doing a bit of cch myself. I have learned the temp control, hold time and type of char used are critical as is allowing no oxygen in the process.

 

[Will Henry]

Heat treating can be very complex or quite simple, depending what it is you are working on. Temperatures of the heat and the quenching medium can be critical.
I have seen some bolt actions (Mausers) which were color case hardened and which came out beautifully. I have also seen some which were ruined. One Mauser was a Hartmann & Weiss receiver which literally broke apart after being case hardened. This was for a very high grade custom rifle by a top builder and the case hardening was done by a top practitioner of the art. The action was sent away, case hardened, and returned. The receiver was cracked all around the receiver ring and the recoil lug nearly broken off! I suspect this was a chromoly receiver and the heat treater didn't know so treated it as mild steel.
The same builder brought me one of his falling block actions which had been case hardened and had warped so badly that the sidewalls were visibly bowed out and the breech block wouldn't fit. He wondered if I could anneal it, without any scaling, so he could try to straighten it. I said I could but the color would be lost. I packed it in a stainless box with some bone charcoal and heated it to 1400 degrees and let it cool. Worked fine and came out clean and soft. He was not able to straighten it to his satisfaction so he just made another receiver instead. It was case hardened by the same shop and was perfect. Hard to say why the first one warped. I have to mention, in this case, both the rifle maker and the heat treating expert have skills which are far beyond my own.
I did quite a bit of carburizing and case hardening but not usually looking for color; just hardness and not on rifle actions. The only real difference was in the quench. If you wanted color, the quench was aerated water. The water being full of bubbles allowed some areas to cool more slowly and oxidize just enough to produce color. This is a bit of a simplification and someone with real experience at color case hardening could undoubtedly provide better information. WH

 

[Ksmirk]

Well I called and spoke with Turnbull and they verified my thoughts about case coloring a CM action that it could turn out too brittle. I think it would have been a fun project but like I stated from the get go just cause I have an idea doesn't mean it's a good one!

I will say a big thanks to you guys and if anyone knows the folks at Turnbull they were a wealth of information I can't say enough good about!

Looks like I'll just give this thing a polish and nice bluing. Again fella's I appreciate the advice and thoughts, have yourself a great day.

Kirk