There are two things about Sedgley that I would rewrite if I had a time machine.
1. What I called hot blue is Carbonia Blue/Charcoal Blue: This finish is produced in a gas furnace at high heat for many hours.
2. It is my understanding that Sedgley annealed the actions then re-hardened them. I don't have much detail on the process they used. Most of what I have is second hand written at the time. Bottom line is I know on no Sedgleys that have ever failed.
The low-number 1903 debate will never go away and those who are convinced of a danger will always be on that side of the issue. They are on the side of safety, theirs and others, so I can't fault that logic.
I'll sum it up with saying that I believe the Ordnance Department reevaluated the low-numbers issue after troops started blowing up the 1917's.
The bottom line for both Ordnance and myself is the 30-06 cartridge, on it's own, does not have enough pressure to destroy and low-numbered action.
