....interesting stuff on the Temp. as well. Most things I have read call for a quench around 1450 F, I enjoyed Craig's post on the CSM video(which I need to track down) and it seems both CSM and ken's info come in at 1333 or so....
I think the 1450* quench is to harden the simple steel, minimal alloying, of the thin case. And, that temp is likely about right to form that hard skin that folks don't like to machine or engrave.
The modern alloy likely in the CSM receiver may have the ability to through harden. So, they may be picking temps that don't change the properties of the steel too much in order to get the finish that they want on the surface.
Since Ken brought it up, shielding and blocking techniques for parts headed for case coloring are tough to come by. What's also tough to come by is 'finishing', or what the 'freer's' did to actions/guns on final assembly after the parts came back from the case hardener. How was significant warpage, hideous gaposis,etc, dealt with accurately and without marring the finish. But, that's entirely something else, probably a career or three.
