it it my understanding that the alloy formulas typically used over the years to produce rifle, handgun and shotgun frames or receivers, are quite different. hence, it would make since that the factory heat treating processes used for these various types of firearm frames and receivers would also be different? or to express it another way, what works for rifle receivers, is not the same as what works for handgun frames? and then there is the whole subject of shotgun receivers? anybody have any thoughts to share here? maybe we can start a new thread, as this one is gittin kinda old and stale....
Doug Turnbull has spent many years working out the appropriate case hardening techniques for the various alloys used by many manufacturers, He can give you Parker colors or Smith colors or Fox colors, or whatever else you are likely to need. They are all different and require different treatments. Some of those treatments are necessarily proprietary, but he has published on this topic and is probably worth some further reading. I have a Smith and a Parker that were case hardened and colored by Turnbull's shop, and they are both "correct" as far as I can tell. And neither of them is cracked or warped.
Turnbull is also somewhat renowned for his work on pistols, revolvers and rifles.
