Craig;
Like you I am uncertain about the electric wire.
Your thoughts about the non-magnetic point on the way up and down brought to my mind a "color" non-case hardening event that occurred 7-8 years ago on a double 20 bore rifle I built with a Turkish action made of 4140. I contacted Turnbull and asked him if they would take a action from me made of 4140 alloy steel that I would pre-polish and then for them to heat it in in their charcoal mix and crucible in their furnace to only about 1350-1375 degrees F (keeping it below the transformation stage as 4140 alloy steel will through harden and not surface harden) and then quench it as they do for color case hardening. They agreed to do that and the colors turned out to be stunning---not a hard surface but never-the-less beautiful. From the email that Turnbull Co. send me after the coloring of the action, I believe they were also amazed at the beautiful coloring.
If someone reading will be so kind to receive a photo of this 20 bore action from me via email and then post it to this discussion I will email it to them. Just send me a PM with your email address and I will email the photo to you.
