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30-06AI worth the effort? Will it get into the
308 Norma/300 Win mag range?

Not at sensible pressures it won't. I have built two of them, one with a 24 inch barrel.....2900 fps was about it. Not bad, but not 3000 plus.

Ted

Is case hardening or complete (through) hardening better?
Depends on the alloy and the expected stresses.
Hardness means brittleness, and toughness requires resiliency.
As Bandukwallah says, there are applications where you need both, and one way to achieve it is by using an alloy which can be surface hardened for strength for hoop stress under pressure, with an resilient core.

But, if you grind down a case-hardened rifle receiver, you are reducing its strength considerably.

One disadvantage I think to case hardening on centerfire rifles is that if the case is very thin, the constant pounding can drive the hard case back into the softer core.

For example, the bolt locking lugs and the recesses in the receiver. That can cause the recesses to indent, causing excesive headspace and difficulty in opening the bolt. The inside is spongy, and gives very little support to the thin outer case.

Much would depend on the quality of the case hardening, and also the quality and hardness of the metal under the case. That would also apply to through and through hardening as well.

Several years ago, I purchesed a 98 Mauser action through mail order (you could do that at the time). When I got it, the crest on the front receiver ring had been ground off. It had something to do with an obscure rule or law that some countries could not sell their surplus actions if they had identifying marks on them, or the U.S. could not import them.

I sent the action to Douglas to have a barrel installed. The action was returned, with a note saying the action tested 0 on the Rc scale, and they would not put a barrel on it.

When the crest was ground off, the outer case was also ground off, leaving only the soft core.

"But which is better in the long run - surface or through hardening? I honestly don't know. That is why I am soliciting information."

I don't know all applications for tools and parts and machinery, but my guess is the use the tool or part would be put to would determine the best method of hardening.

John Olin pretty much proved that through hardening, along with a steel suitable for the purpose, was the best choice for side by side shotguns.

The first rifle I ever messed around with was my grandfathers 03. I recontoured the barrel, cut off the front sight and recrowned, hand sanded and polished the metal, got one of those 95% inleted monte carlo stocks from Herter's had it drilled & tapped and blued. I still have that gun and it is one of the most accurate 06's I've ever owned. It has been a great rifle that I will pass on to my grandson. If only I had known what that oblong port on the left side was for I may never have modified my Mark I.

Color case hardening is simply a variation of pack carburizing that uses water as a quenching medium, instead of oil. More or less stable oxides of variable thickness are established during the quench; while the oxides are themselves colorless, the oxide film exhibits interference coloration, just like an oil film on water. These colors are independent of the actual thickness and/or quality of the carbon case lying underneath.

I thought the tulips and non pancake type housings were induction hardened. Several companies make these, so there could be more than one way to do it.
Are you talking about the cage? Almost all of the 6 ball joints I have seen don't look case hardened.


About the 03. I haven't seen too many who were able to overcome the magazine cutoff being ugly!
Bill

Converting a Mauser to a sporter is not that expensive.
ER Shaw will D&T and install a low handle for about $120.00 plus shipping. Timney triggers are about $50.00.
Barrels and stock can cost as much as you want.

The Outer and Inner Races and the Cages that I'm familiar with are case hardened...at least the ones made by GKN, Birfield Trasmissioni, Walterscheid and Lohr & Bromkamp. The ends of the Outers are induction annealed. Some Propeller Shafts are induction hardened, but none of the CV Joints themselves.

I have built a number of sporters on the Springfield..I learned to custom stock on them as they cost me $14.00 from the NRA, and the metal worked cost me another $30.00 and I could buy French Walnut for $50.00 and that was the better than average stuff. I could sell them for $400. You needed to get a serial number over 800,000 and if it was a Rock Island gun then the serial number needed to be over 285,507 as I recall. the lower number guns were single heat treat guns and were soft and they are dangerous.

I prefer a good Mauser hands down..but many a nice Springfield was built by some of the better smiths and gun companies and they were beautiful in all respect..

Someday soon, I intend to build myself a carbine 30-06 to shoot only 220 gr. RN bullets only, it will be iron sighted, and on a slim trim Springfield action, much like a Sedgely, with perhaps a schonable forend or manlicher perhaps, low comb, no cheekpiece, Neidner butt plate and grip cap..It'll be strictly a nostalgic project, much like my Win. 63 auto.