Dixie Gunsmithing
Moderator Emeritus
Jim, that is what I was taught. Some old double receivers had problems anyhow, like the Ithaca Flues, and flame coloring one of those is asking for trouble. They were bad to crack where the water table meets the breech lobes on either side. They had a radius in that corner, but they still cracked. I've seen several of those "flame colored" Flues show up on auction, and I would not tip one with a ten foot pole.
Several gun designs could be affected over that, and some parts, as it is according to how they're made, and how any heat treating or coloring is done to them. Of course, screws, pins, etc, it seems not to hurt, as the spring range of tempering softens ones pretty good, yet still leaves them with some hardness. Most small pins were made of spring wire stock anyhow.
Several gun designs could be affected over that, and some parts, as it is according to how they're made, and how any heat treating or coloring is done to them. Of course, screws, pins, etc, it seems not to hurt, as the spring range of tempering softens ones pretty good, yet still leaves them with some hardness. Most small pins were made of spring wire stock anyhow.