Advice for building Rolling Block

[august west]

Lots of photos of double rifles with extended tangs going up over the comb inlaid completely in the white, before finishing. Do what you like certainly but there is a reason professionals do tasks in a certain order. For one thing, case colors aren't particularly durable and all the smoking and tapping of the stocking process is going to play hell with them.

[mdeland]

Well, if you have done a good number of stocking jobs both ways and get good results with either method than you have more flexibility. I feel I get better fit by making the wood fit the steel after it is done moving . You have to ask yourself, would I feel comfortable about stocking a brand new blued or cased receiver which is no different than what I prefer to doing when I have to case a receiver and stock it to how ever it moved in the quench. You still have to spot them in and be careful not to scratch the finish.
I do feel modern steel ,usually something like 8620, has less tendency to wharp in the quench than does the original mild steel forged actions having cased both types. My guess is the forging process in originals is the reason they move more than does modern alloy which is usually investment cast.

[mdeland]

I've cased quite a few original rolling blocks and have found that getting the lower tang/trigger guard back into the action mortise at the bottom is always a challenge after the quench. These need to be blocked/braced well but the reinforcing needs to be as minimal as possible so as not to set up a heat sink effect and allow as much charcoal as possible to make contact with the steel to impart carbon infusion.
I once experimented on a roller of mine by leaving the bottom metal in place and the two guard screws loosely threaded into their respective holes. It was a big mistake as the loose screws locked up in the holes and had to be drilled out after the quench. I had to make new screws so my big idea of using the bottom metal as the brace went south on me.
No, each part with critical tolerances needs to be independently braced and the small parts need to be treed together for best results . The actions need to be packed internally as well as externally with charcoal. The longer the charcoal stays on the part as it drops down through the quench water the better the color.
I've not yet cracked anything with case hardening having done several receivers several times over because I didn't like how it came out.
I don't know for sure if there is a limit to how many times a receiver can be re-cased without damage but have found personally that it can be re-done at least three times without damage to the steel. Cracking in square mortise cuts seems to be the danger areas of concern.

[mdeland]

I've cased quite a few original rolling blocks and have found that getting the lower tang/trigger guard back into the action mortise at the bottom is always a challenge after the quench. These need to be blocked/braced well but the reinforcing needs to be as minimal as possible so as not to set up a heat sink effect and allow as much charcoal as possible to make contact with the steel to impart carbon infusion.
I once experimented on a roller of mine by leaving the bottom metal in place and the two guard screws loosely threaded into their respective holes. It was a big mistake as the loose screws locked up in the holes and had to be drilled out after the quench. I had to make new screws so my big idea of using the bottom metal as the brace went south on me.
No, each part with critical tolerances needs to be independently braced and the small parts need to be treed together for best results . The actions need to be packed internally as well as externally with charcoal. The longer the charcoal stays on the part as it drops down through the quench water the better the color.
I've not yet cracked anything with case hardening having done several receivers several times over because I didn't like how it came out.
I don't know for sure if there is a limit to how many times a receiver can be re-cased without damage but have found personally that it can be re-done at least three times without damage to the steel. Cracking in square mortise cuts seems to be the danger areas of concern.

[mdeland]

Oh boy,every time my puter decides to self up date something strange happens. Now I'm starting to get double posts!