Thread: Question on Metal Hardening......

I believe you have answered your own question.

AR-15's are aluminium receivers I think, and pretty sure they would be cheap to buy a lower receiver where you are located.....

As for parts of firearms being cast.... Research investment casting used int he firearm industry

When I was involved with firearms quite a few years ago, there were some parts being made using a lost wax process. A part was made from wax, then dipped in a ceramic type mixture, the metal was then poured into the mold melting the wax. Once this had cooled the ceramic coating was removed and the part exposed complete with tooling marks. You would probably need to speak to a gunsmith for more details.
Kryn

You could try case hardening the part. Cherry red powder is easy enough to get in the states. Not sure about it working on aluminum.

HI,

I believe the AR-15, M-16, M-4 etc are mainly a pressed alloy (upper and lower receiver etc) and the smaller working parts machined. They are really quiet flimsy and tinny, and apparently cheap to produce and buy wholesale.

Ben

If you are a backyarder like most of us on this forum, then I think casting in steel, at home, would be a pretty big challenge. Melting temp for Carbon steel is 1425 - 1540 deg C (Metals - Melting Temperatures)
There is a reason why guns are forged rather than cast, and that is because the forging process improves the properties of the metal.
Forging refines the grain structure and improves physical properties of the metal. With proper design, the grain flow can be oriented in the direction of principal stresses encountered in actual use. Grain flow is the direction of the pattern that the crystals take during plastic deformation. Physical properties (such as strength, ductility and toughness) are much better in a forging than in the base metal, which has, crystals randomly oriented.
( Forging)
regards
bollie7

I believe the AR-15, M-16, M-4 etc are mainly a pressed alloy (upper and lower receiver etc) and the smaller working parts machined. They are really quiet flimsy and tinny, and apparently cheap to produce and buy wholesale.

I would recon so. Had a good look (strip down and reassemble) of an M-16 years ago whilst in the Army. They certainally didnt look to be of a very solid construction.

Had a quick look online of an AR-15 and it didnt look to be any sturdier. Being an infantry style weapon I cant imagine it would be. After carrying around a SLR for long periods of time, then onto a Steyr, one soon appreciates the virtues of a light weight firearm. To keep the weight down, well the metal assemblies cant be too solid. Hell more than half a Steyr is plastic.