I keep going through the FAQs, just trolling for wisdom, and every time I stop at the part where the caution is issued regarding lightening triggers and the potential for them to continue to wear to the point that they become lighter than one had originally intended.
Tapping on past experience in putting together a number of more traditional muzzle-loaders with very limited resources, I wonder why one wouldn't simply case harden the components after going to the effort of getting everything just right. It provides an excellent hardness for similar parts in ML actions (and some parts in old Mausers) and makes them especially "slippery" to boot. I have done this the traditional way, using bone dust and leather scraps in a hardwood fire as well as with a torch and store-bought powder. It has proven especially useful on certain aftermarket Mauser safeties, which come dead-soft and would not last through a range session if not so-treated.
Not knowing if H&R/NEF case-hardens these parts, does a regular heat-treat or leaves the parts alone, I can't answer my own question with a reasonable level of intelligence. Incidentally, this is how Power Custom treats their replacement New Model Ruger hammer/trigger sets, which are highly spoken of by Jerry Kuhnhausen. I realize that not everyone reading would want to attempt this procedure - as everyone must draw one's own lines at what they are willing to bite off in terms of "home-gunsmithing."
Understand that I am not speaking of the process used by makers which imparts the wonderful coloration, as the methods I have employed impart a very, very faintly mottled "tones of gray" effect, which I do not personally find at all unappealing. Buffed out by hand, the parts look fine and even take on a degree of rust-resistance, yet they develop a patina over time or could be blued, although with somewhat more effort than before treating, as whatever acidic liquid one appplies tends to bead up. Birchwood Casey's Plum Barrel Browing solution, applied to a moderately heated part, dabbed on with a cotton swab will impart a very mild coloration effect which eventually wears and patinizes (is that a word?) over time as well.
Jeff H
