Abstract: A method for heat treating a steel component includes heating the component to a temperature at or above the austenitizing temperature and holding the component at or above the austenitizing temperature for a time sufficient to at least partially austenitize the steel, cooling the component to a first temperature in a temperature range of 200° C. to 270° C. and holding the component in the temperature range for at most 6 hours, thereby transforming at least a portion of the austenite into bainite, cooling the component to a temperature of from ?30° C. to 30° C., thereby forming martensite; and reheating the component to a second temperature in the temperature range, holding the component in the temperature range for at most 6 hours and then cooling the component to a temperature of from ?30° C. to 30° C., thereby transforming a further portion of the austenite into bainite and forming tempered martensite.