If quenching & tempering is required for the final product hardness, why not use 10B21 instead of 1541? 1541 has problems with decarburization, poor microstructure uniformity, high flow stress, low tool life, etc. Is the section size large (> 18 mm)? Will the part operate at a temperature higher than 350 C? If the answer to both of these is no, then 10B21 will produce a better part at lower cost.