A method for fabricating a high manganese steel component, the method comprising: a) providing a composition consisting of: manganese ranging from about 9 to about 20 weight % of the total composition, carbon ranging from about 0.5 to about 2.0 weight % of the total composition, and the balance iron; and optionally: chromium ranging from 0.5 to 30 weight % of the total composition; nickel or cobalt ranging from 0.5 to 20 weight % of the total composition; aluminum ranging from 0.2 to 15 weight % of the total composition; molybdenum, niobium, copper, titanium or vanadium ranging from 0.01 to 10 weight % of the total composition; silicon ranging from 0.1 to 10 weight % of the total composition; nitrogen ranging from 0.001 to 3.0 weight % of the total composition; boron ranging from 0.001 to 0.1 weight % of the total composition; or zirconium or hafnium ranging from 0.2 to 6 weight % of the total composition; b) heating the composition to at least about 1000°C; c) cooling the composition at a rate of from about 2°C per second to about 60°C per second, followed by hot rolling the composition at a temperature in a range of about 700°C to about 1000°C; d) slowly cooling or isothermally holding the composition; and e) quenching or accelerated cooling or air cooling the composition from a temperature in a range of from 700°C to about 1000°C to a temperature in range of from 0°C to about 500°C at a rate of at least about 10°C per second. a) providing a composition consisting of: manganese ranging from about 9 to about 20 weight % of the total composition, carbon ranging from about 0.5 to about 2.0 weight % of the total composition, and the balance iron; and optionally: chromium ranging from 0.5 to 30 weight % of the total composition; nickel or cobalt ranging from 0.5 to 20 weight % of the total composition; aluminum ranging from 0.2 to 15 weight % of the total composition; molybdenum, niobium, copper, titanium or vanadium ranging from 0.01 to 10 weight % of the total composition; silicon ranging from 0.1 to 10 weight % of the total composition; nitrogen ranging from 0.001 to 3.0 weight % of the total composition; boron ranging from 0.001 to 0.1 weight % of the total composition; or zirconium or hafnium ranging from 0.2 to 6 weight % of the total composition; manganese ranging from about 9 to about 20 weight % of the total composition, carbon ranging from about 0.5 to about 2.0 weight % of the total composition, and the balance iron; and optionally: chromium ranging from 0.5 to 30 weight % of the total composition; nickel or cobalt ranging from 0.5 to 20 weight % of the total composition; aluminum ranging from 0.2 to 15 weight % of the total composition; molybdenum, niobium, copper, titanium or vanadium ranging from 0.01 to 10 weight % of the total composition; silicon ranging from 0.1 to 10 weight % of the total composition; nitrogen ranging from 0.001 to 3.0 weight % of the total composition; boron ranging from 0.001 to 0.1 weight % of the total composition; or zirconium or hafnium ranging from 0.2 to 6 weight % of the total composition; chromium ranging from 0.5 to 30 weight % of the total composition; nickel or cobalt ranging from 0.5 to 20 weight % of the total composition; aluminum ranging from 0.2 to 15 weight % of the total composition; molybdenum, niobium, copper, titanium or vanadium ranging from 0.01 to 10 weight % of the total composition; silicon ranging from 0.1 to 10 weight % of the total composition; nitrogen ranging from 0.001 to 3.0 weight % of the total composition; boron ranging from 0.001 to 0.1 weight % of the total composition; or zirconium or hafnium ranging from 0.2 to 6 weight % of the total composition; b) heating the composition to at least about 1000°C; c) cooling the composition at a rate of from about 2°C per second to about 60°C per second, followed by hot rolling the composition at a temperature in a range of about 700°C to about 1000°C; d) slowly cooling or isothermally holding the composition; and e) quenching or accelerated cooling or air cooling the composition from a temperature in a range of from 700°C to about 1000°C to a temperature in range of from 0°C to about 500°C at a rate of at least about 10°C per second.