A hot etching procedure used to reveal the prior austenitic grain size of several steels was evaluated. Etching experiments, using molten glass, were conducted on a HSLA precipitation hardened steel, two alloy steels, and a control rolled steel. For comparison purposes, the austenite grain size of the HSLA precipitation hardenable steel was determined using a hot-stage microscope. The prior austenitic grain sizes obtained for these steels using the molten glass etch is presented.