Abstract: Double experiments of controlled rolling/cooling process were carried out on a lab mill and the results showed that the effect of ferrite grain size on the mechanical properties is greater than that of pearlite morphology for the low-carbon cold heading steel. The mechanical properties of the specimens rolled at low temperature are better than rolled conventionally. Best mechanical properties could be obtained by the controlled rolling/cooling process for ferrite grain refining and avoid the formation of Widmastatten structure under conditions that the austenitizing parameters are set very reasonably. In such a way it might be expected to substitute low-carbon for medium-carbon in production of 490 MPa grade cold heading steel without heat-treatment.