Method of production of high strength thin-gauge steel sheet excellent in elongation and hole expandability

A method of production of high strength thin-gauge steel sheet with excellent elongation and hole expandability characterized by, producing a slab comprised of by mass %, C:

• 0.03 to 0.25%, Si:
• 0.013 to 0.299%, Mn:
• 0.8 to 3.1%, P≦0.02%, S≦0.02%, Al≦2.0%, and N≦0.01% and, further, when necessary, one or more types of V:
• 0.005 to 1%, Ti:
• 0.002 to 1%, Nb:
• 0.002 to 1%, Cr:
• 0.005 to 2%, Mo:
• 0.005 to 1%, B:
• 0.0002 to 0.1%, Mg:
• 0.0005 to 0.01%, REM:
• 0.0005 to 0.01%, and Ca:
• 0.0005 to 0.01%, and a balance of Fe and unavoidable impurities, followed by heating to a range of 1150 to 1250° C., then hot rolling in a temperature range of 800 to 950° C., coiling at 700° C. or less, then pickling, then cold rolling by a reduction rate of 30 to 80%, then in a continuous annealing process, soaking at 600° C. to the Ac3 point+50° C. for recrystallization annealing, cooling by an average cooling rate of 10 to 150° C./s to a first cooling end temperature of 400° C. or less, then heating and holding at a first holding temperature higher than the first cooling end temperature and within the range of 150 to 400° C. for 1 to 20 minutes, then cooling to a second cooling end point temperature of the martensitic transformation point or less, then heating and holding at a second holding temperature within the range of the second cooling end temperature to 500° C. for 1 to 100 seconds, then cooling, to thereby obtain a metal structure having a microstructure comprised of ferrite with an area fraction of 10 to 85% and residual austenite with a volume fraction of 1 to 10%, an area fraction of 10% to 60% of tempered martensite, and a balance of bainite.