Recrystallization of KCl crystals deformed in a <100> direction was utilized to develop polycrystalline microstructures, increasing yield stresses, thus making them more attractive as laser window candidates. Using press forging techniques (i.e., slow compressive deformation in the absence of lateral constraints), large plastic strains (≤ 70%) were achieved at temperatures as low as 150 °C, which resulted in recrystallized grain sizes as fine as 5 &mgr;m. Although a residual < 100 > texture was present, there was sufficient grain misorientation to result in general polycrystalline behavior. The yield stresses of the press forged materials increased with decreasing grain size, reaching about 35 MN m−2(∼5000 psi) at the finest (5 &mgr;m) grain size.