A martensitic steel alloy is provided. The martensitic steel alloy includes carbon from 0.22 to 0.36 wt. %, manganese from 0.5% to 2.0% wt. %, and chromium in an amount less than 0.10 wt. %. and a carbon equivalent Ceq of less than 0.44 in which Ceq=C+Mn/6+(Cr+Mo+V)/5+(Ni+Cu)/15. Ceq is the carbon equivalent, C, Mn, Cr, Mo, V, Ni, and Cu are in wt. % of the elements in the alloy. The alloy has an ultimate tensile strength of at least 1700 MPa.