Aluminum-killed medium carbon steel sheets, and the steel sheet stock prepared from it, is useful for manufacturing containers for a variety of food and industrial purposes. High mechanical strength is imparted to steel sheeting when the sheeting is processed through a continuous series of operations including cold-rolling and annealing. Annealing at a temperature maintained above the pearlitic transformation (Ac.sub.1) and rapid cooling yields steel sheet of high maximum rupture strength. Improved mechanical properties allows the steel sheet to be used in the manufacture of thin wall containers or containers of novel shape.