Cr3C2 ceramic powder is added in varying amounts to AISI 410 stainless steel powder to develop AISI 400 based alloys with varying chromium and carbon content using the coaxial laser deposition technique operating at parameter sets which guarantee full melting of the constituent powder particles. Theoretical isothermal curves for the in situ generated alloys are correlated with the as-deposited and heat-treated microstructures using electron microscopy, X-ray and electron backscatter diffraction techniques. It is concluded that with an increased carbon loading in the mixture, post-deposition heat treatment involving full re-austenitising and tempering is necessary in order to reduce the effect of solute trapping which negatively affects the material mechanical properties.