Hi Argo,
"Chromed barrels" would not semantically distinguish between inside and outside.
However, Pimping a double did not quite exist back then. So, because the only practical use of Chrome is inside the barrels, that's what this is supposed to mean.
A couple of remarks:
- "Isochrome" was a barrel plating company in St Etienne. This is a trade name, and not a scientific one.
- I have seen my fair share of Chromed barrels made by "la Manu". The problem with that process is that it does not age well, probably worse than non chromed barrels.
I don't know what the problem is, but the chrome seems to flake off after some time. I would think that the issue might be that during shooting, the barrel stretches more than the chrome, breaking the bond over time. In any event, I would stay away from chromed barrels, even if they look good today.
Of course, by the time the Chrome is flaking, I don't know the barrels can be recovered.
It could be a process issue, I don't know if other processes work better.
Best regards,
WC-
