Well based on what I know and have done, 32 years in the service as a weapons type, shot military competition with high power rifle and pistol, rubbed shoulders with the armorers at Quantico, Camp Pendleton and the Navy armorers van at Perry and the other Navy matches, had a tour of Wilson Barrels and a working relationship with them and had a Hawkeye bore scope at my last 8 years at the Coast Guard Academy I have looked down a few barrels in my days. Some new from the factory are real POSs. Others I have seen are truely works of art made by people who really know their business. Others are good and could be greatly improved by hand or fire lapping. All Wilson barrels are lapped and then scope inspected. Most all, I don't know who does not, firearms are proofed at the factory and may be cleaned, usually are not. There could be a preservative in the barrel. In any case a new barrel should get a good scubbing when it gets home to get all of that crap out of the barrel. Some barrel makers have instructions on how to break in their barrels, other say theirs do not need a break in period. I have a Smith Corona 1903A3 that shot great but would copper up so bad that the accuracy went away until all copper fouling was removed. I fire lapped it and cured that problem. I have several guns that NEEDED fire lapping. I put a new Wilson barrel on my Rem 700 .220 Swift and shot fantastic as soon as it was zeroed in. A good .22 LR should not need a bore brush, just patches for cleaning (wet and dry). If you need a bore brush you are already in trouble. It will never hurt to shoot and clean each of the first 10 shots. That might hone down any high spots that might be on the edges of the lands. Others just shoot a new gun like they always intend to shoot it and walk away happy as a clam. The Hawkeye bore scope is like doing a colonoscopy on your gun barrel. It does not lie. Believe me on this, ignorance is bliss. You do not want to see what your favorite barrel really looks like. These are just a few pearls of wisdom on gun barrels.
