I looked in the bore with my Hawkeye - if it was ever fired, then someone did utterly meticulous job of cleaning it, as there is zero, and I mean zero powder or copper residue in the bore.
The rifling seems well formed & consistent, though there are plenty of reamer marks in it. This may be one that shoots well after fire lapping, though I think I will Ultra Bore coat it and then try it as is.
+1 on UBC.
Negative on firelapping based on the Hawkeye.
Go by how it shoots, not by how it looks.
I have a Hawkeye and have to keep reminding myself of that...
IIRC, the real early ones had Douglas barrels, weren't Wilson barrels used during that era? Reportedly, current ones have in house hammer forged barrels, probably better than the earlier ones.
But current wood quality and workmanship aren't nearly as good as those red pad, "vintage" guns.
DF
