I I've had only one premium quality barrel that never broke in and continued to foul and never quit.
It was a Hart that in my view was too smooth..
Lija also claims barrels can be too smooth ,contributing to increased fouling...but I cannot get my head around that theory.
The smoother something is, typically the less friction you will encounter when it comes to metals - and if removing machining marks
reduces fouling, then would not also reducing a more aggressive lapped surface to create a smoother surface with better [lower]
co-efficient of friction be even better for reducing fouling?
Finer /less aggressive surface finish would create smaller micro troughs where contaminants can lay up.
Some might claim a smoother surface increases contact area between bullet and barrel, but that may not necessarily
be the case, you might just end up with a larger number of shallower micro peaks/troughs rather than a lower number
of more aggressive micro peaks/troughs. without changing the actual contact area by much.
same goes with barrels with differing number of lands-grooves,..ie; more or less may not alter actual contact area
between bullet and barrel...because one can compensate by altering the widths so that contact area remains consistent.
