My experience with Savage factory barrels is most of them shoot pretty well with jacketed bullets and will shoot very well with cast bullets once they are smoothed up, which doesn't take long (50 or so jacketed, cleaned with copper solvent after every single round, or just blow about 50-75 paper-patched cast bullets through it using clay-filled copier paper for its abrasive qualities). The steel is relatively soft, though, which means the tops of the lands start to wear down with a steady diet of jacketed bullets. Built to a price point and to be easy on tooling, the original barrels will last the lifetime of the average deer hunter, but for heavy use don't expect it to last long. I'd say shoot it to get it smoothed up and enjoy shooting a whole lot of cast bullets through it. If you wear it out, I have a nearly-new, 24" factory heavy varmint barrel just like yours I'll sell you real cheap.