Pencil test on newly fitted barrel

[bill o]

I just fit a Kart EZ fit barrel to a new Caspian frame and slide. The lockup is nice and tight, even contact on the lower lugs, very smooth unlocking.

In one of Gene Shuey's DVDs, he demonstrates a test where he inserts a pencil fully into the barrel and puts upward pressure on the breech end of the barrel while slowly pulling the slide back. If it binds during unlocking, then it's supposedly a problem, but he doesn't elaborate. When I do this, my barrel binds a tiny bit. Not a hard bind, just a click.

My questions:

What is the purpose of this test?

What, if anything, should I do to correct this?

Is there a possibility of peening the upper lugs if I shot it as is?

Thanks.

[Braxton1]

That test is a variant on the timing test that Wil Schuemann advocates. It is supposed to determine if the link is pulling the barrel down fast enough in the unlocking portion of the cycle. If it is not, the link is likely too long and peening of the upper barrel lugs can result.