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There are generally three classes of barrel, "drop in", "pre-fit", and "gunsmith fit". The first should be sort of like a G.I. barrel, in that it should fit in any within-spec gun. "Pre-fit", or "semi drop-in" means the barrel is somewhat oversized in key areas, not so oversized that it won't still drop-in to a lot of guns, but perhaps requiring a bit of fitting to a specific gun. "Gunsmith fit" means the barrel is oversized in all important dimensions, and won't fit any gun without extensive modification to suit the specific gun.
I have dropped a Colt G.I. barrel into a parts gun with no other Colt parts, and the fit was pretty good.
A Storm Lake pre-fit needed fitting in just about every area other than the lower lugs, to fit a Caspian frame/slide gun.
I have no experience with gunsmith-fit barrels, though I think I prefer barrels with precision pre-cut lower lugs, which have all the fitting done at the top lugs.
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