I know there's not an easy way to really even know without having another identical but untured barrel and at least an uber high speed camera, but it would be interesting to know what its done to the harmonics.

Brown&Sharp belt drive lathe?
Don't matter if them bad boys are WWII or Boer war for that matter, if set up plum, square, good anchorage,decent spindle bearings and feed screws with good fit they are as good as anything modern.

Well barring NC control and number of speed selections of course.