Wet Sumpiing

I have been reading this website and have bee curious as to why some Norton twins seem to wet sump while others do not, notwithstanding the owners attempts to prevent it.
I recently obtained parts for a early 500 Dominator and decided to look at the oil pump and noticed that where the flat face that fits flush when bolted to the crankcase was not 100% flat, closer inspection revealed that the cast bolt/screw on cover had the four screw holes drilled at a slight angle, leaving one third of it slightly proud of the main body. A check with a straight edge and my finger nail confirmed tat all was not well. A few minutes with a Swiss file to relieve the high spot would have cured it, but after removing the oil pump mounting studs and offering the pump to its position in the crankcase shows a slight rocking motion for some reason. So this needs further investigation.
I intend to use a fine coat of liquid sealant between the pump and crankcase body applied with a paint brush before assembling in the hope that it won’t wet sump.

As Norton appears to have a lack of quality control, even going back to the 1950s, could the above be why some bikes wet sump more readily :?:

Certainly an uneven surface can be sealed by a gasket and goo but the mechanical action could certainly lead to fretting and a leak.

My thoughts on this are that most all of the drain back is through one of two paths:
Through the pump gears leading to the rod bearings or,
Around the pump gear ends leading through the pump gear shafts.

The later can then bleed to the crankcase or through to the feed side and then bleed through the rod bearings.

As for whether this is a result of wear or poor tolerance of manufacture and assembly - who knows.