[Todd Gross]

Yes to all of the above.
Don't use plastigage.
The connecting Rod Bores can be resized to the high side of tolerance. They at least need to be clean ,straight and round.
Different Bearing manufacturers do vary in size as Mr. Hill stated. In my findings Clevite 77 are the tightest fit, Speed Pro / Federal Mogul tends to be about .0001 to .00015" bigger and recently I have been seeing King XP bearings closer to .0002" or more than a Clevite.