Cleaning is important for long term storage. But every gun is different. Out of a clean barrel in my main hunting rifle, my first shot has a different point if impact than my second and third. In my Husky I can get away with lots of shots before groups open up. When hunting season winds down it get cleaned to a brilliant shine, When the season opens and right through to the end it has residue I leave it like that. It's a Husky Swedish Iron Ore is second to none in the World a little non corrosive primer powder and fouling residue in the barrel ain't gonna do damage to this steel. As a hunter first and foremost, not a target shooter, doing this is better suited for me.But yeah when cleaning for long term storage, I do use the wire brush lots when cleaning.