"Tell me your reason for not cleaning a weapon and I'll tell you your excuse."
Because experience has shown it just isn't necessary. Experience learned over 50+ years. I'll go with facts over supposition. Stick that in your crystal ball.
As far as carrying a clean gun goes, how do you know you've put it back together correctly unless you've shot it? Who wants to find out there's a glitch/mistake/broken part when you absolutely need the gun to work. Not me.
Everybody do exactly what makes you happy. I know I will.
John
Amateurs advice for amateurs. He is right, it is your choice.
I know of no professional gun fighter that will go to a gunfight, or probable gun fight with a dirty weapon.
I know of no Professional gun fighter that can not put his weapon together, after cleaning and/or maintenance and KNOW it is going to fire and function properly.
I know of no Professional gun fighter that if anyone else works on his fighting weapons, will not disassemble it and make sure they are correctly put together, clean and properly lubricated.
Only an amateur would do otherwise.
I know and have known many professional gun fighters, I used to be one. As you indicate about yourself, I have only been shooting about 52 years. Competing with guns for about 48 years, and started going to gun fights on a regular basis about 41 years ago.
Trust me, no Professional is going to a potential gunfight with a dirty weapon. Particularly one he hasn't put together himself. By the way, professionals have learned to do these things BECAUSE OF THEIR EXPERIENCE.
Will a weapon "probably" work with out being cleaned. Yup. BUT..... Anytime a professional can take a potential problem out of the fighting equation with preparation, he does. His clean weapon assembled and inspected and lubricated by him is part of that preparation and taking potential problems out of the firefight mix long before any potential firefight takes place.
Anyone who doesn't have the confidence to maintain, assemble and clean his own weapon correctly, better not be planning any fighting with his weapons. Or for being a gunfighter. Because that is what amateurs and wannabes do, make excuses that they pass on to other non gunfighters as rational and practical advice, for not doing the work and do diligence necessary to maximize your odds in any potential firefight.
My best advice, is don't take advice from amateurs. But this is America, and it is your choice.
Go figure.
Fred