'If hollowpoints are so good, why are all those DRT and super-duper-frangible-incendiary bullets on the market?
Why is there a pistol bayonet on the market?
See where this goes?'
Your comparison is silly.
I don't see any comparison at all. I have been shooting for 50 years, and muzzle wear from improper cleaning has been a topic for much of that period. That was especially true when lever actions were more popular than they are now. One of the more common recommendations about buying used lever actions was to check for muzzle wear from cleaning rods. Gee, I guess the century old recommendation to always clean from the breech when possible is total nonsense and 'made up' by gun enthusiasts and writers.
I just looked up cleaning methods in my original copy of Crossman's 'Small-Bore Rifle Shooting' copywrited in 1927. This is a highly respected and rather technical work on the competitive target shooting of the period. In the chapter on rifle cleaning and under the section titled 'And Some Don'ts for the Beginneer,' Crossman states 'Don't clean from the muzzle if you can clean from the breech. If your rifle is the muzzle-loader sort, either get a British muzzle protector (GUIDE!), or use geat care not to rub the muzzle end with a cramped or bent rod.'
Worry about damaging the muzzle from cleaning and devices to prevent such damage are nothing new.