The process
For me, cleaning them after use serves three purposes; the inspection, the care and the therapy.
Especially choke tubes during duck season, Ive had one blow up and several split over the years. The one that blew up was an old full choke tube when I was shooting tungsten. The ones that split or were cracked were just because.
The care; of the many reasons I own firearms, passing them down to my children/grandchildren is atop of my short list. Handing a daughter or a grandson a well cared-for firearm (along with a lecture of responsibility) means a lot to me. Here in Oregon, the rain and hemlock needles get into everything...I really mean everything. Care of ammo means a lot here too; anyone that may have doubts about water affecting ammunition, consider this; if I was to try and sell ammunition that got wet, would you buy it?
Therapy, I actually try to emulate professional gunsmiths with the work I do on my firearms. Now that I have the time; doing a task correctly or better than I did in the past means a lot to me.
I believe in the fouling rounds on rifles so I usually go out a day or two before "opening day" and put a couple through the bore to confirm a zero for my environment; but I've never shot at a big game animal farther away than 200 yards, so I don't fret it if I can't.
Is it more like the reason many people wear clean undergarments?
"Just in case there is an accident" and other people will see them?