There are 2 camps regarding this topic:
1. Shooters that swabs after every shot. Usually those shooters are in a timed match ( something like 30 minutes for 5 shots ) and has plenty of time to swab the bore for the next shot. They are usually at a shooting match in a territorial somewhere with plenty of time for a swab. If that works for them, I say go for it. As long as you're shooting something, that's the most important part.
2. Shooters that seldom swab the barrel. I fall into that camp. I only swab the barrel when it gets too hard to load. That is usually 40+ shots in rifled guns for me. While at The Pioneer Flats Shootout in Franklin PA last October, I loaded my smoothbore up at least 100 times ( 90 grains 2F Schuetzen ) for others to shoot. I didn't swab it all day long. You have to remember, its a smoothbore, easier to load with less fouling. I loaded up a Lymans cap pistol 75 times & didn't swab it either. If you use Schuetzen or Swiss, the guns clean up easier than using GoeX in my experiences. I seldom shoot at a range ( where shooters will usually have steel rods to swab ) .....preferring to shoot out of the pouch in the woods/fields here in the midwest like we did at the Pioneer Flats shootout.
When I got back that the motel room after the Pioneer Flats Shootout to clean those 2 guns, it took 30 minutes to clean each gun that normally takes me 5-8 minutes any other time. They were pretty dirty.
I fall into the 2nd camp. Thanks for asking...
