Regardless of how many shots you put through it, the outside of the rifle has been exposed to the elements. Especially when you consider the heavy moisture areas a NZ hunter is likely to be in, it’s probably a good idea to at the minimum, give it a wipe down.
The point also being – that it isn’t just about your bore. You will often need to strip and clean the rifle as well. Debris can (and will) get down under the barrel and sit between it and the stock. Slowly rusting and pitting away your investment.
Question for you – if you pull your rifle out of its stock and then put it back in – does your POI shift? That’s probably something worth knowing. More than likely it does. But good bedding (some pillar block setups) can minimise this. Still, it’s good practice to re-verify your zero whenever you do something like this to a gun.
Regardless of coatings – bluing, stainless, all metal will eventually corrode when in a combination of water and air. Gun cleaning prevents this.
You likely paid good money for that rifle – so look after it! Not only will it have a longer lifespan, but it will also shoot better and shoot safer!