There are many good methods, but protecting both the crown at the muzzled and the entry into the throat of the rifle from erosion caused by a cleaning rod abrading those areas is pretty well accepted as good practice.
There are all sorts of various solvents that would work just fine to dissolve either carbon deposits or copper fouling. But care must be taken to not leave solvents in too long lest they begin causing problems with the steel in the barrel.
There are all sorts of recommended methods to preserve the bore in good condition for long term storage, and many of them work well.
On this site, asking which method of cleaning or preparation for storage is best is similar to asking for a recommendation on what to have for dinner, should Chili have beans or not, which handgun is best, which rifle is best.
I'm sure OP will receive some good information along with the inevitable snarky replies. Sift through information carefully.