CGPAUL, thanks for the above.
After watching millions-around 1500 yesterday to add on to the total-targets broken, one comes to some conclusions re chokes. Targets from in you face, to out there 70 and 80 yards away, and broken with all the chokes from cylinder to extra full. Targets showing face and others nothing but edge. Shot at with about every available manufactured shell we have here and reloads. However, one of the most interesting facts would be many of them were shot at by individuals that very rarely will change chokes. Out of 5 people-all who have been shooting for decades-shooting 3 different models of Beretta,1 Krieghoff and 1 Blaser shotguns-yesterday, not one choke was changed on a course that had all the yardages and presentations covered. Chokes were from IC/IC, Mod/Mod, IC/LM, IC/Mod and one I'm not sure of. Some were shooting new shells and some reloads. Others ended up shooting their reloads and anothers new. One, was using some very old and rusted reloads. I've been shooting the relatively new to here Aguilla shotshells and they got passed around to other shooters for various reasons. "Here, try this." "I need and extra shell." and someone would flip them one. Shot was probably all 7.5' and 8's. One guy said I may have some 6's in this collection of reloads. Who knows?
Some times a shooter would center punch one of the variety of targets and get a center punch break. Other times they would may get a chip or miss. Next guy, with a different shell would do the same. One may bum a shell from another with the same results. One may have been shot at with an IC and later a Mod.
At the end of this practice day, on targets from close to perhaps 60 yards, quartering to crossing, fast to medium speed, to barely moving. 99+% of those missed would have been from shooter error and not because of chokes. If your guns POA and POI are in tune, fuss over chokes if you want, but your misses will almost entirely be on you and not choke.
Addition: Something changes when one goes from paper to air and choke has little to do with it. Now if all impacts occurred at the same relative distance as occurs with trap, skeet and live Birds, then an argument can be made for a specific choke. However, when one takes them as they come, not so much.
Last edited by battue; 10/03/19.
