If you think you don't use the barrel to shoot, and are an exceptional shot (as in uses full choke for everything exceptional,) consider this. Targets painted luminescent or glued with glow sticks slung out into a pitch black night. No lighting so you can't see the barrel. How well do you do?
I'm not good enough for my results to count but I think I'll try it anyway. Could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure everyone aims with the barrel even though it's best to not focus on it.
Exceptional shots don't usually use full choke for most shotgunning, and who shoots at anything thrown into the air on a pitch black night?
Anyway, many successful shots can be made with the barrel out of focus in the peripheral, Especially clays....However, "consider this", the Dove that comes in from from behind unexpected. The Ruffed Grouse that you hear the flush and then see the Bird in your peripheral....your peripheral picks it up and you instinctively bring the gun up and fire..The Bird is centered and you never saw the barrel.. Makes no difference if you had a bead, rib or none of them the Bird is centered. And distance pretty much goes out the window also....Our personal computer instantly makes the calculations. All you did was look at the target...The more you can do that the better you will shoot. Clays or game...Barrels and sights are a necessary evil of shotgunning..Without them we would rarely miss...
Using your peripheral vision correctly is a key to good shotgunning that many don't understand..Without peripheral vision we wouldn't last long...
