I shot my shotgun on paper with all 3 chokes. The improved cylinder choke actually made a donut large enough to miss a clay or bird, about 8" in the center with no pellets, (Was testing with #8 shot standard shells. I bought 4 Briley choke tubes (longer than the original). They made perfect patterns. I now have extended choke tubes in cylinder, ic, light mod, mod, and full. I shoot much better in sporting clays with extended choke tube than with the standard short choke tubes. It does make a difference.
Some manufacturers are now making their choke tube longer with better pattern results.
Idea is to get the most pellets in a 30" circle at various yards, like 20,30, and 40 yards. Enough pellets to make a clean break or kill. For me, the results were cylinder for 15 yards, improved cylinder for 20 yards, light mod for 25 yards, modified for 30 yards, improved mod for 35 yards, and full choke for 40 yards. Extra full chokes try to extend the range to 50 yards for turkey hunting.
Anyway, good shooting, if you can find shells and ammo.
The reason the longer choke tubes are throwing better patterns is tapering the constriction of the shot cup over a
longer distance in the newer long choke tubes reduces shot deformation. This is not a new revelation, as the shot charge constriction spread out over a longer distance in the barrel was well know in the early 1900's into the WWII years.
When "Ballistic Products" was a fledgling company in the 1970's they provided loading data in every catalog. They had a L.C Smith "SXS" that would shoot killing patterns on duck loads out to 70 yards. This was still during the lead shot days. To the load testers this was just amazing and of course had to find out why. The inside of the barrels were tapered very gradually before the shot charge reached the choke.
I have a 1901 built Parker Brothers side by side 12 gauge build on a #2 frame that throws just wonderful patterns. The barrels are choked "IC" and "LM"....perfect for sporting clays. You guessed it the inside of the barrels are tapered as I had the inside of the barrels measured.
