Yep, a tapered bore can make an definite difference. Probably my favorite upland gun is a pre-WWII Sauer 12-gauge SxS that has tight chokes (like many back then) but patterns beautifully with anything from spreader to long-range loads, including Bismuth. It has tapered bores.
Might also add that I have a local friend who's never patterned a shotgun in his life, whether to see where the pattern hits for him, or how the shot spreads/holes/etc. Instead he buys a shotgun and takes it hunting. If he can't hit anything with it, he sells the gun and buys another--even when he buys guns with adjustable buttstocks, as many have these days.
MD
Only the hard core shotgunners, competitive clay shooters and a few hunters spend time at the pattern board.
All will sight in a rifle cause we have too, the importance of time spent at the pattern board has never been encouraged.
