You can simply remove the shotcup if you wish. Just cut it off. This will require filler wads on top of the 'brush wad' you just made. The BPI 'x-stream' insert takes up the space of 1/8oz shot, and that works to make a spreader wad too.

Use chilled rather than magnum shot, the two above techniques, and it should open the pattern up quite a bit.

An alternative to the x-wad is the old trick of dividing the shot column into layers with card wads.

"The price of good shotgunnery is constant practice" - Fred Kimble