In light of that I want to state plainly that I am not against open choked guns, when used in their proper place.
SRH
I agree with Stan's entire post, but most especially with this sentiment. And I want to point out the fundamental contrast of this attitude with that taken by Larry Brown, Bob Brister, Michael McIntosh, et al:
"A lot of our readers ...cannot hit half the crossing clay targets at 20 yards. And the sad fact is, a very solid majority of those he tested could not do that."
Sad indeed. Sad that skeet fields with 25 lifeless, inanimate targets are so difficult to come by.
"So, in summary, a lot of people need the help a more open choke will give them."
And sad that people write so persuasively to advocate "spray & pray" with an open choke versus learning how to shoot a shotgun. Sad to advocate the midset that a few inches wider, but sparser, less lethal pattern will lead to "better" shooting.
Again, per Brister:
"The value of just a little more pattern spread at close range, or the disadvantage of not enough of it, can easily be proved on a skeet range. Take out your modified or full-choke hunting gun sometime and see how many skeet targets you can break with it. If you're a champ you may break them all. But if you're an average shooter you're more likely to be embarrassed."
Per Campbell:
"It has been amply demonstrated that the
game of skeet is one of perfection...breaking 100x100 targets...with a .410 shotgun. However, it's fixed, repeatable angles, speed and distances make it unsurpassed as a classroom for learning and practicing all the fundamentals of wingshooting. With its low cost and ready availability, if you hunt gamebirds with a shotgun, and can't break 80% of the targets from stations 2 thru 6 with a modified choke, you
should be embarassed."
