I have both ventilated and raised flat, and find no discernible difference in the shooting qualities of either. Main thing for me is ....... was the gun supplied from the builder that way, or is it an add on? If it's original equipment I'm fine with it. As a personal aside, I have shot vent ribs in the field under a lot of different circumstances and have never noticed any issue with twigs, or trash of any kind, getting hung under a vent rib. For me that is more an imagined issue than a real one. YMMV.
Ever been ruffed grouse hunting with a vent ribbed gun? Didn’t think so, but…… Thanks for alleging that I ‘imagined’ debris under a vent rib. Mr ‘Know it all, Stanley’.
Buzz my friend, I was not intentionally alleging anything concerning you. I made it clear that it was my experiences only, when I ended with YMMV (your mileage may vary). Of course I don't get to hunt grouse down here. But, we do hunt woodcock in the thickest mess I can imagine, wading through switch cane and vines so thick you can't see the ground. The OP asked for our opinions. That was/is mine, and it has no more value or import than anyone else's. Don't be so touchy. It was not meant that way. I said "For ME, that is more an imagined issue than a real one".
This isn't worth us arguing over.
