I'm No Nash Buckingham!

[Theodore LeDurt]

Fifty-five years old and finally realized, I'm no Nash Buckingham. While my finest shooting is behind me, trying to hit a duck with my Parker full choke barrels (rt .041 and lft .043), has been humbling. More misses than I care to recall, I finally patterned the gun at 25 yards and found 95% of my pattern inside a 9" circle out of the left barrel.

While maybe perfect for 50 yard shooting, over decoys it is bit much. Thinking of opening my barrels to rt .009 and left .017. With this combo I can shoot any shell composite. Also my wood is replacement so hopefully value will not be effected.

Has any one else been forced to relieve their chokes for better shooting? The old adage about chokes lengthening your range but diminishing your bag seems to be true for me.