Seems to me that *most* (but not all) bigtime upland bird hunters prefer the advantage offered by 2 chokes (double gun) to that advantage offered by 3 shots (tube mag gun). Like someone pointed out, you probably are not gonna hit with that 3rd shot and shouldn't be taking it anyway.
Depends on what upland game you are hunting. I cant see this argument, dual chokes(maybe) OR 3rd shot miss on quail. Mostly, running different chokes for each barrel would be for a longer range follow up shot.
Pheasant, I could see both being applicable.
Maybe or Maybe not. In Western Oklahom or Kansas I've run a cyl/IC or skeet/IC on quail. As you get into the birds you can adjust the chokes as you see what's up. But yes a modified after an open chock really lets you reach out and touch those fleaing birds. I've actually dropped 2 birds with one shot on big coveys with the real open chokes but I wouldn't have had those in if I had to choose only 1 choke.
I practice and hunt with a Beretta 686 Sporting Competition gun.
I have several reasons:
* For some reason, Beretta only offers their competition guns in a natural oil finish and not their field line. For me, dragging a lacquir finished gun through briars does not make much sense
* I hunt with the same gun I practice skeet, clays and sporting clays with. My muscles are already trained to mount and swing that gun's weight and barrel length
* Beretta competition guns do not have an auto-safety every time you close the barrel. So you are not embarrased by mounting and swinging on a flushing bird only to squeeze the trigger in futility...
* I use the flexibility of having two different chokes in my gun during changing conditions. If birds seem to be holding, I use a more open choke in my top barrel and a more full choke on the bottom barrel for the follow up shot at another bird
I have several reasons:
* For some reason, Beretta only offers their competition guns in a natural oil finish and not their field line. For me, dragging a lacquir finished gun through briars does not make much sense
* I hunt with the same gun I practice skeet, clays and sporting clays with. My muscles are already trained to mount and swing that gun's weight and barrel length
* Beretta competition guns do not have an auto-safety every time you close the barrel. So you are not embarrased by mounting and swinging on a flushing bird only to squeeze the trigger in futility...
* I use the flexibility of having two different chokes in my gun during changing conditions. If birds seem to be holding, I use a more open choke in my top barrel and a more full choke on the bottom barrel for the follow up shot at another bird
