Yes I did have a big piece of cardboard behind it. The pattern was awful, at 30 yards i had maybe 50-60 pellets in a 24 in circle. The choke just did not make any sense. I did notice a small gap between the extended part of the choke and what screwed in the barrel. Don't know if it supposed to be that way or not? Any way its going back to the company for a full refund. Should have never doubted my xxx comp-n-choke.