RE: Chokes, to port or not to port - that is the question
oooh, tough question. The weather hasn't cooperated enough here to really get into serious patterning. Of course the claims are that the porting inhibits the wad and thus helps to tighten the pattern by keeping it from "slamming" into the shot string in addition to stopping spin. I have three different manufacturers aftermarket ported chokes and one (different from the other three) aftermarket non-ported choke. So far I would have to say the restriction of the choke plays a bigger role than the porting.
Another thing that makes this a tough question to answer accurately is the fact that each gun is an entity unto itself. That is a shotgun can pattern differently with a particular load even though it may be from the same manufacturer and model.