I quoted Bob Brister--who had the opportunity to look at a lot of patterns over his long career--in my article. He had very good things to say about cyl patterns at 25 yards. That would be with plastic wads, of course.

Nothing will make up for poor gun fit. However, a wider pattern will do two things: compensate for aiming error, and keep from blowing apart the birds you shoot at very close range. I know for sure that if I threw in woodcock--and I shoot more of those than I do grouse--the average distance for birds I kill, both species combined, would be well under 20 yards.