Another thing is, how many guns can you afford.
If you must shoot a full-choked gun at close-flushing birds, you have four alternatives:
- "let go" and wait until the bird gets far enough;
- use spreaders and half-loads;
- shoot just a bit off the bird so as to hit it with the edge of the pattern (probly not gonna work on woodcock, but I've hunted with a chap who could do it to landrails every time).
- just shoot it and to hell with the possibility of blowing it to bits.
If you have to shoot a cylinder gun at full-choke distances, your options are nearing zero.
Moral: full choke is more universal than cylinder.
Before screw-ins, Full was the way to go for someone who could have only one shotgun.