This has been a very good thread. I think everyone is right. Everyone on this thread patterns their setup, and knows what it will do for them. Whichever shell works for you is the right shell for you.
Down the road, I'll probably go the Longbeard XR route. But I'm not hurting for shells at the moment, and my discretionary funds are low; so I'm just being a casual observer until the time is right for me. I will try several different chokes with them and see if I can open up their pattern a little, and get good even coverage out to at least 12"-15".