Rib on a shotgun

The rib/beads on the barrel are esp. useful for setting the gun up consistently to your cheek/shoulder prior to your shot, this is esp. important in Trap shooting. With a shotgun your eye acts as the rear sight and an inconsistent cheek/shoulder weld will give you an inconsistent impact area.
 
Rib is of little use to me -- field/clays games, I shoot down gun. Focus on the target --mount the gun -- pull the trigger -- I never see the rib or barrel.
Cheers, John
 
If a rib is not needed ( the shotgun is pointed, not aimed ) and some say they don't see the rib or the barrel ( or the bead, I assume )... how many here have tried using a shot gun without even a bead... just a plain smooth barrel? How well did that work?

I have never used a ribbed barrel shotgun, but I am pretty sure I 'notice' the bead ( I don't shoot clay or birds... yet )
 
On a trap gun, the rib lets you see the target above the barrel, rather than having to cover it.

A field gun, generally, you look parallel to the bore axis. I have one gun with no rib, no bead, and I do great with it at skeet.
 
okanagan hiker said:
If a rib is not needed ( the shotgun is pointed, not aimed ) and some say they don't see the rib or the barrel ( or the bead, I assume )... how many here have tried using a shot gun without even a bead... just a plain smooth barrel? How well did that work?
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It worked just fine for me. I noticed half-way through a sporting clays round that I'd lost the front bead on my gun, had no idea when I'd lost it and didn't miss it during the rest of the round or for the few weeks until I had it replaced.

There is a theory however that the rib is picked up in your peripheral vision and helps ensure a proper mount when shooting low gun or hunting compared to a plain barrel gun. I don't completely buy that theory but it is one of the justifications for ribs on a shotgun.
 
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