Looking for suggestions on inbound Browning Citori

40CalGuy · May 26, 2015, 01:04 PM

I managed to finally find a Citori that wasn't over my self imposed budget. It's not perfect and is coming to me as gun-only and is obviously used. Some additional information from the seller after the sale has revealed that it is likely a trap double, and both barrels are reportedly fixed Full choke. Barrel markings are as follows:

"SPECIAL STEEL 12GA-2 3/4" AND 3" -30"

So 30" barrels with fixed full chokes. I intend to use it as a bird gun for quail, pheasant, chukar, dove and the like here in AZ. I don't intend to go for goose and I understand it, that would:

1.) require steel shot of at least 3" shell size here in AZ to be a legal and humane kill
2.) require something different than full chokes (modified, i think?)

I'm no choke expert. I've had a few scatterguns and my only other current one is a tactical shotgun (887 NitroMag wearing an EOTech 512 and a Butler Creek shotgun sling) that I use for run and guns and it only runs 00 buck or slugs.

I've done some checking around and it seems like the prevailing suggestions I've been able to read on those folks similarly situated involve getting the barrels cut for threads after having the barrels cut to 27" to reduce the swing weight and make it easier to get into action while giving some versatility.

Ideally I'd like a nice all-around O/U out of this and I'm not into it for anything near what the new models go for. If I could take game and shoot trap and need to invest some $ into getting work done to make that happen I'll still be ahead of the game when it comes to overall cost.

Year of manufacture is currently unknown, as I don' yet have it. Is there any consideration (or is it even possible) to swap the barrels already on it for new production ones that do have threaded chokes?

Any help appreciated.

FITASC · May 26, 2015, 01:48 PM

If you are going to go after primarily one type of quarry, then using fixed chokes opened to your needs will work fine. If you are intending to use this for close upland over dogs and distant geese, then choke tubes would be your better alternative (although more expensive). Briley is the 800# gorilla when it comes to choke tubes and threading barrels, but there are also a lot of others who can, and do, do good work. Mike Orlen in MA gets excellent reviews on ShotgunWorld.com and is a Mod there as well and can answer any question you might have.

I own a Browning O/U in 12, and you must be a young guy because I find that 8-1/2# gun WAY too heavy to tote all day after quail and pheasant, let alone uphill after chukar!

As to swapping barrels, it would be easier to have the current ones threaded than having a different set fitted by hand.

40CalGuy · May 26, 2015, 01:54 PM

Thanks FITASC. We will likely be bringing dogs on all of the hunts, so that's a good suggestion. As for my age, I may not be old, but I certainly feel like it most days (4 kids, 2 dogs, lots of travel for work, etc). I guess we'll have to see how it works out. I am considering having the barrels cut to 27" to reduce the swing weight and make it easier to get into action and carry. I expect it'll drop about 6oz.

BigJimP · May 26, 2015, 02:29 PM

I like a 30" O/U Citori for general shotgunning at around 8 1/2 lbs..../ to me, its the best combination of weight, length and balance....for upland birds, skeet, sporting clays and 5 stand ( but I'm 6'5" and 290 lbs...) ...and I don't chase Chukar.... ! ( I'm too old and lazy for that )...

A new set of barrels will cost you close to $1,000 or more.../ Briley is a company I would trust to thread the barrels for chokes...and it will be cheaper than a new set of barrels...( and you can't just interchange barrels, they need to be fit and checked by a competent shotgun gunsmith ....but get the gun first, and see how it "fits" you before you go on to the next step.

The tightest you should go for steel shot is Modified...

40CalGuy · May 26, 2015, 03:15 PM

thanks guys. looks like i'll have too how i do trying to get it into action and probably go the threaded route

colbad · May 26, 2015, 03:26 PM

Couple points, you don't need to shoot steel shot here in AZ for upland game, lead is fine. Rules change for water fowl when you shoot over water and that usually requires steel shot. You do not need to shoot 3" shells because it has a 3" capability. You can shoot 2 3/4 shells in a 3" chamber. I am not real familiar with your model, but not sure if the "steel" term refers to the composition of the barrel or capability to shoot steel. Shooting steel shot requires a harder barel. Usually steel shot is only used for water foul in most places other than CA.

Also, just because it was used primarily for shooting trap by its last owner does not make it a "trap gun". A trap "grade" gun is a term of art defined by heightened manufacture specifications and not by how it us used. True trap guns are made to to shoot thousands of rounds. Most field guns work fine for shooting trap for a while then break or show excessive wear if used by competitive shooters who usually shoot a few thousand rounds a week. Yours does not sound like its trap grade.

Take a look at the blueing near the hinges to see if there is signs of gas leakage wearing the blueing off. If your gun closes up and goes bang, its probably good enough for what you want, as is. For what it might cost to do a good job cutting and threading the barrels, you can get a nice 20 or 28g. I shoot every kind of bird in AZ with a 20g citori (w/chokes)and it it works great. I have even thought of going to 28g for quail and dove but the shells jump in price. I have seen the 20 and 28 on sale at Cabela's for just over $1K.

40CalGuy · May 26, 2015, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Couple points, you don't need to shoot steel shot here in AZ for upland game, lead is fine. Rules change for water fowl when you shoot over water and that usually requires steel shot. You do not need to shoot 3" shells because it has a 3" capability. You can shoot 2 3/4 shells in a 3" chamber. I am not real familiar with your model, but not sure if the "steel" term refers to the composition of the barrel or capability to shoot steel. Shooting steel shot requires a harder barel. Usually steel shot is only used for water foul in most places other than CA.

understood. i may have misread the AZ game and fish requirement and thought it required steel shot for waterfowl, but it makes sense that it only requires steel shot if you're shooting over water. i do understand that i do not need to shoot 3" shells, but i again may have misread the requirement that i thought you needed 3" to shoot waterfowl.

Quote:

Also, just because it was used primarily for shooting trap by its last owner does not make it a "trap gun". A trap "grade" gun is a term of art defined by heightened manufacture specifications and not by how it us used. True trap guns are made to to shoot thousands of rounds. Most field guns work fine for shooting trap for a while then break or show excessive wear if used by competitive shooters who usually shoot a few thousand rounds a week. Yours does not sound like its trap grade.

i was only referring to the configuration of the chokes on the barrels being both fixed and both full. i do understand the quality implications between a low end shotgun and a quality one. i probably just dicked up the nomenclature.

Quote:

Take a look at the blueing near the hinges to see if there is signs of gas leakage wearing the blueing off. If your gun closes up and goes bang, its probably good enough for what you want, as is. For what it might cost to do a good job cutting and threading the barrels, you can get a nice 20 or 28g. I shoot every kind of bird in AZ with a 20g citori (w/chokes)and it it works great. I have even thought of going to 28g for quail and dove but the shells jump in price. I have seen the 20 and 28 on sale at Cabela's for just over $1K.

the blueing on this particular one is pretty worn and i've already bought the farm on the idea of refinishing the stock and the barrels is going to be part of the joy of ownership on this particular firearm. it'll be a shooter. it will be well used, and likely never gotten rid of.

in the end i'll have to run it and see how it does before doing any functional modifications. my only real concern is the full/full configuration.

FITASC · May 27, 2015, 08:32 AM

Is that true about waterfowl and lead in AZ? It was my understanding that when the Feds banned lead for waterfowl back in the 80s, it applied to every state since waterfowl are migratory and fall under their rules......

40CalGuy · May 27, 2015, 10:07 AM

just looked it up

http://azgfdportal.az.gov/PortalImag...erfowlregs.pdf

"NON-TOXIC SHOT — No person may take ducks, geese
(including brant), or coots while possessing shot (either in shotshells
or as loose shot for muzzleloading) other than approved
non-toxic shot. For a list of approved non-toxic shot, see www.
fws.gov/migratorybirds/currentbirdissues/nontoxic.htm."

no lead shot allowed.

May 26, 2015, 01:04 PM	#1
40CalGuy Senior Member Join Date: March 28, 2005 Location: southwest usa Posts: 424	Looking for suggestions on inbound Browning Citori I managed to finally find a Citori that wasn't over my self imposed budget. It's not perfect and is coming to me as gun-only and is obviously used. Some additional information from the seller after the sale has revealed that it is likely a trap double, and both barrels are reportedly fixed Full choke. Barrel markings are as follows: "SPECIAL STEEL 12GA-2 3/4" AND 3" -30" So 30" barrels with fixed full chokes. I intend to use it as a bird gun for quail, pheasant, chukar, dove and the like here in AZ. I don't intend to go for goose and I understand it, that would: 1.) require steel shot of at least 3" shell size here in AZ to be a legal and humane kill 2.) require something different than full chokes (modified, i think?) I'm no choke expert. I've had a few scatterguns and my only other current one is a tactical shotgun (887 NitroMag wearing an EOTech 512 and a Butler Creek shotgun sling) that I use for run and guns and it only runs 00 buck or slugs. I've done some checking around and it seems like the prevailing suggestions I've been able to read on those folks similarly situated involve getting the barrels cut for threads after having the barrels cut to 27" to reduce the swing weight and make it easier to get into action while giving some versatility. Ideally I'd like a nice all-around O/U out of this and I'm not into it for anything near what the new models go for. If I could take game and shoot trap and need to invest some $ into getting work done to make that happen I'll still be ahead of the game when it comes to overall cost. Year of manufacture is currently unknown, as I don' yet have it. Is there any consideration (or is it even possible) to swap the barrels already on it for new production ones that do have threaded chokes? Any help appreciated. __________________ Entirely too many toys to list.

May 26, 2015, 01:48 PM	#2
FITASC Senior Member Join Date: December 6, 2014 Posts: 6,446	If you are going to go after primarily one type of quarry, then using fixed chokes opened to your needs will work fine. If you are intending to use this for close upland over dogs and distant geese, then choke tubes would be your better alternative (although more expensive). Briley is the 800# gorilla when it comes to choke tubes and threading barrels, but there are also a lot of others who can, and do, do good work. Mike Orlen in MA gets excellent reviews on ShotgunWorld.com and is a Mod there as well and can answer any question you might have. I own a Browning O/U in 12, and you must be a young guy because I find that 8-1/2# gun WAY too heavy to tote all day after quail and pheasant, let alone uphill after chukar! As to swapping barrels, it would be easier to have the current ones threaded than having a different set fitted by hand. __________________ "I believe that people have a right to decide their own destinies; people own themselves. I also believe that, in a democracy, government exists because (and only so long as) individual citizens give it a 'temporary license to exist'—in exchange for a promise that it will behave itself. In a democracy, you own the government—it doesn't own you."- Frank Zappa

May 26, 2015, 01:54 PM	#3
40CalGuy Senior Member Join Date: March 28, 2005 Location: southwest usa Posts: 424	Thanks FITASC. We will likely be bringing dogs on all of the hunts, so that's a good suggestion. As for my age, I may not be old, but I certainly feel like it most days (4 kids, 2 dogs, lots of travel for work, etc). I guess we'll have to see how it works out. I am considering having the barrels cut to 27" to reduce the swing weight and make it easier to get into action and carry. I expect it'll drop about 6oz. __________________ Entirely too many toys to list.

May 26, 2015, 03:15 PM	#5
40CalGuy Senior Member Join Date: March 28, 2005 Location: southwest usa Posts: 424	thanks guys. looks like i'll have too how i do trying to get it into action and probably go the threaded route __________________ Entirely too many toys to list.

May 27, 2015, 08:32 AM	#8
FITASC Senior Member Join Date: December 6, 2014 Posts: 6,446	Is that true about waterfowl and lead in AZ? It was my understanding that when the Feds banned lead for waterfowl back in the 80s, it applied to every state since waterfowl are migratory and fall under their rules...... __________________ "I believe that people have a right to decide their own destinies; people own themselves. I also believe that, in a democracy, government exists because (and only so long as) individual citizens give it a 'temporary license to exist'—in exchange for a promise that it will behave itself. In a democracy, you own the government—it doesn't own you."- Frank Zappa

May 26, 2015, 02:29 PM	#4
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	I like a 30" O/U Citori for general shotgunning at around 8 1/2 lbs..../ to me, its the best combination of weight, length and balance....for upland birds, skeet, sporting clays and 5 stand ( but I'm 6'5" and 290 lbs...) ...and I don't chase Chukar.... ! ( I'm too old and lazy for that )... A new set of barrels will cost you close to $1,000 or more.../ Briley is a company I would trust to thread the barrels for chokes...and it will be cheaper than a new set of barrels...( and you can't just interchange barrels, they need to be fit and checked by a competent shotgun gunsmith ....but get the gun first, and see how it "fits" you before you go on to the next step. The tightest you should go for steel shot is Modified...

May 26, 2015, 03:26 PM	#6
colbad Senior Member Join Date: December 3, 2012 Posts: 506	Couple points, you don't need to shoot steel shot here in AZ for upland game, lead is fine. Rules change for water fowl when you shoot over water and that usually requires steel shot. You do not need to shoot 3" shells because it has a 3" capability. You can shoot 2 3/4 shells in a 3" chamber. I am not real familiar with your model, but not sure if the "steel" term refers to the composition of the barrel or capability to shoot steel. Shooting steel shot requires a harder barel. Usually steel shot is only used for water foul in most places other than CA. Also, just because it was used primarily for shooting trap by its last owner does not make it a "trap gun". A trap "grade" gun is a term of art defined by heightened manufacture specifications and not by how it us used. True trap guns are made to to shoot thousands of rounds. Most field guns work fine for shooting trap for a while then break or show excessive wear if used by competitive shooters who usually shoot a few thousand rounds a week. Yours does not sound like its trap grade. Take a look at the blueing near the hinges to see if there is signs of gas leakage wearing the blueing off. If your gun closes up and goes bang, its probably good enough for what you want, as is. For what it might cost to do a good job cutting and threading the barrels, you can get a nice 20 or 28g. I shoot every kind of bird in AZ with a 20g citori (w/chokes)and it it works great. I have even thought of going to 28g for quail and dove but the shells jump in price. I have seen the 20 and 28 on sale at Cabela's for just over $1K.

May 27, 2015, 10:07 AM	#9
40CalGuy Senior Member Join Date: March 28, 2005 Location: southwest usa Posts: 424	just looked it up http://azgfdportal.az.gov/PortalImag...erfowlregs.pdf "NON-TOXIC SHOT — No person may take ducks, geese (including brant), or coots while possessing shot (either in shotshells or as loose shot for muzzleloading) other than approved non-toxic shot. For a list of approved non-toxic shot, see www. fws.gov/migratorybirds/currentbirdissues/nontoxic.htm." no lead shot allowed. __________________ Entirely too many toys to list.