'87 16g Browning Citori O/U

[Neal_G.]

Hello,

I just inherited a '87 16 gauge Browning Citori O/U shotgun and know little about it, or shotguns in general. I'm more into pistols and revolvers. It has 'Made in Japan', and 'Special Steel 16GA 2 3/4- '28' on the top barrel. It basically looks like it was bought new, then put in a time machine until now. Can anyone tell me any history of these guns? What is it specifically used for, hunting, skeet? What would be the sale value of a pristine example? Thanks for any help!

[Jim Watson]

Every once in a while, somebody tries to revive the 16 gauge and that time Browning swallowed the bait. I won't guess a dollar value, but it would be substantial if you got in touch with a 16 ga enthusiast. Kind of like a .41 or 10mm, it shoots as well as ever, but has a small following.

It is a good sound hunting gun if you don't mind scrounging the shells. It would break skeet targets just fine, but if you got into formal NSSA competition, it would be in competition with the 12 gauges because there is no separate category for 16.

[Neal_G.]

Yeah, I actually had never heard of 16 guage until I got this, then I learned it had pretty much been supplanted by 20 gauge in the market and was kind of a niche thing.

[zippy13]

There's nothing wrong with a 16-ga gun other that the gauge has been eclipsed by the 12-ga and 20-ga for many years. Your Browning appears to be a Grade I field model, does it have a selection screw-in choke tubes?

Jim Watson is correct, the shooting sports have pretty much ignored the 16-ga. I've shot a lot of Skeet and the only time I ever see a 16-ga is when someone wants to practice with their upland gun. I've never seen a 16-ga in an actual NSSA competition.

One of the downsides of the 16-ga is a lack of ammo diversity. There are many more loading choices with a 12 or 20-ga gun. And for clays, I don't think target quality ammo is readily available in 16-ga.

[publius]

I love the 16 ga., perfect dove gun in my opinion. That is a beautiful Citori. You should be able to get $1200 easy.

[Neal_G.]

"does it have a selection screw-in choke tubes?"

What does that mean?

[zippy13]

Shotguns have chokes (pattern controlling constrictions) at their muzzle. In older guns and some target models the constriction is part of the barrel. Modern guns have changeable chokes, little tubes that screw in the end of the barrel. Most of the new Citories I ran across in '87 were Grade III+ Skeet guns with fixed chokes. I don't recall if the field guns had screw-in chokes standard or as an option back then. If your Browning has fixed chokes, each barrel will be marked by a series of stars "***" at the base. The number of stars indicates the constriction in each barrel.


Image source: Huglu

[jaguarxk120]

Once you hunt with a 16 gauge, you will wonder why people carry 12's. The 16 is fast handling and lighter than a 12. Yes the 20 can do everything the 16 can do, BUT at a price, magnum shells ($$$), heavier recoil, and no real advantage over the 16.

Go to www.16ga.com and see what they have to say about the 16 gauge, much good.

[Neal_G.]

Thanks zippy, this one looks like it has inserts like you have pictured. They each have the four notches, are these to help remove them? They also have some tiny notches cut into them in one place between the larger notches. The top barrel has four and the bottom has three.

[oneounceload]

Once you hunt with a 16 gauge, you will wonder why people carry 12's. The 16 is fast handling and lighter than a 12. Yes the 20 can do everything the 16 can do, BUT at a price, magnum shells ($$$), heavier recoil, and no real advantage over the 16.

This is true IF the 16 is built on a 16 frame or a 20 frame. Unfortunately, many guns in the US were/are built on a 12 frame, making it a no-brainer to go with the 12


Several old timers tell me there was a time when the 16 WAS part of skeet competition, making the game a 5-gauge event.

For hunting upland birds, you'd be hard pressed to do better than having a 28 for small birds and a 16 for larger ones - especially when both are built on their respective frames

[zippy13]

Neal G,
Yep, the four larger notches are to accommodate a choke wrench, the nicks identify the individual chokes' constriction. If you're going sell the gun, it's not really complete without the choke wrench and another choke tube, or two. Do you have the original box… the wrench and extra screw-in(s) may be there.

Click here for the current Citori Owner's Manual. Pages 20 and 21 cover the screw-in chokes.

A potential buyer for your gun is going to wanna make sure the screw-ins aren't stuck in the barrel. After you get a choke wrench, if the screw-ins don't want to come out easily, don't force them. The barrels are thin and the threads delicate -- you don't want to mess them up -- you might want to seek a pro.

[hogdogs]

The notches are for the use of a choke wrench for removal...

You will want a thin coat of anti seize or other lube on the threads too...
http://www.google.com/images?q=choke...w=1366&bih=574
But make sure it properly fits the 16ga and the notches properly.

A coin has worked in a pinch for many.

Brent

[BigJimP]

Nice gun - congratulations.

The gun is basically the 1987 version of what Browning calls the Citori Lightning today - but like Zippy said - Browning brought the 16ga in and out of production during that period / and sometimes bigger dealers would order 50 guns made up in 16ga so there were quite a few of them around even when it wasn't really in the catalog.

Today's version:

http://www.browning.com/products/cat...tning-firearms

Most of the 16ga guns were made on the Citori 20ga receiver - but I can't tell from your photos.

With screw in changeable chokes ( the barrel should be marked "Invector" - meaning it has the older version of today's Browning "Invector Plus" screw in chokes. The 2 systems are not interchangeable. I have some of the older Browning BPS pump shotguns in 12 and 20ga and a couple of the 1988 - 1990 versions of the Citori lightning in 12ga (similar to yours ) with the older choke systems in them.

In 28" barrels / a good clean Citori in 12 ga is around $ 1,250 ( same for a 20ga ) - and yours looks very clean - but its a 16ga..... For insurance purposes, I would use today's Citori Lightning in 20ga as a replacement value of $ 1,869even though its not a 16ga - even though its a 3" chamber and a 20ga. Since yours is such a clean gun - I would say the value is probably around $1,100 ( just because its a 16ga ). But regardless its a nice looking gun.

Like Zippy, OneOunce, etc --- I don't shoot a 16ga anymore ( we shoot 12, 20, 28ga and .410's ) and the 16ga gets left out.

If I was going to shoot the 16ga a lot - I'd invest in a MEC Grabber model reloader for the 16ga / so I could make up my own loads for it. Commercial shells for the 16ga are easily $ 12 - $ 16 for a box of 25 around here / vs about $ 6 for 12ga or 20ga target loads ....its a little unfair / but they just don't make big runs of 16ga ammo anymore.

[BigJimP]

I don't use choke tube wrenches - if they're put in properly / firmly but not over tightened ....you can take them in and out by putting a finger inside the barrel and twist them in or out.

You might need a wrench to get them out the first time / but a gun this clean .... I'd be surprised, if you didn't get a box or a bag with an old owners manual - and a funny looking small wrench about 3" long / that will fit inside that barrel to remove the chokes. He or she / probably had 4 or 5 other chokes for those barrels too ...

Guys like me / that have a lot of Browning O/U's ....tend to put all that stuff into a plastic resealable box / or maybe a re-sealable bag .... but sometimes we don't mark them as for " Citori -- XYZ 16ga " ...and its a reminder that we should ..../ so we can pass these guns - and the accessories, like extra choke tubes, all down together.

[zippy13]

BigJim,
My friend, if the current Citori Owner's Manual is to be believed: The 16-ga guns have only the original "Invector" style screw-ins. So, we've eliminated one possible point of confusion with the OP's gun.

[BigJimP]

You might be right Zippy ...

but the problem is, Browning does all kinds of things that they don't put in their catalog ....

As you know, I have Citori XS Skeet models in 28ga and .410 / that were built on the 20ga receiver. They aren't in the catalog ....

When I was looking for sets of chokes on those 2 guns ....I called Browning because their catalog had the Midas Grade extended chokes for the 28ga and .410 / but only listed them in Full and Mod I think ....but they said no problem -- they had Full, Imp Mod, Mod, IC, Skeet and Cycl in stock in the extended Midas grade for both gagues ... ( they just didn't list them ...) ???

So I was able to buy a full set of 12 extended Midas Grade chokes for both gagues straight from Browning ...

But in the OP's case / because of the age of his gun --- I think he has the older Invector screw in chokes as well --- but that's right about the time that Browning was transitioning to screw in chokes from fixed choke guns too ...so I suppose its possible his gun was done in the aftermarket ...

We'll have to wait for him to tell us what the barrel says I think ...( but even if I'm wrong, its only the 2nd or 3rd time this morning ..)

[zippy13]

His gun may not be choke marked for the same reason ancient coins aren't date marked "BC"

[Neal_G.]

Thanks for all the info guys. I'm sure my dad did have a load of acessories for his guns, and his others hobbies, stockpiled in various places around the house. However, after he died my Mom just cleared out everything. There was just to much crap everywhere and plenty of bills to pay. My Dad literally collected hobbies, spent alot of money on nice gear, then got bored and moved on to a new one. That probably explains why this gun looks so nice. Whatever stuff came with it originally has been lost to the four winds except the gun itself.

I'll try and remove those chokes this weekend, hopefully they will come out without much effort. So far I haven't seen "Invector" marked anywhere on the gun, maybe something will tell on the chokes themselves.

[BigJimP]

No matter ....you still have a nice gun that belonged to your dad ...

The lesson in this / is all of us "older guys" ....need to keep stuff in boxes where its plainly marked ...so our wives and kids can go thru things without it being a hassle for them / and so the "stuff" goes where we intend for it to go !!

Same thing on our wives jewelry ... she's given me a list / so each one of the girls and grandaughters gets something ( per her wishes ) vs everything just going to one daughter ...and I keep that list in my safe / and a list of where my guns go, and which guns, to one of the boys ...( unless she needs the money / then she can sell the whole lot if she wants ..) .....

[HotRodA10]

Neal, would you be interested in selling/trading this gun? If so, drop me a line at [email protected]. thanks.

Rod