Browning White Lightning Deal

Swiftmotoring · May 29, 2011, 06:47 AM

I am considering buying a Browning Citori White Lightning to use for Sporting Clays. The gun was built in 1999, has the original box, 3 choke tubes, is in excellent shape and is priced at 1100. This seems to be a fair price. Now a few questions. What year was the White Lightning first offered? When were invector plus chokes introduced? What is the overall opinion on this gun? Thanks

Slugo · May 29, 2011, 07:42 AM

excellent gun, but I would offer $1000 even! See what he says. You can shoot anything with it. Invector Plus choke tubes were intro'd in the late 80's...

Swiftmotoring · May 29, 2011, 09:44 AM

Thanks for the info. I should have said the negotiated price was 1100, down from 1239....so I am plased with the price. Any idea what year the White Lighning was first offered by Browning?
Thanks

BigJimP · May 29, 2011, 06:29 PM

I think the term "lightning" was first introduced to describe their field grade Citori's in the late 80's ...and as I recall the "white lightning" first showed up in the early 90's ...but I think its been dropped from year to year out of the catalog. Some yrs out / some yrs its in... Today there is a regular blued lightning, a satin lightning, a grey lightning, a white lightning ....etc ...and grade 1, and grade IV ...etc ....

I know in 1988 - the Citori field grade O/U was just called a Citori - because I bought a new one that winter. In 1988 - mine has the old Invector choke system in it ( which started in the early 70's I think - and ran on some models thru the late 80's). When they started back boring barrels - they went to the Invector Plus choke systems ...and I think the Citori BT-99 was one of the first models with the Invector plus system.

In terms of value - field grade Citori's --- blued, white lightning models, etc ( they're all the same mechanically - and very strong guns ). They are easily 250,000 shell guns / without any issues ---and maybe 500,000 or more. I've been picking up some of the Citori field grade models ...even with scratched up stocks / and the old Invector chokes ...for $ 600 - $ 750 and cleaning them up / and putting them away for the grandkids down the road. The newer versions - with Invector plus chokes - easily demand around $ 1,000 in my area ...and I've seen them as high as $ 1,250 or so ...because the list price on them is getting closer to $ 2,000 all the time ...but in my area you can buy a new white lightning for around $ 1,750.

Enjoy it ...its a great shotgun !! I don't shoot mine much anymore ....and I have several with 28" barrels in both 12ga and 20ga ...( I shoot some of the more specialized Browning O/U's now ) ....but I'll never sell the field guns either .....

jaughtman · June 5, 2011, 04:28 PM

our GS has them new a couple times per year for 999.00.

J

SauerGrapes · June 5, 2011, 08:43 PM

I don't think $1100 is a bad price if it's in exec cond. I bought a new 28ga White Lightning last fall for $1400.
Browning has been using the term "lightning" for a long time. I have my father's Superposed "Lightning" from 1968.

May 29, 2011, 06:47 AM	#1
Swiftmotoring Junior Member Join Date: January 17, 2010 Posts: 3	Browning White Lightning Deal I am considering buying a Browning Citori White Lightning to use for Sporting Clays. The gun was built in 1999, has the original box, 3 choke tubes, is in excellent shape and is priced at 1100. This seems to be a fair price. Now a few questions. What year was the White Lightning first offered? When were invector plus chokes introduced? What is the overall opinion on this gun? Thanks

June 5, 2011, 04:28 PM	#5
jaughtman Senior Member Join Date: March 2, 2010 Location: Alabama Posts: 868	Around here..... our GS has them new a couple times per year for 999.00. J

June 5, 2011, 08:43 PM	#6
SauerGrapes Senior Member Join Date: March 22, 2009 Location: S.E.PA. Posts: 920	I don't think $1100 is a bad price if it's in exec cond. I bought a new 28ga White Lightning last fall for $1400. Browning has been using the term "lightning" for a long time. I have my father's Superposed "Lightning" from 1968. __________________ NRA member, DCF&S member, PAFOA member, USPSA member, NSCA member R.I.P.____Murphy

May 29, 2011, 07:42 AM	#2
Slugo Junior member Join Date: September 15, 2001 Location: Central PA Posts: 1,007	excellent gun, but I would offer $1000 even! See what he says. You can shoot anything with it. Invector Plus choke tubes were intro'd in the late 80's...

May 29, 2011, 09:44 AM	#3
Swiftmotoring Junior Member Join Date: January 17, 2010 Posts: 3	Thanks for the info. I should have said the negotiated price was 1100, down from 1239....so I am plased with the price. Any idea what year the White Lighning was first offered by Browning? Thanks

May 29, 2011, 06:29 PM	#4
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	I think the term "lightning" was first introduced to describe their field grade Citori's in the late 80's ...and as I recall the "white lightning" first showed up in the early 90's ...but I think its been dropped from year to year out of the catalog. Some yrs out / some yrs its in... Today there is a regular blued lightning, a satin lightning, a grey lightning, a white lightning ....etc ...and grade 1, and grade IV ...etc .... I know in 1988 - the Citori field grade O/U was just called a Citori - because I bought a new one that winter. In 1988 - mine has the old Invector choke system in it ( which started in the early 70's I think - and ran on some models thru the late 80's). When they started back boring barrels - they went to the Invector Plus choke systems ...and I think the Citori BT-99 was one of the first models with the Invector plus system. In terms of value - field grade Citori's --- blued, white lightning models, etc ( they're all the same mechanically - and very strong guns ). They are easily 250,000 shell guns / without any issues ---and maybe 500,000 or more. I've been picking up some of the Citori field grade models ...even with scratched up stocks / and the old Invector chokes ...for $ 600 - $ 750 and cleaning them up / and putting them away for the grandkids down the road. The newer versions - with Invector plus chokes - easily demand around $ 1,000 in my area ...and I've seen them as high as $ 1,250 or so ...because the list price on them is getting closer to $ 2,000 all the time ...but in my area you can buy a new white lightning for around $ 1,750. Enjoy it ...its a great shotgun !! I don't shoot mine much anymore ....and I have several with 28" barrels in both 12ga and 20ga ...( I shoot some of the more specialized Browning O/U's now ) ....but I'll never sell the field guns either .....