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#596798 05/11/21 08:33 PM
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Lloyd3 Online Content OP
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Well, blast it....I found one. A used Browning Citori Target gun, fixed chokes, adjustable pad, 30-inch tubes, fairly high and wide target rib. There is a fair amount of finish wear on the bottom of the gun and (probably the worst part for me) buggered screws on the trigger guard. The forend has that big blocky trapezoidal shape (which always looked a bit odd to me, being an upland guy), but seems to fit me well-enough, and it opens/closes quite nicely w/no detectable looseness. I've been looking at CZs and newer SKBs (both Turkish) and the feedback on both is clearly mixed, This gun seems a bit older (80s or 90s?) and was built in Utah, so I'm fairly comfortable with overall build quality (where the Turkish stuff is clearly an unknown). It's not a lefty but... it seems fairly ambidextrous w/no palm swells or any detectable cast. The weight seems sufficient to soak-up the recoil of 100 or so rounds casually expended. No case of course, and no choke tubes. Does one really need either? I was looking at $1600 (at a minimum) to get into the game so-to-speak. I'm not so sure a new gun with a plastic case and multiple choke tubes would make me any better (or happier). I was thinking about showing up there tomorrow with some snap caps, a choke gauge, and a fistful of cash? What says the educated crowd here?

Last edited by Lloyd3; 05/11/21 08:37 PM.
Lloyd3 #596800 05/11/21 08:58 PM
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It was built in Japan.

It's almost certainly a trap doubles gun.

It may have other modifications besides the adjustable pad.

Caveat Emptor.

Last edited by Shotgunjones; 05/11/21 09:25 PM.

"The price of good shotgunnery is constant practice" - Fred Kimble
Lloyd3 #596802 05/11/21 09:23 PM
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You should read up on Citori type - parts can be a problem with the earliest Citori guns.
The date is encoded in the serial number.
The price is pretty modest, if the lever is right of center and the gun is tight on face.
I like Citori durability, and seem to shoot them well.

Lloyd3 #596803 05/11/21 09:41 PM
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A few friends have shot them well for years. Very few problems. I never liked the trigger but you might find it fine. Most do. Used gun are subject to decades of customization and alterations so check the chokes and do a full function test. For that matter I would want to shoot it before I bought it. It is used so that should not be a real issue. If you shoot it well and it breaks targets that is about as good as it gets sometimes. Good luck.

Lloyd3 #596804 05/11/21 09:46 PM
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"Target guns wear out from the inside out. Hunting guns wear out from the outside in." - Bruce Buck.
An alternative would be to look for an OU model designated for waterfowl hunting. Long, relatively heavy, and probably not beat to death from decades of target shooting. They are often a bargain since autoloaders dominate waterfowl sales.

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Lloyd3 #596806 05/11/21 11:10 PM
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USAF RET 1971-95 [Linked Image from jpgbox.com]
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Lloyd3 #596809 05/12/21 06:08 AM
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If the worst bit is the trigger guard screws they are easily fixable with a hacksaw ( to deepen an clean up the slot), file, wet and dry, then when looking respectable heat blacking in flaming oil.

Lloyd3 #596812 05/12/21 08:42 AM
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The nice thing about the Citori, is that it is very repairable.

And tunable.

However they are also popular, and it sounds like yours is a trap gun that is seen considerable use, and has probably been tinkered with.

I say that because, I have a couple Citori’s that I’ve never removed the trigger guards on them in 25 years, so I can’t imagine why anybody would be inside the internals of a browning at less than 25,000 or more rounds.

Which wouldn’t necessarily wear out anything of importance.

And it would be pretty obvious if it was a high use gun, just by looking at the breech face.

if it just flops open when you push the top lever over, it probably has been on the trap line. They start out pretty tight.


Out there doing it best I can.
Lloyd3 #596820 05/12/21 10:06 AM
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Citori shotguns do experience firing pin erosion with Cheddite primers, particularly the under barrel, so firing pin replacement is a routine service job for high volume shooters.
Trigger guard screw repair or replacement is trivial.
Trap guns should have a close examination, due to their likely higher volume shooting.
The price mentioned is no big sum. You could spend more for a whole lot less, assuming the gun passes examination.

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If it’s a double trap model, it will be very tight at the patterning plate.

I’m guessing the big Beavertail forend, and the Morgan adjustable pad, trigger guards been off, it would surprise me if it hadn’t had trigger work done at some time and it’s life.

None of which makes it a bad gun, just be certain that it’s going to make your needs before you start down the road.

I see the sporting clays model with the 30 inch barrels and all the tokens for sale for less than 2000 pretty regularly, so if you can pick one versus the other typically. I prefer the Schnabel forend.


Out there doing it best I can.
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