Should I buy it? Browning Citori Lightning with fixed chokes...

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Tayne

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I’ve been on the market for an affordable O/U shotgun for the last year or so. I shoot trap and am interested in getting into skeet and sporting clays. My LGS has a Browning Citori Lightning on consignment for less than $1,000. My research says 1975 production, and it has fixed chokes. I don’t know what the chokes are; I assume IC and Mod? Correct me if you have better insight.

It’s no frills as far as scrollwork, etc., but it’s a beautiful shotgun and shoulders and swings smoothly. I’ve attached a couple pictures. It’s the second from the right on the rack; the other photo is in my hand.

I feel like I should jump on it but the fixed chokes are making me hesitate. Am I wrong? Should I grab it quick? What would you do? This would be my first O/U.

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If you want to shoot all three disciplines fixed chokes is a really bad idea.
You really need a gun with removable chokes.
I shoot all three and have different guns for each. My Trap gun is Full choke, my Skeet gun are removable but I only have flush skeet chokes in it. My Sporting Clays gun has removable chokes I change often depending on the station and shot. Could be anything from Skeet choke to Light Full. Mostly Light Mod over Skeet, but it depends on the shot.
 
Another thing to consider is the barrel length. Many Over/Under (O/U) shotguns from that era had shorter barrels than current practice. For example 26 inch barrels were common on skeet and upland game shotguns. Trap guns of that era typically had 30 inch or longer barrels.

Since 26 inch barrels are no longer stylish, even for skeet, that may explain the seemingly good price asked for the shotgun.

Does the OP know the barrel length?
 
I just passed on a real nice browning superposed for a great price because of fixed chokes. I was thinking of adding choke tubes but don’t have the hart to do that to a nice vintage gun.
 
1 to 10 for each use, assuming 28" (That's what it looks like from the second pic) and IC/M:
Trap 3
Skeet 5
Sporting Clays 7
Wild pheasants 4
Game farm pheasants 6
Other upland birds 4
Waterfowl 3

If you buy it, you will most likely be looking for a better gun in 2 years or less. I'd try to find a used 30" CXT or CXS, it might run $1700-2000, but it'll have choke tubes, and a better stock, (fitment) and be more versaitle.

If you buy it, and then decide you want it threaded, have Briley do the work.
 
i tend to longer barrels, 30-34", you should be able to get a choke tubed citori for 1000-1200 used if you have time to shop around. i bought a citori cross over in ex condition off of a shooter who updated to a K gun for 1000 in the box with several tubes, not a every day find but they are out there. mike orlan does a good job on installing tubes at reasonable prices, briley work is not cheap, but their best for thin walled barrels.
 
In my area, an hour north of Detroit, anything under $1500 for a used Citori in that kind of shape is a rare bird. I shoot skeet with a Savage 333 O/U made by Valmet. Fixed chokes, IC and Mod. If I were shooting competitively, this would not be my first choice, but I go out and shoot skeet occasionally with some guys at work and I have fun. Screw in choke tubes are great and I appreciate their usefullness if you own only 1 shotgun and use it for many things. I can't help but wonder how anyone all those fixed choke shotguns of years gone by did the job for their owners? (Sarcasm intentional) I would already have that Citori at thst price.
 
I do not know the length but when I held it I figured it was 28”. I too would prefer a 30” or longer on an O/U.
Thanks for the warnings about using fixed chokes for multiple disciplines. I may just keep looking. It does seem a bit light for a competition gun; I can imagine the recoil will get tiresome after 100 shells or so.
 
if you do decide to get into the clay games, it will not take long for the cost of ammo and range fee,s to out pace the cost for a good shotgun. my one trap shotgun(browning BT 100) has over 40,000 rounds(1600+ boxs) thru it and at a avrage of 5.00 a box is close to 8000.00 and at 3-4 dollars a round of trap it adds up in a hurry. by the way my BT 100 has not needed any parts or repairs, only normal cleaning.
 

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I'd get the gun threaded for interchangeable choke tubes. Check around for the price, it may be such that the gun is no longer a bargain. Also, it will probably limit you to one manufacturer's choke tube as the tube would be custom, not a factory standard equivalent.

Besides gun shops already listed, Briley installs chokes tubes and I'm sure Kolar would do them as well.

15 years or so ago, I bought a Browning Lightening in .410 bore. It has performed well. But I remember various forums at the time were discussing some "issues" with the Lightening Model. I do not remember the gist of the discussions, whether good, bad or personnel preference issues. But it might worth an internet search to find out more information.
 
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