Browning Citori - Open up Choke For Trap?

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ReadyontheRight

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I got a good deal on a Browning Citori. Supposedly a "Trap" model with 32" barrels. Built in 1980 (Model 2?).

The under barrel is extra full and the over barrel is full. I shot a round of trap trhough the under, extra full barrel. I nailed the first four birds and then fell apart and got a 12. Almost every bird "jumped" when I shot, so I know I was close. When I DID hit a bird, it was GONE. Federal 8 Target Loads. I really like this gun.

I have not yet patterned the shotgun, but I want to make this into my trap gun.

What are my options for either opening up the extra full barrel or adding choke tubes? I am thinking opening up the extra full to M or I/C and leaving the full alone would be just about perfect. Or would I have the ultimate shotgun by adding Briley thin choke tubes on both barrels?

I have only shot trap and critters. I have other shotguns for critters, but would this also be a good shotgun if I ever do sporting clays?

Am I missing out on something by getting rid of the extra full choke? I love it, but I already have a turkey gun.
 
either open up the bottom choke to modified, maybe improved mod. or install the briley thin walls. The gun will be fine for sporting, but if you do get into that I would suggest getting screw-in chokes installed. Just my $0.02
 
That would be an unusual combination of chokes in any O/U. Particulary in a factory gun with an "extra-full" on the bottom barrel. I've never seen a combination like that with the bottom barrel.

Is it "marked" that way on the barrels?

I'd pattern, and then, if in doubt, choke tube the gun, particulary if you want to use it for sporting.

There aren't many "smiths" I'd let modify the choke, unless they are well known for that...IMHO. And, "they" won't be cheap.
 
Trap guns are good for trap, and seldom good as is for other clay sports. Adding choke tubes would aid both versatility and your trap scores greatly.

Briley, Carlson's, and Mike Orlen are famed for choke tube installations. I'd go with them rather than Bubba at Mom's Beer, Bait and Gun Shop.
 
I have to disagree that a trap gun would be all that good for Sporting Clays, or hunting. A skeet gun, or a field gun, or a Sporting gun, should be good for the other two, but a good trap gun, which the Citori is in my opinion, is a different breed of cat. Trap guns are configured to shoot trap, and are good at it. I have not found them very handy for anything else.
 
I have to disagree that a trap gun would be all that good for Sporting Clays, or hunting. A skeet gun, or a field gun, or a Sporting gun, should be good for the other two, but a good trap gun, which the Citori is in my opinion, is a different breed of cat. Trap guns are configured to shoot trap, and are good at it. I have not found them very handy for anything else.
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That works for me. I want to make this a Trap gun. I am hoping to break out of my slump of shooting 18s and 19s all summer. It's also just plain old fun to shoot if I can get it set up for myself.

I am definitely leaning toward Mike Orlen. Does anyone have experience with him? Especially with a Citori?
 
Possibly my favorite trap gun has been a Superposed I borrowed. Should be very similar to that Citori. While I can't stand the big fat things with field barrels, they sure do balance well with 32's.

It had fixed IM and Full I think, and worked like a champ.

Have you tried the Full barrel to see how you like it?

I wonder why the under barrel is tighter on a trap gun. Seems odd, doesn't it? Live pigeon, maybe?

As an aside, I've accidentally shot my old 34" BT an IC at 27 and it still worked fine. Clays didn't pulverize, but they broke with authority into a lot of pieces. I tend to think that trap shooters overestimate how much choke really works best, maybe because a powdered clay pigeon feels more satisfying. It doesn't change your score, though, unless it's a chip shoot.:)
 
Ready,

My advice is to leave the gun alone. As is, it's a good trap gun for dedicated trap shooters. Using a 32" barreled Citori trap gun for sporting or skeet would be like swinging a pig on the end of a shovel.

The Citoris have heavy barrels to begin with, especially the trap versions. Even with the correct chokes in the end of the barrels, the gun is going to be slow and cumbersome on skeet and sporting targets.

I suggest you leave the gun alone and use it for trap. Buy another gun for skeet and sporting. If you happen to buy another Citori, I wouldn't go over 30" barrel length. I've known several guys who thought they just had to have the longest barrels they could get on a Citori, so they bought the 32" barreled Citori. After a month or so, they were complaining about how muzzle heavy and slow the gun was and they wished they had gotten the 30" barrels. I've got a 30" Citori XT Trap and believe me, it's more than heavy enough, particularly at the muzzle.
 
Yes - The top is marked with a "*" and the bottom is marked with a "*-"
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Your okay. The bottom barrel is IM and the top is full. That's the standard trap chokes.

You can/should confirm that with a Browning dealer, but I'd bet money on it!
 
45Auto is correct. The top barrel marked "*" is Full choke. The bottom barrel marked "*-" is Improved Modified which is slightly (about 0.005") more open than the Full choke.
 
All you need to do is shoot that baby !
If you do decide to do something with the chokes, or anything really, Mike Orlen is solid. If it is something he cannot do (though I can't imagine what), he will tell you so himself.
 
Thanks everyone! I screwed up on my research. The under barrel IS Improved Modified. The sales tag said "extra tight chokes" and when I saw * and *- on the barrels, I assumed it meant something else. Operator error. But I will adjust the Nut behind the buttpad. :eek:

I will plan to shoot as is and learn the next level of the Trap game with this gun. I am very excited to get out patterning and shooting Monday night. :)
 
IM and Full would be the standard for an old Citori or Superposed trap gun as I noted above.

I wouldn't touch it. Just shoot it.:)
 
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