Where to find Citori replacement barrels?

[FitchHall]

THR,

I need a little help/advice/direction on solving a problem regarding a Browning Citori Shotgun.

10 years ago, I inherited my first shotgun - an old Browning Citori Hunter 12ga with 28" barrels (M, IM). The action was gummed up and the stock had a series of scratches and other cosmetic flaws. Also, I couldn't shoulder it very well (I'm a tall weightlifter and I couldn't get the beads to line up). With the help and guidance of the "old salts" at the club, we shaved some of the comb of the stock and completely refinished it as well as cleaning up the action. In the end, I have a well-functioning, perfectly fitted, and beautiful Citori.

I have been shooting trap with it and have gotten better to where I am an A class Trap shooter. I have also gotten into skeet shooting, but had a hard time hitting the skeet birds with such tight chokes and high rib of the refurbished Citori. I picked up an "economical" 26" semi-auto with choke tubes, but I would prefer to shoot skeet with an over/under.

The ideal solution would have been to get the refurbished Citori re-choked with invector (or Briley) tubes. However, my local Smith informed me that the barrels are too thin on the Citori to get tubed.

Now to my question and request for advice: Is there any way to find a 26" barrel (either fixed at skeet/skeet or tubed) to fit an old Citori (manufactured in 1982)? How much would these be? Do they need to be fitted?

If they are available and not too expensive, I would prefer to add another barrel to my refurbished Citori because it fits so well - and better than a new Citori Skeet gun. I have also shouldered other O/U guns and #1 they are expensive and #2 they don't fit as well either.

Thank you in advance for your time and advice.

 

[riverdog]

You might want to read the Browning FAQ on extra barrels It should answer your question. Sounds like the cost is prohibitive. You can also contact Browning Customer Service
One Browning Place
Morgan, UT 84050
800-333-3288
801-876-2711

 

[Jim Watson]

You have a couple of options I can think of offhand.

1. Get a second opinion.
Call Briley, Simmons, maybe others with your muzzle diameters at hand.

Check the chart and formula in Brownell's, they have a range of choke tube sizes. My Anschutz-Miroku (allee samee Citori) has Colonial thinwalls .775" diameter in .810" OD barrels for a .0175" wall; minimum recommended .0150".

2. Shoot 20 gauge. I know people who never fire a 12 gauge at skeet, they use their 20 for 12 ga events. The Briley Companion tubes are drop in/user adjusted versions of their skeet tubes. $399 for the standard weight, adds about a pound.

 

[riverdog]

The Stan Baker 870TB I have has a barrel that was belled out to accept a larger choke-tube. I don't know who would/could do that, but Briley would be the place to start.

 

[Mr Kablammo]

Buy a copy of the latest Gunlist magazine, maybe Shotgun News. I know that there is a vendor in GL that sells lots of shotgun barrells. He may have Citori as well as the usual pump/semi-auto. Good luck.

 

[kudu]

The 20 ga tubes recommended by Jim Watson is what I would also recommend. 20 ga is really not a handicap on the skeet range, as many registered skeet shooters regularly choose to shoot the smaller gauge in the 12 ga events.

Two choices for tubes, Briley, or Kolar. I myself have Kolar tubes in my Beretta, but have shot Brileys, no real difference.

 

[FitchHall]

Porting

THR,

Thank you for your advice. I contacted Briley directly and they do machine and install their chokes into Browning barrels. The price is reasonable compared to getting an entirely different gun and have that one fitted as well.

In talking to the Briley rep, I was posed with another question... should I have the barrels ported as well. For an additional $130.00, they will port both barrels. Is porting worth it for skeet, trap, and clays? Does the porting change the shot pattern? Would I have to use different loads through a ported barrel?

Thank you once again for your time and attention on this matter.

 

[PJR]

Good call going to Briley. If choke tubes can be installed in your gun they are the ones to do it. If you are going to shoot just skeet with your o/u and choke tubes can't be installed you might consider having the fixed chokes opened up.

As for porting, it doesn't change pattern or POI in my experience. It does however make the gun much louder to bystanders. There is a continuing debate on how much recoil reduction they provide and I would suggest trying some ported guns if possible before you decide. I have owned guns that were factory ported and guns that weren't and have not felt inclined to spend the money on after market porting.

Paul

 

[riverdog]

If it's strictly a game gun (Trap, Skeet, 5-Stand), most of the Sporting version guns such as my Browning 525 come ported and it's a great shooter. I doubt it helps all shooting Trap singles, but once you get to doubles and Skeet, porting reduces recoil just a touch. That said, I've also shot both Trap singles and Skeet with a non-ported 870 pump and it was fine. Skeet loads aren't known for heavy recoil, which makes the porting moot. YMMV

 

[Mr Kablammo]

I second the noise warning on the porting. I once shot SC with guy who had a 26" ported O/U. He was not doing so good. I was using a Beretta 686 Onyx. For the heck of it we traded for a few stations.

I did not shoot as well. His gun was "whippy" and LOUD. It gave me a startle on the first station. On the others I was distracted thinking about how LOUD that gun was going to be when I pulled the trigger. Naturally this did not help the score.

If possible, shoot a ported gun before making the decision. It may or may not affect your concentration and score.