I just aquired a 1975 Citori 12 ga, 30" looks like a field grade (grade 1?) due to the lack of engraving. I pd $695. I was a little worred because I bought it off Gunbroker.com and was my first internet gun purchase. I was delighted to see how good the condition was and other than the few stock dings that any shotgun would have at that age was in very good shape. Having said that I have two initial questions:
1. The adjustable chokes, what style are they (I assume they are not the invector style) and where can I find them (I have one Full, Mod. and Skeet)
2. This seems like a cheeper gun than I have seen listed before. Is there a drastic price drop for the pre-1976 Citori? I noticed on the Browning sight that the serial numbers change in 1976 and it seems like the Browning company started to classify the Citori line into classes of guns more after 1976.
This is my first o/u and my first post here. I look forward to shooting this weekend and for years to come.
They must be an "after market" tube system because the Citori's were first fitted with Invectors in 1984. My Citori Grade I Trap was made in 1984 and has the old style short Invectors.
It is hard to say what kind on tubes are in your gun without seeing them.
vkh176 said:
I just aquired a 1975 Citori 12 ga, 30" looks like a field grade (grade 1?) due to the lack of engraving.
Do the chokes have any markings on the side? Most of the choke conversions I have seen on older Brownings were done by Briley although others did them also.
The choke tubes I have are Colonial Arms, inc. chokes. The holder also says .774x44 Double lead Thread, thin wall ...ect. The barrels just give the Browning name on the left side and special steel 12 GA-2 3/4" and 3" - 30" on the right.
I enjoy a mystery and a good shotgun. I might have a little of both.
The system in your Citori is typical for a gun that has thin walls (Thinwall : 0.744 x 44). You can find a variety of choke tubes in Brownell's catalog or on their website : www.Brownells.com
Quite a few companies offer different styles other than the flush fit BUT because of little separation of the barrels , finding extended tubes that will work is more of a challenge . Brownell's used to carry a "double gun tube" in several constrictions whose extention is about the diameter of the barrel and were offered in the Thinwall system .
the barrel of my 1975 citori doesn't show any riffling. Can I install different chokes? It also has no notches which I think indicates a cylinder choked barrel. Is this correct?
A 1975 Citori will NOT have choke tubes unless installed as aftermarket items. So, if your gun doesn't have threads, then, no you cannot put in choke tubes of any sort. And, no, the lack of notches on the barrel do not indicate they are cylinder bored. Look at the side of the monobloc below the ejectors. There will we asterisks and/or bars to indicate the chokes.
The reason that first and second generation Citoris are cheaper is that that parts are very scarce for them, and they don't take the third generation parts that came in about 1982. However, that's not a great concern, as I'm sure that Art's Gun Shop could fix most anything that likely might go wrong with the early guns, and in twenty five years and more Citoris than I can count, I've never needed any parts or had any repairs of any kind needed for a Citori.
Enjoy your shotgun. Colonial has extra tubes for sale, if you know exactly what it takes.
Get to shooting it. You'll not be sorry you bought it.
Can you post a picture of your gun. With 30" Bbls, I suspect that it might be a trap gun and not a field gun. The engraving, or lack thereof, was the same on the field vs trap gun on the early ones.
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