Citori or Franchi?

[axhoaxho]

The Citori is just a more manufacturable Superposed. The Superposed created the market for a "working man's" O/U, but was a bit too labor intensive to keep up with more recent offerings...hence the Citori.

Certainly nothing wrong with fixed chokes as long as they're choked for your application. Screw-in chokes just made the individual shotgun much more versatile. IMHO one of the greatest shotgun innovations in the last 100 years. Prior to screw-in chokes (~1980) one purchased multiple barrels for a do-it-all shotgun. Not terribly expensive to do on autos/pumps, but pretty costly on double guns.

A lot of old fixed choked guns are choked tighter than what is now considered proper. Shells have changed a lot and the 1-piece wad/shotcup tightened up patterns immensely, dictating less degree of choke for the same application. Much of the non-tox shot tightened them up even more.

One circa 1960 Beretta I have (BL-2) was designated mod/full. In reality it was full/Xfull. At 25 yards the 2nd barrel would turn a pheasant into a dishtowel with modern ammo. A trip to Briley turned it into an excellent field gun. Another, a Beretta 20g SxS (Silver Hawk) was designated FxF. Rather useless in today's world. A trip to Briley brought it out of the safe and backinto the field. A great way to revive an older gun. But it isn't cheap, especially on doubles. On a Citori, which is available with screw-in chokes for a modest premium, the factory screw-in choked gun is just a better deal for most buyers.

A nice write-up, good to hear from other folks who understand. Thanks!

As for me, all my diehard fixed-choke O/U friends use them for hunting. Same game, same field, same season of the year. We all have many guns, yet for the purpose a dedicated fixed-choke O/U is all we need.

[JagerDog]

A nice write-up, good to hear from other folks who understand. Thanks!

As for me, all my diehard fixed-choke O/U friends use them for hunting. Same game, same field, same season of the year. We all have many guns, yet for the purpose a dedicated fixed-choke O/U is all we need.

My primary pheasant gun now is an english stocked 1976 20g Citori Super Sport (think Superposed Superlight) fixed chokes at IC/Mod in it's 26" barrels. For it's purpose of walk-up pheasant hunting, it's superb IMHO.

For quail, I mainly shoot my 20g Montefeltro with screw-in skeet choke. In a game which commonly has multiple targets, often rising when you're between functions, I like that I can add a shell or two to the magazine without taking it out of battery...often on the move.

I find aluminum receiver autos and field weight steel receiver O/U's swing remarkably alike. I rather like lively guns with the balance between the hands. That's for my style of shooting at my prefered type of targets. I occasionally shoot trap and waterfowl, but they're not my my preference.

[powderedtoastman]

I truly thought screw in chokes were a creation of the last 40 or so years! I was mistaken.

[anti]

I truly thought screw in chokes were a creation of the last 40 or so years! I was mistaken.

They are. I believe Winchester came out with the Winchoke (Browning Invector) in the late '70s or early '80s. My '85 BT-99 takes Invector chokes; newer BT's are Invector +.

[hattles]

You obviously know better than me why Browning offered a fixed-choke Citori.

Please educate Me.

That is so easy to answer...Browning had not started manufacturing Citori's with interchangeable chokes until 1983.


In 1868 Fred Kimble invented the choke-bore shotgun barrel that would revolutionize the art of wing shooting.

Interchangeable Choke Tubes Introduced
These different shotgun choke tubes have been around for decades, which have improved the game of hunting for shooters by providing them with a more precise shot. Screw-in choke tubes were first introduced in 1959 by Winchester (a shotgun choke tube line) with its model 59 semi-automatic shotgun. Winchester discontinued the model 59 in 1965 because a new line of shotguns was emerging.

Nearly a decade later, more choke systems arrived. The Mossberg 500 began sporting the new choke tube system in 1978 and was named "Accuchoke." The model 82 was introduced by Weatherby in 1982 as a new screw-in choke system. It was named "Multichoke." After these new systems were under way in the early 1980s, all shotgun manufacturers began working on and releasing their own versions and systems of the successful screw-in choke tube.

http://www.ehow.com/about_5196281_history-shotgun-choke-tubes.html

[axhoaxho]

That is so easy to answer...Browning had not started manufacturing Citori's with interchangeable chokes until 1983.


In 1868 Fred Kimble invented the choke-bore shotgun barrel that would revolutionize the art of wing shooting.

Interchangeable Choke Tubes Introduced
These different shotgun choke tubes have been around for decades, which have improved the game of hunting for shooters by providing them with a more precise shot. Screw-in choke tubes were first introduced in 1959 by Winchester (a shotgun choke tube line) with its model 59 semi-automatic shotgun. Winchester discontinued the model 59 in 1965 because a new line of shotguns was emerging.

Nearly a decade later, more choke systems arrived. The Mossberg 500 began sporting the new choke tube system in 1978 and was named "Accuchoke." The model 82 was introduced by Weatherby in 1982 as a new screw-in choke system. It was named "Multichoke." After these new systems were under way in the early 1980s, all shotgun manufacturers began working on and releasing their own versions and systems of the successful screw-in choke tube.
http://www.ehow.com/about_5196281_hi...oke-tubes.html

Good job. See, you can actually contribute more to the forum than " just funnin' ".

[Huntsprig]

I have the 1982-1983 Outdoor Sports Headquarters catalog.
They were a hunting and fishing wholesaler.

I took a look through it and there were two companies selling guns with interchangeable chokes then.
As hattles said, the Mossberg 500 with the Accuchoke and the Winchester models 1500, 1300, 101 and the Ranger with the Winchoke.

It's interesting looking at the prices.

The Browning Citori Grade 1 Field wholesale price was $610.27, retail $749.95.

[hattles]

Good job. See, you can actually contribute more to the forum than " just funnin' ".

DUH!