Browning Citori Field vs Sporting Question

**stumpy1972** · July 14th, 2010, 01:29 PM

One for the Browning experts.... Sorry if this has been covered before.

Is there any difference between the "sporting grade" Citoris and the "field grade" Citoris besides stock dimensions, fancy nickel plated receivers, fancy wood, ported barrels, and extended choke tubes? I guess what I mean to say is, will the barrel and the action on a field Citori still have the same life and take the same abuse as a sporting model?

I pulled up a field or hunting grade Citori at a local shop a week ago and it fit and pointed really well for me. I'm a pretty big dude, 350lbs 6'3", so it's sometimes hard to find a fitter. It had the Invector tubes, fairly nice wood, beautiful bluing and looked to be in almost new condition. They were asking $850 for it. I passed because I currently have a CZ O/U that shoots a bit low and a Browning A500G that has been shooting really well for me. I currently use the A500G for sporting clays and I shoot about 50-100 rounds weekly. I guess I'm still lusting over a well fitting O/U and I'm not much for the fancy schmancy stuff. Does anyone know the answer to this question? Help!

**Hawk** · July 14th, 2010, 02:50 PM

Grade difference primarily has to do with the "wood" and "engraving". All of the Brownings (mechanically) are meant to shoot and last 10's of thousands of rounds.

**1iarrowking** · July 14th, 2010, 04:23 PM

The feather weights have an aluminum alloy receiver and I'm sure they'll last a lifetime in the field I don't think I'd want to play clay games with one for an extended period. Also some of the sporting models have a sliding trigger that adjust the LOP by 5/16 inch. I don't believe field grades have that.

If it has Invector choke tubes it's an older model. I'm not sure when they switched but they now have Invector Plus choke tubes and they do not inter change. Just wanted to make you aware of that in case you buy it and want to change chokes.

**SauerGrapes** · July 15th, 2010, 07:07 PM

Check out the Browning Lightning. All steel receiver, wieghs about 8lbs. The 12ga. model comes with a recoil pad.
There's nothing wrong with the invector choke system. And if you really want extended chokes, Briley makes extended chokes for just about anything. I shoot skeet and sporting clays with a Browning White Lightning in 28ga. Mine came new this year with the invector flush chokes. They work just as good as my extended choke sporting guns.
If the gun fits you, 850.00 is a fair price for a field gun. A 100 targets a week is a piece of cake with any 8lb gun.

**jokusfocus** · July 15th, 2010, 07:43 PM

Originally Posted by SauerGrapes

Check out the Browning Lightning. All steel receiver, wieghs about 8lbs. The 12ga. model comes with a recoil pad.
There's nothing wrong with the invector choke system. And if you really want extended chokes, Briley makes extended chokes for just about anything. I shoot skeet and sporting clays with a Browning White Lightning in 28ga. Mine came new this year with the invector flush chokes. They work just as good as my extended choke sporting guns.
If the gun fits you, 850.00 is a fair price for a field gun. A 100 targets a week is a piece of cake with any 8lb gun.

Bold is mine. A heavier gun makes a HUGE difference in competitions. Shooting 900 targets in 5 days with a light gun is an adventure. However, holding a heavy gun up that long is TIRING. That being said, I shoot light guns better, so that's what I went with.