'Nuther Citori Followed Me Home!

[TXGunNut]

I broke a latch on my 30+ yr old Outers (?) hard sided takedown rifle/shotgun case yesterday. My "fix" failed today so it was off to Cabelas for a new one after a bit of practice today. Found one I liked and dropped by to say "hi" to my friends in the Gun Library. I was trying on trap guns yesterday and I wanted to confirm a couple of things. Then I saw something I hadn't noticed yesterday. They had what appeared to be a new Browning Citori trap gun configured just the way I wanted but it was about $600 less than the new one I was looking at. Wood was a nice wavy blonde instead of the darker burl of the gun I liked, still a very attractive shotgun. I asked the manager about it and we learned it was a used gun that had been there for well over a year. They sold it new and purchased it back several months later. It had a few minor handling marks but I don't think it was fired after leaving the factory. Box had the third choke, all the Hi-Viz inserts, trigger shoes and other extras. Then the manager sweetened the deal by another $100 and the fix was in. He wanted me to think on it for a few days but I know better. I've walked away from a few sweet deals and it generally ends badly. I told him we had a deal and then he tossed in a very nice extra (a scuffed up but otherwise new Browning hard case) and I was floored. I buy more than a few guns from Cabela's and he knows that, he was probably glad to get rid of the case. A few scuffs make it nigh impossible to sell but for me it's luggage and scuffs come with the territory. My new trap gun won't fit in it but my field gun (remember the original purpose for my trip to Ft Worth?) fit it perfectly.
I then needed a case for the trap gun, the new Cabelas (Pelican copy) case I was wanting to buy for my 725 Field will work just fine, lol. I also picked up a case of 12ga shells to try next weekend at the final club trap shoot for the year.
Dunno how I'm going to pay off this month's Cabela's Visa bill but I'll have lots of fun before it hits the mailbox, lol.

[Artful]

Well, congrats and you could at least post a picture.

[Bzcraig]

Well, congrats and you could at least post a picture.

I was thinking the same thing cause Citori's are very pretty!

[osteodoc08]

I love Citori shotguns. I have an original Browning Citori circa 1973. Bluing is very warn. Still goes bang and I've carried it more hours than I can imagine as a teen and young adult. The local gun library has several pristine examples id love to have.

[MrWolf]

My son and I both have the Citori traps with adjustable combs. We shot a few years of ATA and have some great memories. Great trap shotgun.

[xs11jack]

That manager is a smart cookie, he isn't just selling you a gun, he is developing a good relationship that will help both him and you over many years. A lot of gun sellers don't seem to understand that principle.
Ole Jack

[TXGunNut]

Manager is pretty smart, I've done enough business there I know their system. He was a bit surprised when I decided to buy this one, I generally stay far away from this type of gun (and price range) but he also knows I'm a serious buyer.
I'll try to post pics, my other 725, the Field Grade is a prettier gun IMHO. I take crappy pics but will share what I have. Trap gun is on the left. Dunno how that happened. Been a long day, don't hurt your necks.

[David2011]

Trap is evil like that. Very addictive.
Cabela's Visa= Evil enabler.
Have fun with it!

David

[osteodoc08]

Beautiful guns.

[TXGunNut]

Thanks, guys. Trap is indeed addictive, David. I bought the 725 Field to play the skeet game and haven't gotten around to it much. I'm a "retired" comp shooter and this past Saturday I got out of bed to go to a handicap trap shoot and I was excited and nervous like I haven't been in 15 years. I learned more that day than I have over the last year. In practice I can generally break 20-22 birds but I was doing a few things wrong. I'm working on those things but I also realized that at some point my sweet little 20 would hold me back. I will keep the 20 for skeet (and hunting) but I think I'll take the new kid to the last club trap shoot of the year Saturday to put her thru her paces. I suspect both guns are going to Whittington center with me as well. I figure I can haul another case of shells in that big Mercury, lol.
What I really like about this game is that, at our club anyway, it's played quite well by geezers in their 70's and 80's. There are very few sports that a 55 yr old like me can start today and hope to play for the next 15-20 yrs.

[Artful]

Nice - not a bad picture if a little angular - better wood on those two than mine.

[TXGunNut]

Thanks, Artful. You should have seen the 32" Trap I passed on. Awesome wood! Pic doesn't do the Field justice but I'm not a fan of blonde gunstocks. Trap gun is a bit showy but I like it. Quite honestly I prefer the honest wear of the Citori Osteodoc described above.
Have a year-end trap shoot this weekend, most likely won't get a chance to shoot the new gun until then. Will take both because I want to check out the trap gun before I head off to Raton and parts unknown soon. Just can't decide which Citori to shoot. I guess I'll shoot the 20 ga Field to aggravate the veteran shooters a bit, then shoot the new gun after the match.

[TXGunNut]

Wow, I REALLY like this gun! Comb seemed a bit high but I figured I could probably fix that with a bit of careful reshaping and a fresh coat of urethane. Stepped out to the pattern board and it was is as close to perfect as I could wish for, all I have to do is look at the bird over the sights when I pull the trigger and it breaks! Shot a quick practice round and couldn't stop grinning. Club shoot was two regular rounds, two handicap rounds and a double round (my first!) and other than the doubles I did OK. Lots of positive feedback and pointers from the other shooters. Gun is a little heavy and I need to work on my mount (among other things ) but other than that I can't ask for anything better. Even dropped by the Gun Library to thank the manager, he was worried that there may have been a problem with it but I assured him it was nothing short of awesome. There were some Browning reps there today so I suspect any problems could have been addressed, lol. I did pick up a few cases of shells while I was there, hopefully they will put them on sale before too long.

[35 shooter]

Congrats on a fine looking Citori. Sounds like it fits you well. The stock color and finish look just fine to me!!

[TXGunNut]

Congrats on a fine looking Citori. Sounds like it fits you well. The stock color and finish look just fine to me!!

Thanks. But seriously, the new one with 32" pipes was pretty awesome for a standard gun, just barely short of a fancy grade.
Oh yeah. They teased me with nice Krieghoff (sp?) today, didn't give it a second look, lol.

[jonp]

That is some nice wood.

[Just Duke]

Manager is pretty smart, I've done enough business there I know their system. He was a bit surprised when I decided to buy this one, I generally stay far away from this type of gun (and price range) but he also knows I'm a serious buyer.
I'll try to post pics, my other 725, the Field Grade is a prettier gun IMHO. I take crappy pics but will share what I have. Trap gun is on the left. Dunno how that happened. Been a long day, don't hurt your necks.

Very nice!

[TXGunNut]

Went to the club yesterday to work on a few things that came up Saturday and four old timers were already shooting and I decided to see if I could join them. One of my mentors was in this group and I wanted to visit with him a bit. They invited me to join them for the next round and I of course accepted.
I got my gear organized and even got to start on station 5, my toughest station. That's when it got a little weird. My third bird took off skyward and took me by surprise, next one took off like it was assigned to mow the grass! I'd never seen a trap set on "wobble" and I'm sure these old guys got a giggle when that bird went skyward, lol. I also got to learn to load the trap so it was a good day.
One guy noticed I was having a bad day and insisted on making me shoot some of his fancy AA handicap loads even tho I told him my gun and ammo were fine, I was the one having issues. After I wasted his ammo he gave me some very good pointers, he's a relatively new (but very good!) shooter and he saw something I missed so it was all good. He's bound and determined to make a comp shooter out of me and I'm flattered by his attention. I've never considered myself a shotgun shooter but he's not the first one that thinks I have some potential, we'll see.
I'll be taking a case or two of shotshells up to Raton in a few weeks, I'll have plenty of time to work on the tips I've gotten the last few weeks.