I have found a Browning Citori Lightning (rounded pistol grip and narrow forearm). It has a good nick on the bottom of the pisol grip. Bores are good and action is tight. Invector chokes. Is $995 a good price for that gun?
Is it a 12 or 20? What length bbls? Either way it's a good all around gun, worth $800-1100 depending on condition and configuration. $900 would be a fair price for any Lightning.
I found one that a guy is asking $1200 for. Condition 90 - 95%.
12 ga. Grade 1 Lightning w/28" barrels, 3" chambers, Invector plus chokes(I.C.,Mod.,Full) with factory box.
Price sounds a bit high though.
Question:
Would this be a decent first gun for shooting Trap?
I have a Win. 1200 but I haven't shot it in years and going to cut down the barrel and designate it for home defense. I am looking for something nicer, both in looks and more appropriate for shooting clays. I may go bird hunting with it but undecided.
I haven't seen the gun yet other than pics. The guy lives about 90 minutes north of me. I liked that the price is rather low but from what I've read it probably isn't the best choice. I don't want to spend more than $3k if I can help it though.
Lots of guns in your price range, especially used.
I want to buy one gun that I can use for all of what you mentioned (trap, skeet, sporting clays, etc) but will probably start with Trap and 5-stand. I believe they have both at Loch Raven.
LR has Trap, Skeet, Wobble Trap and 5-Stand. A good Sporting gun will do all you want with the exception of Trap. It will do Trap but is not Optimal. Trap is the one game where you want a gun with a higher point of impact, that is higher than the point of aim, as you are shooting rising targets.
I like what I've read about the Citori 725 then there are ones by Beretta, Perazzi, Kreighoff and Guerini. The last 2 are beautiful guns but probably out of my price range.... especially since I am not exactly sure what I am looking for. I saw some absolutely beautiful Guerini's online but they get expensive pretty quick.
You'll like Beretta better than Brownings or vice versa. They are different, but both good. For $3k you can get a good used sporting Beretta or Browning and a Browning BT-99 Trap Gun. then you are covered for all games.
Me and the Mrs. are going to a Gun Show tomorrow. She wants a Silver Hunter (Clays and she will go bird hunting). I am trying to build a list of what I want to look at. Do you have any suggestions? PLEASE PLEASE, shoot some guns before you buy. Both of you. (How does she know she wants a Silver Hunter? Shot one? LOP correct?
I'd be looking for the following (or anything else you might suggest)
- Fit and Finish. I like the traditional look. I do not like the styling of the Cynergy's. The look is fairly important.
- Balance. Do not want it front heavy.
- Like to keep kick at a minimum but I can add a pad.This has to do with gun fit.- 12 ga.
- O/U
- Single trigger that auto switches to the next barrel
- Do NOT want Porting. I can't find any reason for it and it seems like it'd make a mess. Good move to avoid it- Interchangeable Chokes
- Suitability for the various clay games.
Any help is greatly appreciated!
Any quality gun, will give you all the above but gun fit is VERY IMPORTANT.
You can find a used Guerini Sporting Gun with 30" or 32" barrels in your price range if you take your time and look.
ps: I have Guerinis, Berettas, BT-99 and Zoli Skeet. I am a LR much too often (several times a week every week). Let me know by PM and I'll bring some guns you can try.
also get look up the dates Browning Salt wood was used. there were a few times browning was in serious need of good walnut and the supplier used salt in place of kiln drying. you can see the issue with connecting a beautiful Citori action to a piece of salted wood. the majority of them were in the late 60's i think but there are some other times salt wood was used.