Home Forums Birds & Dogs Shotguns Browning Citori 725 opinions?

Anyone have a 12 ga Browning Citori 725 field grade? A local gun shop has a used one for sale.

They seem to be good over/under from the google searches I've done.

I'm left handed and heard that their stocks are pretty neutral. Is this correct?

Intended purpose would be small game and upland bird with a lot of skeet thrown in.

Appreciate any feedback, positive or negative you can give.

I can't speak to most of your questions, but I love mine.

I'm a casual summer trap shooter and shoot the 28" 12 gauge base field model. It hasn't missed a beat since I bought it in December and my scores have gone up. (I'm right handed)
The mechanical triggers and more consistent fit sold me on it. I could have gotten a beretta for slightly less money, but I am glad I got it.

Tempted to get a 20 gauge now...

humdinger, thank you for your response!

Another thing to add... the recoil pad is designed to direct recoil away from your face and I believe it works. I rarely get head aches after trap shooting.

You can never go wrong purchasing a Browning Citori , tho i would prefer this shotgun in 20 ga instead of the 12 ga

bea175, a 20ga in Citori 725 would be nice too! I'm trying to buy used so I don't have the fortune to be too picky.

My reason for looking at Browning Citori is because they seem to have neutral cast which is important to me as southpaw/left hander. Beretta's seem to be casted for right handed shooters.

This is my first over/under and kind of nervous and hesitant to purchase as even used they're pretty expensive endeavor to me.

Fit is the most important thing in a shotgun. Whether it is Browning, Beretta, Perazzi, Krieghoff, Blaser or run of the mill sporting store cheaper guns.
If they fit you you will shoot well with them.
The difference with cheaper guns is how well they are put up (QC) and how long they will last, but for lead flinging they will shoot on par with more expensive ones if the fit is good.

Sponxx,

Absolutely! Gun fit is incredibly important for shotguns, more so than rifles.

Since I don't know a whole lot about over/under shotguns, I was looking at Browning and Beretta as they're fairly well known with broad selections of models that can fit my budget.

It amazes, or should I say stun me, that they're are over unders that cost more than a used car!

Plus many field models are above the price of a good 1911! Ouch!

I don't want to go cheap, but sticker shock still gets me.

Prices are what they are but you are still better off with one of the B guns. Handle both and see what you like. Not all Beretta's have cast and stocks can be bent for what you need. Both the 725 Browning and the 686 Beretta are good guns.

Leo,
If you have a nearby big outodoor store (BassPro, Cabelas) or other try to handle a few different O/Us and see what you like.
Don't just shoulder them, move around as if following a target and note how they feel. IF you get the chance at the range, try to shoot a few different ones.
You can pick a very well kept one for about 60% of the new value price.
I liked Brownings and was planning on a Citori, when I scored a really good deal on a Beretta 686 White Onyx Sporting, still needed some work on the stock (LOP and grip), but it would have been the same with the Browning.
I prefer a plain good fitting gun.
I shoot a Baikal IZH27 when I am in Peru and have shot thousands of birds, clays, helices, ducks and partridges... it just fits me.

A very good gunsmith once told me "barrels shoot, but it's the stock that kills".

I've heard of regular 686's with up to 1/4 pos cast all the way to slightly neg. Try to handle the exact gun you are buying.