Home Forums Birds & Dogs Shotguns Older Citori value?

Fixed choke gun, 28” Barrels, grade I, had the box with it. Shot less than 100 times. Excellent condition.
Wood nothing special.

I got one last year for around $1100 at a gun show. It was part of a trade so the exact price is a bit hazy. I don’t know if that’s a good price or not but it was well worth it to me. Fixed chokes are only a problem if they don’t match your use. Even then, they can be altered up to a point. I like Citoris and yours sounds good.

28", fixed choke spells M/F choking in my experience.
I'd be hard pressed to shell out more than $750-800, and then only if it were pristine. JMHO

That's where I'd be too. I've paid a lot less by the way..

There is a big difference between the very early Citoris and those a bit later. The early guns, which started in 1973, are obsolete, meaning have no parts or corporate support (notably have plain receivers), fixed chokes, of course. These are known as pre-Type I and were made through 1976, with much the same mechanical arrangement as the last Miroku-made Charles Daly guns. Those that came after, also fixed choked and have somewhat different mechanisms, along with spare parts still being available. More history info here:

https://www.midwestgunworks.com/know-your-browning-citori.html

As to the fixed choke issue alone, I would prefer fixed chokes as the barrels are lighter out there where it matters - the muzzle end. It’s a simple matter to have one choke opened.

In doing this, I would much prefer to open the top barrel (the full choke on a mod/full gun), to IC or Lt Mod. Then I would plan to mostly use the top barrel as the first shot on birds. The reason for this is primarily centered on that H pattern safety. With it set to the right, on “Safe”, I tend to push it off diagonally and will often inadvertently shove it to the middle so that the safety is still on. By carrying the gun with the safety on safe to the left (over barrel selected), the safety disengages easily and goes straight forward (right hand shooter; opposite for a lefty).

Anyhow, the value of the very early guns is quite low for reasons above. The fixed choked guns command a bit less, around $800-$1000, so long as they are not in that first series.

The Citori has earned its stripes as a well made and reliable gun in the target games where many are shot well past 100,000 rounds.

Gauge????

12ga.

Figured, but the 20’s are the sweat spot.

Have seen 12’s go from $800 to perhaps $1200 with extra nice wood. If I wanted one, I would rather have fixed chokes. Often they come out of the European markets, and have another selling point, which is lighter barrels.

Proof marks may show that to be the case. If so, there are those who would pay extra.

This one came from J.C. penny of all places.
My dad bought 5, 4 12’s and a 20ga. Sold them off over the following years at a profit til the last one was free.

Last year I purchased an estate that had a pre series Citori in it. I sold it simply because I knew finding parts could be tough and I wanted one I could hunt with and not worry about repairs with.