Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Browning Citori: Time to Repair???

Dad passed a couple months back. I am now the proud owner of his beloved Citori.

Shot it today and it had no issues on the skeet range. Thing is, I notice that the lever is just about at 6 o'clock instead of off to the right like it supposed to be. I understand that wear in the action causes this and it can be fixed and that the fix is not very expensive.

My questions are: When do I get it fixed? What tells you that NOW is the time? Is it dangerous once the lever reaches 6 o'clock?

You have many rounds left prior to repair

Did your father use it as a target gun, or for hunting ?

I currently have 2 and have had several others over the years. Of these one target gun needed the tongue tig welded. I' m sure it had over 100,00 rounds through it prior to repair. I used it for several years after the repair, and it functioned fine when I traded it..

Bob

Sorry to hear of your dads passing. Losing dad absolutely sucks.

I'd send Browning a email to see what can be done.

It is still wearing in and will not change much for thousands of rds. When you get past 6 o'clock closer to 6:30 you're wearing out and time to get it repaired. If you detect any looseness of the lockup prior to that send it to Browning for the repair.

The proper position of the top lever in a fresh Citori is about 5-6 degrees to the right of center.. You say yours in now pretty much straight back to the comb. You might be able to use it yet for a while but what WILL happen at some point is that you'll take a shot and the action will begin to break open. That's when it's in dire need of a new locking block.

You can send it to Browning and get it back in 3-4 months to the tune of about $300 +/- or you can have another shop that is schooled in the Citori to make the repair sooner - but you're still going to be in the $250-300 range I believe..

This is the correct answer. If the barrels are still on face and there's no looseness to the action, just shoot it and enjoy it. At 6 0'clock is right where it's supposed to settle in. At 6:30 is when you need to address it before the action loosens up.

Citori's are made of very good stell. I'm betting there's at least another 5-10 thousand rounds before it's time to work those lugs.

I'd be very tempted to take that bet - but I hate takin' money from friends when the odds are SO high in my favor..

Just sayin'..

I've had 2 of them for over 20 years and they've been used. Takes one hell of a lot of shooting to wear that block out, but it do happen.

Love him though I do/did, Dad was not known as a guy who maintained much of anything. Not a mechanical bone in his body. I doubt that action was EVER lubed.

I'll keep a close eye and shoot away!

Thanks.

That's the key. Keep the action clean and lightly greased. Probably outlast you unless you do a LOT of clay shooting.

Jerry

6 or 6:30....If you're talking about the lever pointing to the comb what's the difference?