I know this a stretch asking for info without pics or serial numbers but ......
I have been looking for a pheasant/quail gun when today I ran across a Citori 20ga 2.75 chamber at a local shop.

This would be more than I want to spend but for some reason, I picked it up to look at anyway

The tag showed just under $1100.

As I looked it over, I notice it is pretty rough. A gouge in the forearm like someone drop it on a piece off angle iron. The butt stock is has scratches all over it. There is noticeable rust where the rib supports meet the barrel. The bore was very dirty.

It has a plain blued receiver , no engraving, invector chokes I think. When I broke it open, invector was stamped on the side.

There was no model on the gun or the shop tag.

Is the asking price reasonable ? I think it is way over priced for the condition but maybe I don’t know as much as I think I do.

I would say to follow your instincts as it would be over priced in my opinion. I would expect a fair price to be around $650 or even a bit less around here based on your description. Price might change depending on area as some places are much more expensive than others though that tend to be more the exception than the rule. If you live in one of those areas it's great when you sell but sucks if buying.

Overpriced and then some. I’ve seen as new 20ga field models go for $900 to $1000. Rust on the rib posts may be an expensive fix. Walk away.

I told my wife I thought it to be a $600 gun. In my head , I know the cosmetics don’t hurt the function but it does hurt the value.

The problem I think is, the ask is so high, they will likely scoff at what I consider a reasonable offer. I am willing to go the $600. It is a Citori and this would likely be the way for me to afford one.

No, run away.

shooter at $600 please don't go any higher

I went back and looked at it again. It is a 1988 Grade 1 upland model. Straight stock. Sn is xxxxxPPB33.

The hang tag was $1099. They said the would take $850 cash

I just don’t think they will ever get down to where I think they need to be.

Strange thing was , they had a CX ,12ga ,3” ,much much nicer condition. $989. Does the 20ga command that kind of premium even with the condition difference ?

I would suggest not trying to make that gun into something it isn't. It's a mess and isn't going to get cleaned up somehow without investing a lot more money than its worth. Walk away and keep looking.

To answer your second question, in some people's minds it does. Not in mine. Twenties are harder to find, but many fewer people are looking for them. Keep looking.

Weims, you're looking for a break action shotgun for less than a grand, right?

Suggest you look at the new Weatherby Orion with a street price of $899, or an older one made by SKB, if you can find it. Well made, nice looking, point great, a shotgun for using.

I had a Winchester 101 once, nice gun and I could hit with it but it beat the crap out of my cheek. Down the road it went. YMMV. The newer ones might be different. They can be found in your range.

Citori is hard to find in your range but can be found if you look long enough. I have a Citori, bought it new (Seventeen years ago Sunday, in fact) and its a great gun. You won't see many worth owning for less than a grand. Same with Beretta. CZ made some nicer O/U's as well.

This.

Thanks for the info.

An O/U does appeal to me for some reason.That was the first time I had ever shouldered a Citori. I have to admit, I liked the way it came to my shoulder and the way it fit me. I thought a shotgun was a shotgun.

I don't need an expensive one but I don't want to buy a cheap one either. As a general rule, I would never spend a grand on a shotgun. Its not that I cant afford one, I just choose to spend the money elsewhere.

I know enough to understand the price of a Citori and as general rule, I would never look at one since I know they are out of my price range but for some reason, I picked this one up. When I saw the condition, I thought maybe- for a fleeting moment- I could have champagne on a beer budget. Maybe I had found one worthwhile that a blueblood would not look at due to condition.

I may bird hunt a few times a year, maybe shoot some clays a couple times a year or kick around for rabbits but that will be the extent of its use.

Who knows , maybe I can ask for one for retirement......in a few years.

What you do with your money is of course your business but I can tell you this. If you'd bought either that used Remington or that used Citori, those dollars were spent and gone. You or your heirs or creditors weren't getting those back. You go and buy a nice Made in Japan 101 or Citori, and keep it nice, you or your heirs or creditors are going to be easily able to get the same out of it in the future. Putting money in a good used gun is like taking it from one pocket and putting it in the other. As long as you keep it, maintain it, don't abuse it, those dollars are safe. For what its worth.

20 ga will carry a premium over 12 ga, it is pretty much a fact of life. There are fewer of them made, they come on the market less often, and those who are looking for one tend to be less inclined to negotiate on the price. That the Citori in question is an Upland Special (if it has 24" barrels) or a Superlight (26' or 28') makes is more desirable for some as fewer of these were made compared to pistol grip Hunter and knob grip Lightning models.

That said, I will stand by my estimate of price due to the condition its in. I don't place a great premium that the gun has a straight grip and only a small one on its being a 20 ga.- hence a value of $650 tops and not $600 if a 12 ga.

I would keep your eyes open as it is not outside the realm of possibility that you could find a 20 ga Citori in decent shape for $650 or thereabouts. It will likely be a fixed choke gun but there is nothing wrong with them and a lot going for them. The barrels of the fixed choke guns as well as the original Invector Choke barrels are of a smaller outside diameter than the Invector Plus and whatever the ones following are called. That makes them lighter up front which some like. If one likes a gun that has less weight up front, these are the ones to look for and the plus is they are not as desirable to many making them the least expensive around. Good luck in your hunt.

Steve’s on South Main by chance? Sounds like their pricing structure anyway.

Lol. Nailed it

For this year, I settled on the Weatherby SA-08 black plastic model. I found one used for 375.00 in very good condition. I have yet to shoot it so I will be interested in how it patterns.

Funny how life works. I was working out of town last week so I did a search on armslist for my location. Lo and behold I find what turned out to be a 1998 lightning 28in with invector plus chokes, 12ga 3”. Supposedly owned by an elderly gent that bought it used but never shot it. Who knows the real story. After looking at it and some dickering I got it bought Under my budget.

It isn’t perfect but I didn’t pay perfect money either. I would like to have the wood stripped and redone at some point.

One oddity is it has the optional adjustable comb stock. I didn’t think it was a factory stock but if you dig on the net deep enough, you can find a reference to it.

Figures our bird season just ended. Oh well, guess I will give it a try at the sporting clays or skeet in the mean time.

Sounds like a good score. Got pics?

It sounds like a very decent buy based on your earlier price point but I am very doubtful the adjustable comb is factory. I do not have my reference books handy but this what I can recall of the Citori line of that era. It is not to say it did not occur but I don't recall seeing that option on Browning's price list back then. It may be that it was an option not extended to me but considering what was available back then it is more likely it was not available or I missed it.

The first reason to doubt is 3" chambers as Browning insisted on 2 3/4" for all their target guns at the time. Some guns had 3" chambers but the barrels were factory stamped 2 3/4". Browning believed one got better patterns with the shorter chambers when shooting target loads even though Beretta chambered all their guns for 3", even those targeted for competition.

Second reason is the Lightning designation. The Lightning was primarily a field model as few competitors wanted the round knob in the 90's. The slim roundish fore end was another facet that many deemed undesirarable for competition and I recall the GTi Lightning as having a thicker and squarer fore stock than the field Lightning. The GTi did not have an adjustable comb as I recall.

Lastly, the 28" barrels. By the late 90's the rage was 30" barrels for competitors with shorter barrels being undesirable. 28" barrels were an option offered but very few were made in comparison to 30". Since 28" barrels were offered it is carries little weight on its own but it does add a little when added to the rest.

That is not to say your gun is not factory original but just that it would be an unusual model. I would look at getting it lettered as that might gain you a couple hundred dollars on a trade or resale. Being an unusual model many, me included, would not realize that and would subtract all the avove from the price if looking for a competition gun and subtract the adjustable stock if wanting a field model. Having the paperwork stating it is an unusual option would help to justify a higher, more appropriate, price for some buyers.

You did buy a good gun at a very fair, if not very good, price - I think you did well. My comments are meant as food for thought for future resale and how to protect yourself against an ignorant or unscrupulous buyer. I know I've been the former, I hope I haven't been the latter.

No worries, All points are taken and valid.

Depending on cost, I may get the wood redone. I think it will make a difference in the appearance as the bluing ( while not perfect-It obviously has been used) is not that bad.
I am not saying I would not sell it but it was not bought to turn. It was bought because I had always wanted one but could not justify a $1k or more price tag to use maybe a few times a year.

Pics added