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< 16ga. Guns ~ Citori choke tube options |
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Posted:
Mon Jun 14, 2010 1:45 pm
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I stumbled into a nice long-tang 16 gauge Citori Lightning today and it somehow found its way into the truck. It's in real good shape with just a few hunting scratches, etc. It's real lively with 26" barrels. Nice little 16!
Anyway, it only has the two choke tubes that were in the gun and no wrench. The bottom (Mod) tube measures .09 and the top tube is so unbelievably tight I can't even get my Skeets bore gauge to enter it! I've measured a lot of 16 gauge chokes, but nothing THAT tight.
I'd like to get a few new tubes like Sk-1, IC, and Mod for it, but I don't trust these Browning Invectors tubes as they seem to be all over the place in their measurements.
Anyone using the Trulock "Precision Hunter" tubes? What are some good options for aftermarket tubes on a 16 gauge Citori?
Thanks! |
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Posted:
Mon Jun 14, 2010 3:39 pm
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Member
Joined: 19 Jan 2008
Posts: 680
Location: MAINE
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I have used Briley tubes . Briley makes Browning tubes . |
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Posted:
Mon Jun 14, 2010 4:09 pm
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Joined: 06 Aug 2009
Posts: 960
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Hi Dave,
I had a Browning A5 with the Browning 16 Gauge Invectors in it. Here are the numbers, believe or not, and the chokes threw the right patterns. Not sure if you know but conical chokes typically do not need as much constriction as a parallel section choke, to throw the same pattern. So don't try to figure out the Browning Invector system, just have fun with it. It works pretty good. Look at the full choke numbers, they are correct, I called Browning and they verified the .042 constriction. It throws a decent pattern also.
BROWNING SWEET SIXTEEN
16 GAUGE BORE AND CHOKE DIMENSIONS
DIAMETER CONSTRICTION
BORE .668
CYLINDER .674 +.006
SKEET 1 .666 -.002
I/C .661 -.007
MODIFIED .658 -.010
FULL .626 -.042 |
_________________ Mark |
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Posted:
Mon Jun 14, 2010 4:16 pm
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Mark, thanks, that's good to know because the stock Browning Invectors are a lot less expensive than the aftermarket chokes.
But man, that difference between the Mod and Full is mind boggling! I'll take your word for it though. |
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Posted:
Mon Jun 14, 2010 4:22 pm
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Joined: 06 Aug 2009
Posts: 960
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Dave,
I know, I was afraid to shoot the full choke until I talked with Browning, that was back in 1987. To be honest I used that shotgun when grouse and woodcock numbers in Connecticut were halfway decent so the skeet and I/C chokes got most of the work. I only used the full choke for the odd round of trap I shot. The numbers are honest, I measured everything with a Stan Baker dial bore set. |
_________________ Mark |
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Posted:
Mon Jun 14, 2010 6:21 pm
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Member
Joined: 13 Jan 2008
Posts: 58
Location: Michigan
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Dave,
I have Briley extended chokes in my 16 ga. Lighting and I have a set of Trulock Precision Hunter extended chokes for a 16 ga. Remington 870. Both brands of chokes appear to be well made and pattern well judging from the breaks on clay targets. I don't think you could go wrong with either brand.
Scott |
_________________ Regards,
Scott |
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Posted:
Mon Jun 14, 2010 10:48 pm
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Member
Joined: 16 Feb 2006
Posts: 711
Location: Flagstaff, AZ
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The full choke tube that came with my Citori also measured .042". I never shot it but had a gunsmith open it to .022", which measures close to improved modified but on paper it throws patterns that are almost full.
Browning evidently has always thought 16ga full chokes need to be this tight, both fixed chokes and choke tubes. My standard A-5 had .043" before I had it opened and a Sweet 16 I once measured had .042" also. I have always wondered if they did this with the 12's and 20's as well
Dave, enjoy your Citori. I sure have been happy with mine. And no, it has never misfired, even with Rem Game Loads.. |
_________________ Dennis
Current 16ga. Stable
Browning Citori Gr I
Browning Belgium Sweet 16
A.H. Fox Sterlingworth
Remington 11-48
Remington 31
Remington 870
Geco/J.P. Sauer BLNE
Winchester Mod 12 |
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Posted:
Tue Jun 15, 2010 2:23 am
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Member
Joined: 06 Oct 2007
Posts: 2353
Location: West MI
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The wife gifted me a set of Trulock Precision Hunter's for my 16ga Citori Upland. I like them very much. Well made, shoot good patterns to POA, appreciate the knurled extension w/the constriction printed on it for instant ID & enjoy the convienience of being able to check if the tube is seated in the barrel without extra tools + the simple plastic carry case fits in my vest or shooting bag without taking up too much room. I'm messing around w/steel shot of late and they seem handle it just fine. The one VERY slight negetive; while in the thick stuff the gap between the knurled extension can/does collect some stuff but hardly worth mentioning. Also have a couple for the BPS10 & the SP10 that work great with numb gloved fingers. I would definately purchase more.
Pardon the ignorance; what is a "long tang" Citori? |
_________________ Sorry, I'm a Duck Hunter so shouldn't be held strictly responsible for my actions between Oct 1st and ice up. |
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Posted:
Tue Jun 15, 2010 5:26 am
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On the "long-tang" models the triggerguard is extended and follows the contour of the pistol grip. It's just a nice touch but it doesn't add any real functionality. These guns (I believe) were made in that original batch in the mid to late 1980's.
Thanks for the choke info and positive comments. I did order three of the Trulock chokes, a SK1, IC, and IM. These cover the clay games I play and any hunting situation I usually encounter. This is my 2nd go with a Citori 16. The first one was a newer 28" gun and it was a nice shotgun, but I had some fit issues with it and I didn't want to tackle that Browning finish and subsequent refinish. This gun was bought for less moola and it has enough scratches in the stock to make it a worthy project if I need to alter the comb.
There are some deep scratches on the comb and the other side of the stock. Makes me wonder it the previous owner had a bad encounter with a barbwire fence. Overall, it’s in excellent shape.
This one shows the “long tang.”
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Posted:
Tue Jun 15, 2010 5:58 am
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Member
Joined: 06 Oct 2007
Posts: 2353
Location: West MI
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She's a bute! Good luck w/it and the tubes. Thanks for the long tang lesson; I've learned my one new thing for the day so I'm good to go.
I wonder as to the extension having any functionality; my upland has a long tang also and I see it as a possible benefit by adding a slight strengthening of the wrist area. Please don't take this as argumentative just an observation.
Thanks again, take care, Mike |
_________________ Sorry, I'm a Duck Hunter so shouldn't be held strictly responsible for my actions between Oct 1st and ice up. |
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Posted:
Tue Jun 15, 2010 3:51 pm
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Member
Joined: 02 Oct 2004
Posts: 425
Location: Maine
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I own a 16g BPS and Citori, and factory "FULL" tubes miked at .042-.043, "MOD" were 0.010-0.011 IIRC. Have never shot either gun with the full choke tubes installed. |
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Posted:
Tue Jun 15, 2010 4:49 pm
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putz463 wrote: |
I wonder as to the extension having any functionality; my upland has a long tang also and I see it as a possible benefit by adding a slight strengthening of the wrist area. Please don't take this as argumentative just an observation.
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Mike, you're probably right about that. |
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Posted:
Wed Jun 30, 2010 10:08 pm
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Joined: 08 Feb 2009
Posts: 1316
Location: Western WA
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I can't say enough good things about Trulock chokes...in my 12 ga, that is. The patterns are so even and dense that they seem almost strange compared to factory chokes.
My 16 ga. Citori invector chokes work fine in all constrictions, but I have not compared them to Trulock...yet... |
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Posted:
Thu Jul 01, 2010 5:37 am
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Joined: 06 Mar 2008
Posts: 596
Location: 17603
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Dave,
Congrats on your find, my 525 came with 5 ext Brwng chokes and after measurement, I ordered 3 Trulock PH tubes to fill in the gaps. I've now got 8 tubes in ~ .005" increments. I got a Cyl, SK1 and a Mod, my Brwng Full, like yours, measures at .041". Interestingly I found a .003" discrepancy from bore to bore, the under barrel is a tad oversize at .671". The Trulocks are pricey, but spot on as far as stated constrictions. Never patterned any of them, but should I ever go for Turkey, I'll be using that Brwng Full in the top barrel. Enjoy!
Cheers,
R*2 |
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Posted:
Wed Jul 14, 2010 9:24 pm
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Member
Joined: 31 Aug 2005
Posts: 1257
Location: Nebraska
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I found the same issues with the factory tubes with my Citori. It came with some extended Briley tubes but the blue factory jobs miked out to what the others showed. Mod at about .010" and Full over .042". I got a handful from http://www.wholesalehunter.com/ via Auction Arms and they turned out to be stainless (silver anyway), "made by Briley for Browning" and true to their markings as per the Briley website and their listings for 12ga/16ga constrictions.
I only patterned one load extensively, bagged shot STS #5's (easier to count fewer holes) and from .015" and up had Full choke percentages no matter the style or manufacture. I hope the Browning-packaged tubes are still made by Briley and still to the same specs. |
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