1975 Citori Fixed Choke Barrel Numbers...Mean?

T

toolmankan

Inactive
I have a 1 and a 3 marked on either barrel of my 1975 citori. I believe 3 is modified (from other posts), but can't seem to find any other information of this.
Thanks.
 
Do you have any asterisk's on the barrels? Usually Browning marks the barrels with a number of asterisk's and a dot or "$" symbol. The combination denotes the barrel's choke.
 
Nope, I've got an actual 1 stamped on the top barrel, and a 3 stamped on the bottom barrel. It's a 1975 model 12 gauge citori.
 
i have one of those,,i think i bought it in the summer of "75" it is choked improved and modified,,, and the designation is **- and **

IIRC those marks are on the left side of the barrels at the chamber,,visible when you break the gun open

my .02

ocharry
 
yes, marked on the left side of the barrel. however, only visible when the fore stock is removed. A "1" on the top barrel, and a "3" on the bottom barrel. This is the 28" special steel barrel that shoots 3" shells.
 
My guess is full over modified -- a fairly common combination. The tighter chock for the longer second shot. I could be a simple as the folks making the guns for Browning didn't have any asterisk stamps in the early days. :rolleyes:
 
That's my guess, but I wanted to know for sure. I would like to see what the breakdown of each number is. I've heard of a 3 and 5 barrel also with uncertainty as to what the chokes were there as well.
 
yea, i read through it. However that states a skeet and improved, and I've heard from several folks that the 3 is a modified. I appreciate everyone's input....still looking for a browning specific chart if anyone has one, or a link to one.
thanks.
 
Measuring the bores and then the chokes is the second best way.

Patterning your gun is the BEST way - it doesn't matter what the barrel says - it matters what your barrels do with the loads you are shooting through it
 
still looking for a browning specific chart
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The Hallowell chart, referenced by oneounceload, shows the same Browning star code choke markings as other references like Briley. The Citori in question doesn't have typical Browning markings.

A gun maker can chose to label his chokes in two ways: consider cylinder bore as his start (Perazzi marks cylinder bore with an O and full with a 9), or use your tightest choke as your start (Browning typical uses one star for full and three for cylinder, or, in the case of the early Citori, a number 1 instead of one star). Other makers stamp the actual diameter of the choke like 18.4 (in mm's). Traditional UK makers may mark chokes in quarters (0/4=cyl; 1/4=imp cyl; 2/4=mod; 3/4=imp mod and 4/4=full). USofA makers typically just spell out the choke markings. It you find an old Winchester with "FULL" marked on the barrel, there's no questions.
 
toolmankan, my old Citori is the field model,,26",3"chambers,12 gauge and I am pretty sure i got it in the late spring or early summer of 75,, all those years ago,,IIRC,,seems I recall it was in the $230-250 price range I gave for it. It will go to my grandson one of these days and I am sure it will last his lifetime too!!

I am curious to your markings and maybe you have a transition model??

Didn't browning make that change over somewhere in late 73 to early 74??

From Belgian to Japan??

As for the quality of the Japanese guns,,the one I have has been used a lot,,still tight,,never had a problem,,I've used it for everything,,lol

Good luck figuring this out ,,if you really want to know measure the muzzle and then put it on the pattern board,,,the board does not lie,,lol

ocharry
 
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Like others advised - I think your answer is easily found by measuring the barrels vs the amout of constriction in the choke area for each barrel..

The Citori went into production in 1973 - and from 1973 thru 1975 they didn't even have a set nomenclature for the serial numbers other than an H and an N for 12 and 20ga - but then, they mixed in some J's for both gagues ..../ so they had a variety of conventions when they got production of that gun started - before they got it standardized in 1976.

But it seems odd that they would stray from their typical "star"markings on the chokes. I'm wondering if you might have some kind of an after-market barrel on that receiver ?? Is the barrel plainly marked Browning ??
 
Another thing you can do is check the muzzle with a dime and see if it corresponds with the numbers. The dime will not go into a full choke, will just go into a modified, and will have plenty of space around an improved cylinder.
 
Another thing you can do is check the muzzle with a dime and see if it corresponds with the numbers. The dime will not go into a full choke, will just go into a modified, and will have plenty of space around an improved cylinder.
Click to expand...

MAYBE that works on certain barrel diameters, but one must remember that a 12 can vary by .015 for bore diameters, so a dime is not necessarily a good indicator - falls in place like measuring LOP by putting the stock in the crook of your elbow
 
I didn't mean it to be an "end all, way to check". Just a quick reference. It works on my 3 12 ga. of varying makes.
 
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