Citori White Hunter 3.5"

S

sks

New member
I was in Bass Pro looking at the Citori White Hunter in 3.5" that they have on sale. Regular $1,799 and on sale for $1,299 with $150.00 in shells thrown in. Man that thing feels "nice"!

Anyone have this model? If so, can you give some feedback? I have some available funds that seems to be pulling me toward it. :) Am buying a new Browning gun safe tomorrow and this would be great to put inside. :D

Thanks for any input.
 
It's a beauty and I am sure that it will shoot twice as good as it looks.

After all; it is a Browning.

Not too bad of a deal either...
 
The deal seems pretty decent. Not the steal of a lifetime but at least I feel a little better. :)
 
I don't have that model SKS... but its similar to the Lightning model / except its a 3.5" vs 3" ..

The current Lightning model has been around a long time. I bought the same model - blued - new in 1988 for about $ 700 / mine has the old style Invector screw in chokes / the new guns all have the Invecotor Plus system. But mechanically they are really all the same / same receiver, same barrel connection, same style firing pins, etc --- and I think all the stock dimensions are the same as well ( drop at comb, drop at heel, length of pull, weight, etc )...there is a difference in the wood finish, the receiver finish, etc..

but, If it Fits you, I think $ 1299 is a pretty good deal.

Personally, over the years, I've learned more about "Fit" than I used to know - so the old Lightning ( used to just be called a Citori Field model ) just doesn't fit me very well --- so I've gone to parallel comb guns ( like the XS Skeet ) as my primary clays and field guns ....but I still keep the old field O/U around ...for the grandkids to shoot, etc .... Mine has many thousands of shells thru it ....and its still incredibly tight.

Good luck on the decision.
 
Big Jim: I bought the safe today but still not the gun. :) The offer of $150.00 in free shells is over but that is not the major factor. I want this gun for quail, pheasant, rabbit, squirrel, etc. as well as skeet from time to time.

As you are aware, this is not like buying a $300-500 shotgun, although I have a $75 Stevens single shot that I love. ;) This gun is obviously well made and I do like the 3.5" option when needed. The ability to select the different barrels is nice and makes the gun that much more versatile. This will be one that will be nice for many years to come. My SuperNova is black synthetic and has its own function but this is branching out for me. Maybe I'm trying to equal my wife's Montefeltro. :D

Am still debating and will probably go back tomorrow and the next day as well. I don't really know all of the drop and fit stuff but if it feels easy coming up to my shoulder and I'm looking down the barrel then it is a fit for me. I picked up a Browning A5 the other day that I absolutely could not really get my hand around comfortable. Picked up a BPS that felt right. Wish I did have your knowledge and maybe one day I will.

Crazy as it seems, now that I have the cash available it is harder to just do it. But I guess it is a good time; never know when the funds won't be there.

Thanks for your input.
 
You're welcome / but as you know, none of this came easy to me either ...until I made friends with a couple of skeet shooters that really understood "Fit" ...and I started fine tuning all this stuff.

Honestly, I'd suggest you try and find someone at your club with a Browning Lightning model / there should be a lot of them around ....and see how it shoots for you / take it to the pattern board if you can ....and test it. Pay for the guys rounds and shells for the day / or something ... and see what you can learn. ( If you were in my area, you could shoot mine at no cost ..and see if it really fits )...

These are the Citori XS Skeet models that I shoot most of the time.
http://thefiringline.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=52948&d=1256245028
They have a lot more adjustability than the Lightning .......but here is the Lightning model I bought new in 1988 - still a solid gun...

http://thefiringline.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=58675&d=1270486361

I'm a Browning guy ....but I don't know that you can make a bad choice / as long as the gun fits you....that's really the key..
 
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Once you get over the sticker shock and put the gun through its paces you will think that you should have done this years ago.
 
BigJim: Those sure look nice. I would like to try someone's out and will try to do that. The guy who gave my wife lessons has some nice guns but they are way beyond the Citori. Of course, he is seriously into the sport, is an instruction and sells firearms. Had some with weights on the barrel and the stock. Wow! I put duct tape on my old Stevens. :)

Olddrum: Probably so. When we bought my wife's Montefeltro ($1,100) she balked. But now she loves the gun and hasn't looked back. She has seen the versatility of the gun and that changed her mind. I bought some buckshot loads, slugs, 3" and others to show her what the gun could do. With the slugs she was hitting a 2'x2' square at 100 yds and was impressed.

Thanks agian for all of the input.
 
You should absolutely find a similar gun to try before you spend the money.It gets to be an expensive "OOPS" pretty quickly when you buy a shotgun that you can't hit anything with,because it does not fit you.I've made that mistake and I'm sure others here have as well.I once bought a Franchi O/U $1400 that might as well have been a club in my hands.The guy that bought it shoots it very well.I also bought a used Mossberg Maverick 88 for $100 that I can shoot nearly as well as the Browing Citori that I use for skeet.Gun fit is far more important than make,model,or price!
 
Stunned and pleasantly surprised!!!!

Wow is all I can say! I had to leave yesterday on a week long trip as two friends passed away within a day of one another. So... my wfe and daughter gave me my early Father's Day present.

Yep a brand new Citori White Hunder 3.5" with a case of shells. :eek::D:D:D To say I was speechless would be an understatement. Since I drove down to Louisiana for the two funerals it is with me and I'll try it out tomorrow afternoon. Looking forward to blasting some skeet with it.

I do have a question for you shotgun gurus. The invector plus choke says it is Lead - IMP CYL / Steel - Modified. So it is both depending on whether you shoot lead or steel?
 
Yes, you are reading the choke indications correctly.

Steel doesn't compress as much as lead. So the IC choke for lead / is considered a MOD choke if you were shooting steel.

Enjoy it ! Sorry to hear about your friends ....
 
Thanks for the answer on the chokes BigJim. I'm learning something new each and every day. Can't wait to get it out tomorrow (I hope) and see how it shoots.

I called Browning today because their website says they honor the $150.00 in free shells through June 30th even though Bass Pro said only until June 10. However, they have an even better offer now. If you buy a Citori and send in a copy of the receipt they will send you a check for $150.00. Can't beat that. :)

Also, the guy at Bass Pro said the sort of wreath around the Browning deer head was in honor of military veterans and would never be done again. I asked the lady at Browning and she said, no, it was just a design they put on the gun. :D Anything to try and sell em I guess.

I appreciate your kind words about the loss of my friends. One was 38 and the other was 91 and there is no explaining it. Cancer took the 38 year old and a stroke the 91 year old.
 
Sorry for the phone pics of the Citori but it is the best I can do for now. Shot it yesterday and the kick was not bad at all.
 

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Nice looking gun / glad to hear you like it.

Don't drive yourself crazy - but make sure you take it to the pattern board - and see where its shooting for you -- both barrels to check the point of impact in case you need some adjustment for "Fit"....
 
BigJim - I did shoot just one shot with both barrels yesterday. Top full choke and bottom modified at about 40-45 yards. The bottom seems to pattern obviously wider but a little lower. You are right, I will have to check when we get home and see where it is hitting. Not sure if the bottom barrel hit lower because it is lower or not. When I say lower it just patterned more shot down than the full choke. Again, that was one shot and not scientific at all. :)
 
The barrels are hopefully "regulated" to hit the same spot - whether you shoot the upper or the lower...

But you need to get a big dot on the board ( like 5" ) / or use a cross hair on board ....hold dead steady ...and take 3 shots with a Full choke at about 25 yards .... so you can really see the point of impact so you know whether it shoots high or low with whatever you are wearing that day at the range.

Now remember - as you move up or back on that comb - its angled - so it means the barrels move up or down as you move your face up or back / thicker coat, etc ....so it'll change the point of impact to.

Then pattern it with an IC choke at 25 yrds / and a Mod choke at 35 yards ..... and draw a 30" circle around your center point ...and that will tell you what kind of density you have. But first thing - is to make sure it shoots where you look.

......and have some fun with the new gun ....
 
BigJim thanks for the tips. I will take some time next week to pattern the gun in the manner you described. I've sighted in rifles but never a shotgun so I'm in new territory. :)

I have never had an O/U so it is something new for me, but enjoyable. Again, I only shot once from each barrel and from a standing position at at big piece of butcher paper clipped to tree brances so there could definitely be some movement somewhere. :D

I really appreciate all of you who have taken time to explain some of these things to me. A friend has already invited me to go pheasant hunting with him in Kansas come January and I believe the Citori will do nicely.

Will let you know how it patterns when I'm done.
 
Your LGS may have patterning targets that will include full instructions. At one time they were give aways, but I think they're now a few dollars. I suspect the instructions will recommend you shoot from a rest, just like when setting rifle sights. They may have instructions for patterning your Skeet chokes at a reduced distance.

Congratulations on your new gun, may it serve you for many years.
 
pattern soon

Zippy, thanks for the input. I contacted the gun club here and they have a pattern board so hopefully in the next few days I will be able to get out there and see what she shoots like.

My wife and I were going to shoot skeet on our anniversary next week but she now has to leave town with my daughter for a week. :( Guess I will go alone.

Will try and post some pictures of how it patterns.
 
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