??? Browning Citori

dakotashooter2

I have a Browning Citori I purchased used many years ago. On the barrel is stamped "Special Steel" I have never really known what that meant and have always assumed it indicated it was OK for steel shot. Is that correct or am I off base? I have been using steel in it for years with no ill effects but did have the full choke opened to modified and am contemplating opening it more. I would love to install chokes but the barrel walls are only .058" and I don't know if I want to spend the money for thin wall chokes for this gun.

trsmith5

I have an older citori also and shoot steel with no problems whatsoever. as far as opening up the choke, do you have 28" barrels?
if so, why not crop off the barrel a little. all your choke is in the last few inches anyway. I did this to a rem. 1100 20 ga. for my wife, not just to open the choke but to make it swing easier for her. It shoots doves like a champ.
I love my Browning for ducks with steel. If it wears out I'll get another one

dakotashooter2

I also love my Browning. At least for upland game which I can just hammer with it, but it's performance with steel is pityfull. I prefer mod and imp for upland and figure boring it out will give me the equivalent of full and mod with steel and hopefully a little better performance.I also prefer shorter barrels around 24" but don't want to give up all the choke.

ked-mar

You can't choke steel shoot!!
K.J.S.

trsmith5

The last message is on the money. you can't choke steel.
steel is so much harder than lead that with a full choke it leaves the barrel bouncing off each other like crazy, therefore no pattern.
to get the best pattern from steel use imp. cyl. or straight bore, which is why I suggested cutting your barrel taking the choke out all together. But then your left with a wide pattern with lead.
The best solution is to leave your citori for upland hunting and get a knock-around gun for ducks and throw alot of steel at them.

Tailgunner1954

Don't you wish some people would READ before answering?
"I...did have the full choke opened to modified and am contemplating opening it more."
The gun is currently choked Lead MOD/Steel FULL, and as such is perfectly suited for shooting steel shot.

To answer your question on what the "Special Steel" marking means, may I suggest you contact Browning (Utah) directly? They are easy people to talk to, and don't mind answering questions.

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Some guys like a mag full of lead, I still prefer one round to the head.

dakotashooter2

I don't agree that you can't "choke" steel. I have tried my 870 with no choke and B-52 could fly through that pattern. At least some restriction seems to be benificial. An imp/mod seems to be ideal for 25-30 yards which is what I limit myself to with steel.

ked-mar

Steel shot is not steel, it is chilled iron shot. It moves down your barrel, in one clump, about .728 bore size. You don't have to choke the shot, because it wants to fly in one big swarm, like bee's.IMP cylinder is about all it wants to encounter. Put your Improved Mod. choke in your 870, and wrap a tag wire around the barrel where the choke is the tightest, and twist it very tight with a pair of pliers.Now shoot a load of "steel shot" through it. Are you chokeing down the shot, or is the barrel expanding, enought to let it pass? K.J.S.

bambihunter

Shoot other forms of non-toxic loads then you don't have to worry about the ill-effects of steel or its lousy pattern. It isn't cheap, but would you rather mess up a nice Citori, or shoot some birds?

It doesn't matter what you shoot, just shoot it well...