Silver Reserve II Sporting O/U... any good!?

I also have great respect for the durability of a Browning Citori. A proven bestseller in a world of transient "who ever heard of them?" guns.
Not the only good gun, but one of the best, for a modest price.
 
I've been pretty happy with my "field grade" guns on the target fields. I shoot both skeet and sporting clays regularly, trap occasionally. The internals of a field grade Citori are the same as a target grade gun, it'll hold up just as well. Beretta is the same. Some field guns do have auto safeties, which are a pia. I don't think any Browning guns do, some Beretta guns have them.
28" barrels seem to work best for me, as does a gun weight between 7.5 and 8 pounds. Factory loads aren't bad for recoil at that weight, and light reloads are a pussy cat to shoot.
The latest trend is to 30, 32, and even 34 inch barrels. 26" skeet guns used to be the norm.
Don't overlook a decent field gun unless you want a gun specifically made for target shooting. Often the price is considerably lower, and to my eye the field guns often have.more classic looks. I sold a 725 Sporting last year, I decided I didn't really want ported barrels and extended choke tubes after all.
 
Is browning in the group of “B“ guns? I hear nothing but good things about the citori models everywhere I look but it seems like the beretta/benelli get higher regards. I did a wiki search and it claims the browning I'd built in Japan?
 
Both my Brownings are made in Japan, as is my SKB.
One of the things the Japanese do very well is make quality shotguns.
IMO, Browning quality is on par with Beretta.
New model SKBs are made in Turkey, unfortunately. They made excellent shotguns for a lot of years until a global economy and hard times forced them into their current situation.
New Weatherby shotguns are also Turkish made, their older guns were made by SKB.
 
Chilly807 said:
I've been pretty happy with my "field grade" guns on the target fields. I shoot both skeet and sporting clays regularly, trap occasionally. The internals of a field grade Citori are the same as a target grade gun, it'll hold up just as well. Beretta is the same. Some field guns do have auto safeties, which are a pia. I don't think any Browning guns do, some Beretta guns have them.
28" barrels seem to work best for me, as does a gun weight between 7.5 and 8 pounds. Factory loads aren't bad for recoil at that weight, and light reloads are a pussy cat to shoot.
The latest trend is to 30, 32, and even 34 inch barrels. 26" skeet guns used to be the norm.
Don't overlook a decent field gun unless you want a gun specifically made for target shooting. Often the price is considerably lower, and to my eye the field guns often have.more classic looks. I sold a 725 Sporting last year, I decided I didn't really want ported barrels and extended choke tubes after all.
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I like the way you think.

After trying a Citori 725 Sporting at Wolverine Supplies open house, I knew an upgrade was in the cards. I picked this up on the EE (thanks Ibex) and while it seems to sweep a little faster, (28 in. barrel) I am hitting just as good with the field as the sporting. No auto safety on the field either.

 
Thanks. Reliable Gun, a local store. They had two, this one had considerably nicer wood.
 
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Congrats beautiful gun . the CX in my opinion is the best value in a new O/U . stubblejumper the cx come with either 30 or 32 inch barrels .
 
rembolt said:
Congrats beautiful gun . the CX in my opinion is the best value in a new O/U . stubblejumper the cx come with either 30 or 32 inch barrels .
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I'm glad to hear that because just based on my research I felt like this was the best option at that price or under. It also checked all the boxes for what I read was good for a sporting gun too(extended chokes, barrel size, weight, raised rib, etc). The only thing I feel like it could have is an adjustable comb but I don't think I'm going to need one anyways. Now I need some lessons and practice. And you're right, it's a 30".
 
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