Browning 725 Sporting 28 & .410 Ported Barrels ?

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Fendt

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I just received a 725 Sporting in 28 gauge ordered a while back. According to their website, 2016 and 2017 printed catalogs, both the 28 and .410 versions have ported barrels. However, the 28 gauge gun I received does not. The item number and ported barrel description has been confirmed by the dealer and was acknowledged by Browning on the initial order.

Both the local dealer and I have tentatively ruled out an "opps" at Miroku, since the label on the shipping box for the gun does not have letter "P" in the model description line which designates ported barrels. We have also done google searches both for reviews and on-line images and also on-line dealer images for these 725 Sporting versions, the images so far fall into two categories.

1. Obviously stock Browning photographs, most likely from the website, showing ported barrels.
2. Actual photographs taken by owners or dealers, showing non-ported barrels.

One box label image found for a .410 Sporting also does not contain the "P" in the model description, implying to me the .410 is also not ported.

While I wait for Browning's official response through the dealer, does anyone have or has seen an actual 28 gauge 725 Sporting with ported barrels ?

Thanks
 
The 28 gauge and 410 725 sporting thankfully do not have ported barrels. I read the info on the Browning site and knew this before I ordered mine.
 
I recall that Browning made a limited number of 12 ga 725's with non ported barrels.
Have Browning made sporting 725's in two barrel sets (20 and 28 ga) and/or three barrel sets (20, 28 and 410). Would the barrels be ported or non ported or a combination?
I'm not a proponent of porting---I don't like the increased muzzle blast.
Bill
 
I did not want to start another debate on the issue of ported .vs. non-ported barrels.

The literature I have reviewed and confirmed by the dealer shows all Sporting 725's to be ported except for an earlier, now dis-continued, 12 gauge version. The 12/20 models use DS-extended choke tubes while the 28/.410 use standard invector tubes. The 28 gauge I received actually has Diana grade extended invector tubes.

The Field 725 models, in either 26 inch or 28 inch barrel lengths, are all listed as non-ported, with the choke tube pairing per above.

I am just trying to confirm if the literature regarding the Sporting 725's is wrong.
Thanks
 
If the gun is in your possession and there's no barrel porting, then yes, the literature is wrong. I don't think Browning (that I recall) has ever ported barrels on 28 and 410 guns. Sometimes the catalogs are printed before the gun has even gone into production, so printing errors do occur and design changes get made. In looking at the 2016 catalog, the model they show is the 12ga Sporting, so yes there are ports. The description under Barrels does say 'ported'. I'm sure it was just an oversight in the editing of the catalog to not list the 28 and 410 as Non-ported, but again, it's pretty much been standard Browning practice to not port the two smaller sub gauges. Also the Invector Plus chokes are better than the standard Invector, so you should be happy about that misprint.
 
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Ported barrels were another feature that the manufacturers tried to convince buyers they had to have. I have shotguns with both ported and unported barrels and can detect zero difference in performance. Certainly not a feature that determines whether or not I purchase a particular shotgun.
 
DIGAF said:
I have shotguns with both ported and unported barrels and can detect zero difference in performance. Certainly not a feature that determines whether or not I purchase a particular shotgun.
Click to expand...
It is a feature that determines whether I will buy a particular gun. Porting is a non-starter for me. I've owned them before and all they do is make a gun louder and harder to clean.
 
If you check the Browning web site for the Citori 725 Sporting, a recent change has been made. It now clearly states that ported barrels are only available on the 12 & 20 gauge versions. The printed and electronic literature has been in error for at least two years regarding the 28 & .410 Sporting versions.

Surprising both my e-mails and the dealer's discussions with customer service revealed that this area of the organization believed and marketed them as if they were all ported. It took the insistence of the dealer over the phone to have them physically open boxes in Utah to convince them they're not ported.

Whether loud, obnoxious, not needed, hard to clean or not, the ported feature was marketed as there when it is not. I ordered the gun expecting it to be ported and thus match my old 325 12 gauge and newly purchased 725 20 gauge sporting guns.

Browning has offered a full refund return or to keep the gun with a forthcoming compensation package proposal. There is also a $100 rebated on right now as well I believe.

A final note, a ported version in the 28/.410 may be obtained using the Browning Custom Shop. I did find a picture of a beautiful custom 725 28 gauge ported Grade VII Sporting during my internet searches.

Thanks to all those who commented of this thread.
 
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